Babolat 3001 instructions

Renboy said:
A quick update, the guy I dropped it off with seems to be having issue with it as well. He messaged me saying it was the load cell that was causing the issue, then a few hours later messaged me again saying it wasn't the load cell and he needed to diagnose further. In short, no resolution yet.

As for the offset adjustment, I don't remember where I watched a video for it. I'll see if I can find it again. There are two ways of checking it:l though:
1) pop the clearing plastic cap off the cover behind the tension head, hold yellow button and power on machine. Wait for 1 long beep followed by two short beeps, release yellow button. Now turn the trimpot until it the machine beeps, once it beeps, turn it in the opposite direction until it beeps. Keep doing this until you basically can't turn it in either direction.
2) and this is the better way in my opinion, get a multi meter, set it to DC and look for the 2 pin header on the offset board (the small board with the 3 trimpots). Connect - to the lowest of the two pins, + on top. Adjust the trimpot closest to the loadcell (no 1), until you read 0.9V. (Copied from jeroenn's post above).
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update! Seems this is a tough issue to get it back in running condition. Weird they didn’t mention any issues with the board. Cross my fingers they will get it back up and running :)
 
Just had a throrough look at my board. It's a Z80 based board and it looks like they used the same mainboard for their complete range (star 4/ 3002 / 3002 etc etc), which makes sense as they use the same cell.

The Z80 cpu is a microcomputer from the 80's, very popular in home computers etc. I recognise a lot of components, bios, clock etc. Given that your machine was able to function in every way, except for moving the head, that suggest that the cpu is running. Your repair man can easilly double check this by checking for activity on the various address lines. The board has dedicated sections for driving various parts of the machine, based on executions by the cpu. These driving parts are partly not used in your machine (you don't have automatic clamps, a head-riser etc) - but your board is populated for these functions. That makes it somewhat complexer than it should be, but I suppose for Babolat it was easier / cheaper to design just one board for all.

So if the CPU is running, then the relais and its controlling logic or the LT1014 on the offset board are highly suspect. I think there was someone posting on here with a broken LT0114. Thankfully these are still available.
If the machine gets repaired, it would make sense to have the relais as well as all the el capacitors replaced, just because they are aging - I guess the machine is close to 30 years old by now.

Incidently, the components that are warm on your board, are warm on my board as well.
 
Haven't forgotten about this, but the guy fixing the machine is having a hard time figuring out why it's not working.
 
No worries! :).
If all else fails, we might arrange something to ship over the mainboard and offsetboard here. It may be easier to diagnose with working examples next to it. But let's wait and see if anything comes up with your repair guy first.
 
Thanks for the update. I hope your repair guy is not charging you too much money for the time diagnosing the issue. Just like Jeroenn mentioned the mainboard and offset board may be causing the issue. Sadly both components are hard to get.
 
Thankfully, neither the offset board or the main board is using any propriatary components so unless they burn up completely, whatever component has borked can be gotten easilly. The only active component on the offset board is the LT0114 which is a few dollars and readilly available. The mainboard is basically a Z80 computer with control logic and memory, all of which are still available in their used form factor. The only propriatary 'part' is the software in the EPROM. I have an eprom burner/reader so I can easilly copy any of mine.
 
Update: the guy couldn't figure out what was wrong with the machine, and he told me he asked a couple other guys to look at it as well. So the machine was sold for parts. It's unfortunate because I liked that machine more than I like some of the new ones. Take care guys.
 
Renboy said:
Update: the guy couldn't figure out what was wrong with the machine, and he told me he asked a couple other guys to look at it as well. So the machine was sold for parts. It's unfortunate because I liked that machine more than I like some of the new ones. Take care guys.
Click to expand...
That's a pitty. Is it already sold? If not, my offer still stands.
 
jeroenn said:
That's a pitty. Is it already sold? If not, my offer still stands.
Click to expand...
Thanks, but it's gone. To be honest, I almost exclusively only strung squash racquets, and covid restrictions here basically killed squash. To this day there are a lot of players that haven't returned. I was hardly stringing any racquets anymore so it was a reasonable time to end.
Again, thanks all. Unfortunately, the outcome of my situation was of no help to anyone.
 
Mr. Thinking said:
Hello everyone.
I am Ümit Güngör from Turkey. I am an electronics repairman.
I have a defective babolat 3370. Pressing the yellow button makes a bib sound but does not move.
I followed the calibration steps in the topic, but I could not reach a result. I took the job a little more seriously and drew the schematic of the loadcell circuit. I left it below.
There are test point points on the diagram.
There are markings indicating the same points on the photo of the back surface of the circuit.
I request from you:
If you have one of the employees of this machine, can you please measure how many volts there are at these points with a multimeter and answer me?
When measuring, the black probe of the multimeter should always be where it says gnd. Based on this information, I'll look elsewhere to see if there's a bug. I will let you know the result.
If you can help I would be very grateful and I can send some of the processor side of the schematic as well.
By the way, the original schematic of the device I drew is different from the example schematic taken from the AD7772 datasheet sent by @emo_168.



