Does anyone know how the Rega RB330 internal earthing (black wire) is connected?

[OzBrit Audio]

My Rega P3 developed a bad hum and I have traced this to a failed internal earth connection in the arm.

The 330 arm normally earths via the -ve left signal (the blue wire) but checking on the multimeter shows no connection between the metal arm and left earth. And if I earth the arm externally the hum goes away so this is definitely the problem. I have looked at the connections on the base of the arm by removing the grub screw and I can see a fifth black wire connected to blue (left hand signal earth) so the failure must be happening inside the arm.

Anyone on here done a rewire/know where that black wire should be connected?

 

[cobbers]

Certainly on the 250/300 there was a tag visible when you removed the counterweight stub.

 

[Craig B]

Black connects to tonearm metal at two points; 1) a metal tag that is held between end stub and tonearm tube (within a recess at the bottom of the threaded portion of the tube, and 2) via a metal earth strip that extends from blue/black terminal in the cable plug and folds over the side of the plug such that it is held between plug and metal pillar sleeve.

 

[OzBrit Audio]

Black connects to tonearm metal at two points; 1) a metal tag that is held between end stub and tonearm tube (within a recess at the bottom of the threaded portion of the tube, and 2) via a metal earth strip that extends from blue/black terminal in the cable plug and folds over the side of the plug such that it is held between plug and metal pillar sleeve.

Thanks for that Craig

Yes thats it. I opened up the connector again by taking out the grub screw and gently pulled on the black wire. It has become disconnected as I could pull it right through without any resistance

So I have to disassemble the arm and find where to solder that black wire back. Any pointers on how to do this. Couldn't find anything on the web?

 

[cobbers]

There should be a rubber grommet that the wires pass through so will make it a right pain to get it back.

 

[Craig B]

Thanks for that Cra

Yes thats it. I opened up the connector again by taking out the grub screw and gently pulled on the black wire. It has become disconnected as I could pull it right through without any resistance

So I have to disassemble the arm and find where to solder that black wire back. Any pointers on how to do this. Couldn't find anything on the web?

You really shouldn't have done that.

As @cobbers mentioned above, there are rubber grommets within the arm carrier spindle that guide the 5 x internal wires. As such, with the 4 x signal wires present it is near impossible to feed a single ground wire though such that it can be hooked out the back of the arm tube. Unfortunately, this now requires some disassembly of the tonearm to correct.

Suggest contacting your nearest Rega dealer and begging forgiveness for pulling the cable harness plug out. Chances are they will send it off to Rega for rewire (possibly under warranty).

P.S. Credit to cobbers for being first to mention the arm tube ground tag.

 

[OzBrit Audio]

Hmmm I've come to realise that I realise I need a rewire now

I've worked out that it connects to the back of the arm tube. Is that correct?

Really annoyed with myself, I didn't check that Rega offer a lifetime warranty, assumed it was just the standard 2 year warranty here in Australia

Does anyone know here I can buy a Rega rewire kit for the RB330 in expectation they say no?

 

[Mike Hanson]

I may have something. I'll check tomorrow when I'm back in my office.

 

[ChrisS]

Does anyone know here I can buy a Rega rewire kit for the RB330 in expectation they say no?

Origin Live has kits and instructions Which could be handy. Can also search for the incognito kit.

I wouldn’t discount Rega without asking. I just looked, and I don’t know anything about the Australian Rega distributor, but I recognize the New Zealand distributor Chris Murphy as the former Naim distributor and I think he has a good reputation on the Naim forum and/or here so he might be sympathetic as a starting point even if you have to go through a dealer and the Australian distributor. (And of course the Australian distributor might be fantastic. I just recognized Chris Murphys name.)

 

[Mike Hanson]

It's an Origin Live kit that I have, but haven't put my hands on it yet. I'll look again on the weekend.

 

[OzBrit Audio]

Thanks Chris I intend to call on Monday. They are based in Melbourne so at least i can drop in my arm if they are happy to help

I’ll let you know how I get on

 

[OzBrit Audio]

It's an Origin Live kit that I have, but haven't put my hands on it yet. I'll look again on the weekend.

Cheers Mike

And happy new to you

 

[OzBrit Audio]

I just got my RB330 back repaired under warrantee. Thanks to the guys at Synergy Audio Visual in Melbourne for fixing it.

Apparently not as difficult as made out on here. It didn't take them long to rethread the wire. They did say for rewiring the whole arm they send back to Rega in the UK though.

Really happy I got it fixed and thanks for heads up on the warranty.

 

[ernestjames]

The black wire in the Rega RB330 internal earthing is typically connected to the left signal earth (blue wire). If there's a bad hum and the multimeter shows no connection between the metal arm and left earth, the issue likely lies within the arm's internal connection. By externally earthing the arm, the hum dissipates, confirming the problem. Removing the grub screw at the base of the arm reveals a fifth black wire connected to the blue wire, indicating the internal connection failure.

 

[narabdela]

The black wire in the Rega RB330 internal earthing is typically connected to the left signal earth (blue wire). If there's a bad hum and the multimeter shows no connection between the metal arm and left earth, the issue likely lies within the arm's internal connection. By externally earthing the arm, the hum dissipates, confirming the problem. Removing the grub screw at the base of the arm reveals a fifth black wire connected to the blue wire, indicating the internal connection failure.

It's a good idea to read the thread first.

 

[Craig B]

Thanks for that Craig

Yes thats it. I opened up the connector again by taking out the grub screw and gently pulled on the black wire. It has become disconnected as I could pull it right through without any resistance

So I have to disassemble the arm and find where to solder that black wire back. Any pointers on how to do this. Couldn't find anything on the web?

Actually, I have to modify my post as Rega have changed from a metal pillar to loaded plastics on RB330 and lower, meaning that the internal ground scheme no longer requires connection to the pillar via metal earth strip extending down the side of the external harness plug. Black simply conjoins with blue at the arm plug. Not that this will help any with yours, however, others may be interested.

Black connects to tonearm metal at two points; 1) a metal tag that is held between end stub and tonearm tube (within a recess at the bottom of the threaded portion of the tube, and 2) via a metal earth strip that extends from blue/black terminal in the cable plug and folds over the side of the plug such that it is held between plug and metal pillar sleeve.