HMV 2809 (BRC 1500chassis)

[beltinge bore]

I was given this nice little set.
Did usual checks & plugged it in.Frame collapse & signs of distress from C98 (Boost cap I think).Fitted a NOS PCL805 frame valve & changed C98.(the old cap fell apart on removal).
After a bit of fettling I now have a great picture & good sound.
A re-gunned tube has been fitted in the past.It's a bit modern for me but I really like it.
Should I change any more components or leave well alone?
Regards Steve.

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi Steve, how about a few pics?

Ed

[Philips210]

Hi Steve.

If your set has any Callins electrolytic capacitors fitted, then I would replace these as a matter of course. They are easily recognisable in that they're black in colour and of plastic construction. They tend to dry out and loose capacitance and often go completely o/c.

Some of the Dubilier mixed dielectric capacitors often have a split in their casing which isn't good for protection against moisture ingress. They can thus become electrically leaky. I think the mains filter capacitor is of the mixed dielectric type so it's best to replace that with a Class X2 type for complete safety.

I have a nice little transportable 17" Marconiphone BRC 1500 which has it's original Mazda Gold Star tube and this has excellent emission.
I had one intermittent sound fault on my set, a loud crackling sound from the speaker which turned out to be due to the PCL82's socket. A new socket soon put that right.

It's probably worth having a check on the various high value resistors.

Regards
Symon.

[Focus Diode]

Agree wholeheartedly with Symon's comments above. There's also two electrolytics in the frame stage which should be replaced before they give trouble. They're often light blue with white lettering types, while not as bad as those black and silver horrors they'll need changing nevertheless.

I recall there's a 47K resistor in the sync separator stage which changes value. The focus control feed resistor can also go o/c.

If the width control is 1M with its feed resistor 330K it's advisable to replace them with a 2M2 control and 680K feed resistor as in later production. The same holds true of the dual std 1400 series.

Yes, how about some pics please?

Cheers,
Brian

[beltinge bore]

Thanks chaps very helpful .Will try to add some pics tomorrow .
Regards Steve.

[HamishBoxer]

Check for drys on frame output transformer ,unless i am thinking of the 1400 series.

[Heatercathodeshort]

Thorn 1500 faults from my own 1970's notes and memory.

Dead set, blown mains fuse. Mains filter capacitor C84 S/C
H.T. rectifier W8 S/C
Dead set. 148 ohm section of mains dropper O/C
Boost diode PY800/801 O/C heater.
Intermittent signals. Pressing a station button restores.
Tuner rotor earthing clips excessive grease and half silver plated. [They were later modified]
Poor sync. R44 47K. Screen feed to sync separator 30FL1/2 O/C.
Poor sync with picture smearing. C37 64uf video coupling electrolytic leaky.
Lack of height. R93 330K, high. R123 330k, high. C89 1uf leaky.
Jittery frame. Check linearity and height presets.
Jittery width. Check width/boost preset.
Smoke. Check 3rd harmonic tuning capacitor mounted on LOPT. Do not attempt to unsolder. Clips ends close to post, wrap new capacitor ends and quickly solder. Use 12kvt pulse ceramic for replacement.
Overloaded line output stage that comes to life when top cap [cathode] of boost diode is removed. Boost cap S/C C92 .05uf. Shorted EHT doubler/tripler tray. Unclip for test.
Picture squeezed in middle. C90 .1uf 'S' curve correction capacitor S/S.
Lack of width or just making with width preset on full. Check R130 330k R131 1.8M R129 2.2m and the preset itself. In stubborn cases check stabilizing VDR Z3. [cream spot]
Very poor/no sound with overheating. Check C68 12uf for S/C leak.
Intermittent frame collapse with 'kink'. Resolder frame output transformer connection. Very common with early models.
No or very dark high contrast picture EHT present. C82 .1uf CRT anode 1 decoupler shorted to H.T. line.
Poor focus particularly at edges of CRT with focus control inoperative. R120 1.5M O/C.
CRT low emission.
No video/sound, normal raster. Video driver transistor VT8 S/C base emitter.
'Touchy' line lock. Line hold preset intermittent. Does not usually respond to cleaning.

That is about it till my memory clicks in for maybe a few more 1500 faults.
Excellent receivers and replacing the whole of the above on overhaul did not represent a lot of money. Main faults as mentioned are the black electrolytics, the mains dropper [better replaced as a whole in less than 4 minutes] and all the presets that I replaced as a job lot! Just pennies in cost and resulted in a reliable overhaul.
Well done Thorn/Ferguson. You served me well. Regards, John.