Click to expand...
 
#200 jeroenn

Do you happen to know if the calibration for a Babolat 2502 differs from the one for the 3001?
The three potentiometers and circuit board look alike.
Reset of the offset worked fine and tension head now pulls tension (about twice the reference tension though) voltage on pot 1 reads 0,9.
By adjusting pot 3 I‘m trying to calibrate, but there are no changes when I pull tension again.

Any ideas what I need to do?

Thanks for you help
 
Cumulus said:
#200 jeroenn

Do you happen to know if the calibration for a Babolat 2502 differs from the one for the 3001?
The three potentiometers and circuit board look alike.
Reset of the offset worked fine and tension head now pulls tension (about twice the reference tension though) voltage on pot 1 reads 0,9.
By adjusting pot 3 I‘m trying to calibrate, but there are no changes when I pull tension again.

Any ideas what I need to do?

Thanks for you help
Click to expand...

Sorry to say it sounds like your loadcell is on its last legs.
If you don't get any difference by adjusting the gain pot (the most left one - also the left one of the group of two), then you're just probably pulling max tension.
Maybe the pot itself is borked, maybe the amplifier, but usually it's the cell.
 
jeroenn said:
Sorry to say it sounds like your loadcell is on its last legs.
If you don't get any difference by adjusting the gain pot (the most left one - also the left one of the group of two), then you're just probably pulling max tension.
Maybe the pot itself is borked, maybe the amplifier, but usually it's the cell.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick reply.
By changing the reference tension I get differences but it is always more than it is supposed to be.
 
Cumulus said:
I do, that is how I checked the voltage on the two small pins. I can also adjust the voltage.
Click to expand...
I would try the following:
- Check the power rail that you have a neat 5v. (pin 4 of the LT1014 for example. You also should have a negative power on pin 11 (V-)
- check if the trimpots are actually working. Meassure resistance, i think it's a 200Kohm. In circuit the values can be off due to other nearby components, but you should meassure somethign and see a diff after adjusting.
If these check out, then you want to see if you can test the LT1014. It's supposd to amplify the small variations generated by the loadcell. I don't have any schematics of the offset board, so you'll need to see how the strain gauges connect. When under load, there should be output on the outputs of the opamp. See the spec sheet for details: https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/LT1013-LT1014.pdf
 
jeroenn said:
I would try the following:
- Check the power rail that you have a neat 5v. (pin 4 of the LT1014 for example. You also should have a negative power on pin 11 (V-)
- check if the trimpots are actually working. Meassure resistance, i think it's a 200Kohm. In circuit the values can be off due to other nearby components, but you should meassure somethign and see a diff after adjusting.
If these check out, then you want to see if you can test the LT1014. It's supposd to amplify the small variations generated by the loadcell. I don't have any schematics of the offset board, so you'll need to see how the strain gauges connect. When under load, there should be output on the outputs of the opamp. See the spec sheet for details: https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/LT1013-LT1014.pdf
Click to expand...
Thank you so much, I appreciate your help.
That is going to keep me busy for a some time.
 
Hello everyone,

I've read through this thread a couple of times and I'm incredibly impressed with the support this community provides in keeping the old Babolat machines alive!
This is my first post here, so please let me know if I should start a new thread or continue here.

I have a Babolat 1002 and I'm having trouble calibrating it. I've followed the procedure of setting Pot3 to 0.9V to start the calibration at 10kg, but the machine is pulling 25kg.
When I try to adjust it with Pot1, nothing changes.

Inspired by the discussion between @jeroenn and @Mr. Thinking, I measured the readings of all six points on my Load-Cell Board (see Load Cell Board Readings.jpg.).

Most of the readings are fine, but:
A. I get a very different reading from TP2 (1.52V versus -5.03V from jeroenn), and
B. I get no reading from TP3 (jeroenn gets 0.91V there).

Based on these readings, my question is:
  • Could the lack of change in Gain be due to a faulty Pot2 and/or Pot3?
If so, is it possible to solder new ones and get my machine working correctly again?

Here is My Calibration Video. (attention: In this video I had Pot3 at 4.31V for the machine to pull the correct 25kg as set on the dial !!)
 
Reggie said:
Hello everyone,

I've read through this thread a couple of times and I'm incredibly impressed with the support this community provides in keeping the old Babolat machines alive!
This is my first post here, so please let me know if I should start a new thread or continue here.

