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  #46  
Old 11-14-2011, 11:12 AM
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marloubow marloubow is offline
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Reece,
It's about an 11V surge, then comes to rest at 4.94V with bulb present.
Without a bulb in the socket, it surges to the same, but settles in at 8.31 (+-).
The replacement bulb being used is 6.3V/15A

Will check out the switch options.

martin
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  #47  
Old 11-14-2011, 08:15 PM
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You can reduce the lamp surge and extend the life of the tubes with a CL-90 inrush current limiter. If you Google that you'll find a number of places to buy them. You may want to get several if you plan on restoring more radios. It installs in series with the power line: in the S-C set, an easy place would be to remove that wire that goes from the power switch to ground and install the CL-90 between the switch and chassis ground. It looks like a thick ceramic capacitor. It gets hot in use but heat is what makes it work. Because of the heat some thought needs to be given to mounting location but that spot in your radio is pretty open so would be fine.

It has a high resistance at turn-on and so limits the inrush current to the set. I've measured about 60 volts at turn on which slowly rises to just under line voltage in about 20 seconds, so it gives the tubes and lamp a soft start.
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  #48  
Old 11-14-2011, 09:57 PM
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Reece,
I'm familiar with the in rush limiter and should have thought it myself. It was part of the Fisher 800c that I restored.

I'm getting ready to place an order for components for a pair of Eico HF-22 mono blocks. This reminds me to order a couple for those as well. The Eico's are totally stripped down. I'm trying to get the chassis' back to something that looks original...it's not going so well because they were spray painted black. At least they came with schematics, parts list and the original assembly instructions.

Pardon me while I hijack my own thread.

Going to disassemble the switch tonight and see if I need to add a new one to the list.

I still need to buy/fabricate a dial lens with a mounting flange. I found a gentleman online who sells a kit using clear mold-able plastic (thermoplastic ?). I've tried to find some locally, but it seems to be a specialty item.
Any advice on this?

After about 3 hours of polishing, the dial trim looks brand new. I originally suspected that some of the gunk on the trim was rust and corrosion, but it was more than likely aunt Betty's scrambled eggs...yummm!

Thanks

Martin
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  #49  
Old 11-15-2011, 07:19 AM
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Sounds like you're on the home stretch. Waiting for final pics! As to the dial cover, some use heavy plastic from big bubble card packs that many items are sold in. Others have purchased special thin plastics. I guess you have seen the methods of making your own using templates cut out of masonite or thin plywood. Google "how to make radio dial covers" and you'll find a lot of info.
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  #50  
Old 11-15-2011, 08:57 AM
old_coot88 old_coot88 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marloubow View Post
The replacement bulb being used is 6.3V/15A
15 Amp.? It's probbly .15A, which would indicate a #47 bulb. A #44, (same bulb style) would be .25A.
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  #51  
Old 11-19-2011, 12:54 AM
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update,
I'm constantly amazed at the power of a suggestion.
Reece's comment about adding an inrush limiter got me looking at the spot he suggested. Well the existing ground off the switch was not solid. so after reestablishing the ground, things are much better. The sizzle/crackle is gone and the unit powers up almost instantly.

I ordered a dial cover kit from dialcovers.com. and should be here soonish.

I put on a single application of red mahogany stain and about 3 coats of tung oil so far. I'll just keep adding coats till the dials arrive as tung oil is fairly thin and some of the veneer is rather porous.

A side note....On the inside of the cabinet there is still a service tag from work done on this unit (no date). It was serviced by "The Walter A. Norman Co."/Enid, Ok. (my hometown and where I reside now). I don't think this unit is too far from it's original home.
I've gathered a little info from some older gentlemen about Walter. Seems that as a young man during the 30's with no money for college, he taught himself electronics with whatever the library could provide. He later learned TV repair as well and had a retail store too.

I feel connected

martin
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  #52  
Old 11-19-2011, 07:03 AM
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That's really great when a radio has a known history. He may have been the tech to whom the farmer brought the radio for conversion to AC when the high line got out to the farm. He may have sold the set originally. Maybe you could find out more about him and write up a little piece and paste it inside the cabinet. I'll bet there are more of "his" sets lurking about.

Power of suggestion: when I wrote about CL-90's I checked and I was down to one so ordered and just received five more from Digi-Key....
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  #53  
Old 11-20-2011, 11:31 AM
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marloubow marloubow is offline
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Reece,
You mentioned earlier about a "floating B- bus". Can you expound on that a bit.
I googled it but only got...buses that float!

thanks
martin
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  #54  
Old 11-20-2011, 12:03 PM
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This might be a bit much to do. It would involve lifting all grounds to chassis and tying all previous grounds together by running a master wire across chassis, then putting a cap and parallel resistor from B- to chassis. There would be the possibility of inserting a wiring error or other problem but it could be done. I believe you have a number of tube socket terminals bent over and soldered to chassis that could be troublesome to work with.

I have "fixed" hot chassis radios by making sure that once back in the cabinet, there is no part outside that can shock. You have already put on a polarized power cord which helps. You can get nylon bolts at the hardware store which are plenty strong enough to subsitute for the chassis screws that go under the cabinet. OK to use metal washers with them. If you don't have a back for this radio you can make one from 1/8" masonite with ventilation slots cut top and bottom for proper convection. When the knobs are back on there will be no metal parts exposed that have anything to do with the chassis and the radio. Some AC/DC radios were indeed "out there" like a lot of products back then (fans you could stick your finger into, cars had no seat belts or collapsable steering columns etc. etc.) but I always say that today you can still get shocked if you want to by sticking a fork in the toaster.

Attached shows a cabinet back that I drill-pressed and jigsawed from masonite.
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  #55  
Old 11-20-2011, 05:39 PM
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marloubow marloubow is offline
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Reece,
I'll take option two.
I've put you and the others here thru quite enough. I'll save any grace I have left here for some other project down the road.

Thanks for the tip..."do not stick forks in toaster, do not stick forks in toaster"....got it.

martin
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  #56  
Old 11-20-2011, 06:46 PM
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But wait, y'ain't done yet: we wanna see the finished product.
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  #57  
Old 11-20-2011, 11:27 PM
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marloubow marloubow is offline
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As soon as I get the dial covers get here and I get one fabricated that i can live with I'll be sure to post photos.
You won't believe it's the same radio...it's coming along quite nicely.

martin
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  #58  
Old 11-27-2011, 10:38 PM
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Finished photos coming soon...promise.
Just need to fabricate dial cover.
martin
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  #59  
Old 11-28-2011, 02:35 PM
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marloubow marloubow is offline
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Finished...mostly

Close enough for pictures...
Really, all I have left, is to pick up some nylon mounting bolts, install an inrush limiter (on order) and fabricate a back.

It only took two tries to get a good dial cover. On my first try, I wasn't too exacting, as I just wanted to see how the process worked.
I was able to dome the cover by putting a piece of foam rubber...quickly...under the cover after removing it from the oven. It worked perfectly...woot, woot!






So from this....




...to this














Thanks guys...especially reece
This has been a great experience...may even try it again.

martin
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  #60  
Old 11-28-2011, 05:31 PM
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WoW! Is that sharp! The dial cover turned out perfect, and I really like the grille cloth. It goes just right with the coloring of the radio. Is that a cloth you bought locally or on line?
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