[Restoration73]

Great sets to learn on. We were still selling these new in 1976. Most unusual fault for
me was varying line frequency, C53 180pF.
1500 chassis also used for Thorn Television Rentals In-branch training course.
A 20" version is the only one I saw with the Kenwood badge !

[beltinge bore]

Many thanks everyone especially Sir John of Colliers Wood (it can only be a matter of time surely before Buck House is treated to the glorious rumble of a Gardner engine)!

I have started to evict the Callins caps. The chassis is marked 'schedule E' so I'm guessing it's a fairly late version.

The only obvious fault is slight pulling to the right on peak whites in the picture centre.

Some ropey pics are attached hopefully courtesy of SWMBO.

Many thanks regards Steve

[Focus Diode]

That's a nice late model. Varicap tuner versions of these sets are certainly rare. I remember a Baird version on rental in 1977 which looked to have a conventional 4-push button tuner. These turned out to be light action switches with a door at the back enclosing the four tuning knobs.

There was also a version with a green PCB.

Glad to hear you're ripping out those black and silver horrors clearly evident in the picture!

The picture quality looks excellent. Many thanks for sharing your photos with us.

Cheers,
Brian

[Niechcial,Steve]

I think it's nearly all been said, though I do remember problems with drift on the varicap model you've got caused by the tiny 33v regulator IC. On the mechanical tuner version, apart from the gungy spring contacts mentioned, the solder at the ends of the latching bar cracks resulting in having to keep retuning. I have also known a line output fault causing the fusible resistor to spring open, but unfortunately the contacts still being bridged by solder. This resulted in the demise of the LOPT. I think this was the only one I ever saw go on a 1500, though apparently a faulty multiplier could also do them in.
These sets were pretty much a service man's dream but the picture was always pretty mediocre compared with the 1400- however that of course had the nice inbuilt buzz on sound. The Mazda tubes in the 1500 were dreadful- especially the 25 inch version which came complete with defocussing round the edges from new. I remember we had one batch fitted with something else (Sylvania I think) when Mazda were having production difficulties. That different tube transformed the beast! The ubiquitous mean level AGC and no DC restoration also spoilt what could have been a great set for the sake of saving an extra couple of quid.

[beltinge bore]

I'm pleased this little fella has interested so many people.
I have a slight family interest as my brothers father law worked at "The Ferguson" in Enfield.A lovely bloke very interesting to talk to.

Usual British manufacturing malaise I'm afraid (bean counters in charge etc).
Just a question has anyone ever bought one of "our" items without white paint splats on it?

Regards Steve.

[Hybrid tellies]

This set brings back many happy memories of working on these sets and other sets of this era. You have a nice example here with a good tube.
At Radio Rentals we use to repair and restore hundreds of these sets to put back out on rental as late as 1979-1981 and I think for a few years after this.
We would routinely change out the following: C37, R40 and R41 in the Video output stage, R44 47k resistor in the sync separator, R120 Focus feed resistor, R101, R102, R103 and C79 in the Frame Output stage. C89 the 1uf 350vw electrolytic on the boost line feed to the height control could cause some strange frame faults as it gradually dries out.

[beltinge bore]

Re capped all Callins caps (most looked/tested dodgy). Will post more later.

It was fine last night but Electricity De Frances finest proved too much for it
this morning & the 148ohm section on the mains dropper has gone O/C.

Rather than hang a "polo mint" on it can anybody advise me where I might get a BRC 1500 replacement please? (all costs met of course)

Thanks & regards Steve.

[jay_oldstuff]

I may have one I have lots of mains droppers, i'm sure I have a couple of NOS 1500 ones. ill check when i'm next at the workshop.

Jay

[jay_oldstuff]

Ok Ive had a rummage and found a NOS 1500 dropper Ill PM you shortly.

Jay

[beltinge bore]

Many Thanks Jay PM sent in reply.
Regards Steve.

[beltinge bore]

Sorry for the delay in posting family duties!

Thanks to Jay in Hyde a NOS dropper was fitted and the remaining dodgy looking caps replaced all resistors tested OK so were left.

I checked for modifications as kindly suggested in previous posts. It is a late schedule chassis so all appear to have been incorporated from new. It has been soak tested and is now as steady as a rock.

Many thanks to all. Pictures attached - Sorry about the quality!

Regards Steve

[Tazman1966]

This HMV presentation is very nice indeed. I used to have a 24" version as seen on this thread but moved it on to Dr Watts.

[jay_oldstuff]

I am very glad that spare dropper I had did the trick, I must say that the set looks excellent with a good bright picture. I am very tempted by a late model single standard mono set for my collection, I mostly collect band 1 405 line sets (pre 1954) but do have a RGD set with the VC1 chassis and a Ferguson personal in the to do pile. the problem is where do you stop lol.

Jay