I have a Babolat 1002 and I'm having trouble calibrating it. I've followed the procedure of setting Pot3 to 0.9V to start the calibration at 10kg, but the machine is pulling 25kg.
When I try to adjust it with Pot1, nothing changes.

Inspired by the discussion between @jeroenn and @Mr. Thinking, I measured the readings of all six points on my Load-Cell Board (see Load Cell Board Readings.jpg.).

Most of the readings are fine, but:
A. I get a very different reading from TP2 (1.52V versus -5.03V from jeroenn), and
B. I get no reading from TP3 (jeroenn gets 0.91V there).

Based on these readings, my question is:
  • Could the lack of change in Gain be due to a faulty Pot2 and/or Pot3?
If so, is it possible to solder new ones and get my machine working correctly again?

Here is My Calibration Video. (attention: In this video I had Pot3 at 4.31V for the machine to pull the correct 25kg as set on the dial !!)
Click to expand...

It is possible to replace the pots (and the tantalum capacitors etc) on the offset board and it may be a cheaper first test, but honestly and unfortunately, I'm more inclined to believe your load cell has kicked the bucket. The board is really just an amplifier circuit that amplifies the small changes in the cell so they can be properly measured. If nothing comes in, nothing will come out, so I'm thinking that one of the 4 legs of the wheatstone bridge has crapped out.

Since you asked the question if they can be replaced, I would strongly suggest to not try yourself, the boards are fairly old and fragile, and it's easy to screw up a solder pad on these things. Should be easy for any experienced electronics specialist to do and the components are just a few cents.
 
I'll add to this, just saw the picture of your board and it looks like someone has been tinkering with it already. It may be worth while to have it checked by an electronics specialist, it could use a reflow on quite a few solder joints. Maybe you're lucky and it's just a bad solder joint.
 
Thank you for the video Reggie.

This problem is very similar to what I tried to describe somewhat earlier.
Spare parts to limit the possible faulty parts are hard to come by.

I wish there was a solution for the 2502 - it still is a good machine that should be used.
 
Cumulus said:
Thank you for the video Reggie.

This problem is very similar to what I tried to describe somewhat earlier.
Spare parts to limit the possible faulty parts are hard to come by.

I wish there was a solution for the 2502 - it still is a good machine that should be used.
Click to expand...

Really the only part that is hard to get is the load cell, bu there is (was) someone in germany who could refurbish them. So supposedly he has the details. It wouldn't be that hard to have them remade if the full specs are known.
 
Ciao Jeroenn,
Ciao Cumulus,


Thanks for the quick reply !!

I will go this weekend after an Eletroniker and try to replace those parts, for a start.

Also, it may be worth mentioning that I live in Austria and it would not be difficult for me to get in touch with this German guy. Would it be possible to share his contact ?

As for the specs, I am also trying to find it.
I contacted a Technician in Salzburg, Austria (Pöschel) who worked for Babtec for 20 years and he himself told me he does not have it.

Should it be possible to by a different 40kg LoadCell and try to adjust it in the machine, like these ones for example ?

Single point load cell SP4MC3MR/50kg
ZEMICL6C 3-50 kg Wägezelle
 
Last edited:
Reggie said:
Ciao Jeroenn,

Thanks for the quick reply !!

I will go this weekend after a Eletroniker and try to replace those parts, for a start.

Also, it may be worth mentioning that I live in Austria and it would not be difficult for me to get in touch with this German guy. Would it be possible to share his contact ?

As for the specs, I am also trying to find it.
I contacted a Technician in Salzburg, Austria (Pöschel) who worked for Babtec for 20 years and he himself told me he does not have it.

Should it be possible to by a different 40kg LoadCell and try to adjust it in the machine, like this one for example ?

ZEMICL6C 3-50 kg Wägezelle
Click to expand...

Going to be difficult. The guy in Germany was called 'winner service' in Stuttgart (from memory). You send him your old cell, he'll send you a fixed one (and you pay a hefty sum too - can't recall for sure, but I think it was up to or a bit over 300 Euro's).

I was in touch with a company in the UK a few years ago who were pretty sure they could determine the specs from a working load cell, at that point I was trying to get clones made, but that never came to fruition.
The cell block itself is a custom shape for Babolat to fit in the chain etc. It's just an aluminium block so that can be replicated easy, but the strain gauge on it needs to be spec'd precisely.
 
This is precisely what I was looking for (Loadcell specs), but he does not pick up the phone.

@Cumulus would you like to continue your email contact with him or should I ?
 
Go ahead, Reggie. I think I tried it a couple of years ago.

Thanks, Jeroenn. I guess exchanging the offsetboard would be an easy start. The loadcell could be next.
Right now I keep my eyes open to find a working 2501/2502 to do so.

There is no rush and the budget is small for this fix.
 
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