I've had a Pro-Ject VC-E for just under two years. I don't use it that frequently as I only clean second hand records on it and I don't buy those that often. Today I went to clean a few records that I've bought recently, and when turning on the vacuum brownish smoke came out of the exhaust on the top of the machine. There was also a strong smell of electrical burning, and the vacuum, while it was always loud, sounded like a plane taking off. I've contacted the dealer I bought it from as Pro-Ject provide a two year warranty which I'm luckily still within. I'm sure they'll offer a solution. I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this issue? I know this machine isn't known for its reliability unfortunately, but most of the issues I've come across seem to relate to the vacuum arm or the bearings on the platter motor.
Surprises me big time - I'd expect the unit to be well built - some liquid leaked - you need to open it up and track that down - but definitely work through the warranty before doing anything. Best of luck! When you wash are you getting liquid dripping off the record or something? There should only be a couple drops here and there - certainly not enough to get into the internals. I wipe my RCM as soon as the drip hits the surface. No standing liquid or anything.
You also need to run the vacuum with the wand removed for anywhere from 1-3 minutes when you're finished cleaning, (Depending on relative humidity and how long your cleaning session runs). The motor is not sealed against moisture. If you're not purging your machine on a regular basis you eventually will be "cleaning records at the airport" and discharging clouds of rust on a regular basis. That roaring jet you're hearing is indicative of moisture contamination in the motor. At this point and based solely on the testimonials I've been reading over the past year or so, Pro-Ject should be well aware of the design issue that you're experiencing. Best wished on your repair.
I have just experience the same problem with the Pro-Ject VC-E...have contacted the seller. I also recognise the problem that @Budley points out...some good advice there.
This exact situation happened to me recently! Many thanks for posting online about this; it's reassuring to see others have had this problem and my situation isn't as edge-case as I initially thought. I purchased my Pro-Ject VC-E from Amazon UK in 2021 and rather typically this problem started happening as the two-year product support period ended. Alongside the expulsion of brown rust dust, the motor sounds much less smooth than it did before; almost like it's grinding. It's also much louder - which I really didn't think was possible. I'm now stuck with an expensive box I'm reluctant to ever turn on again. It's a shame because when it worked, it really worked! I now have a Humminguru HG01 and some GrooveWasher G-Sonic surfactant on order from Juno Records. Let's see how ultrasonic compares!
