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Success Stories If you have successfully repaired or restored a piece of equipment, why not write up what you did and post details here. Particularly if it was interesting, unusual or challenging. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE! |
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20th Oct 2009, 10:12 pm | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
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1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Hello again,
I got this set on Sunday at Harpenden, it was one that I won some time ago on ebay for £4.99 which Horris very kindly collected and brought along to to the event, arranged though the forum courier service. It was still wrapped up in a box so we took it out and had a look at it to find a set in really nice condition, absolutely unmarked and original. When I got it home I had a look inside and it was very dusty inside but no marks at all on the case. It was still full of its original wax capacitors so I decided to replace those. The Ekco and the Trader service sheet for the U245 are available here for £1.99 each... http://www.service-data.com/section.php/2195/1 I worked from the Trader sheet. The replacement capacitors required are .... C1 0.01uf C4 0.1uf C21 0.1uf C23 0.01uf C24 0.1uf C27 0.002uf C28 0.002uf C29 0.002uf C30 0.02uf C31 0.05uf C34 0.05uf I used new Vishay, Justradios and LCR 630v polyester capacitors. I cleaned all the dust off the chassis and washed it down with white spirit, replaced capacitors C27, C28 and C29 around the UL41 and the grotty looking C34 capacitor on the top side of the chassis, cleaned the volume potentiometer, waveband switch, valve pins/sockets and earth clips in the tuning capacitor with Servisol 10, fitted a plug, switched it on and it worked quite well on both wavebands. So I then replaced the rest of the capacitors apart from C23 which had a metal band around it soldered onto a chassis earth tag - I left that one to test later as replacing it could introduce a bit of hum. I also replaced the tuning cord as it had stretched and was slipping. The waveband lever was cracked around the spindle so I glued it back together again with Superglue, fitted a spring clip around it to strengthen it and stuffed a little Milliput in between the spindle and lever socket to take up the slack. I removed the grille and dial from the case and cleaned the inside of the case, dial and trim using B&Q upholstery cleaner and when dry polished the outside of the case with Brasso. The grille cloth I gently cleaned with a damp cloth with a little cleaner on it. The set was then reassembled and as it was failing to pick up County Sound on 192 metres MW took it over to Ron Bryan to check over and realign. C23 was checked first, unfortunately it was very leaky so that was replaced - no hum was evident from the new one. The HT was checked and it was found to be excellent, so the UL41 grid voltage was then checked - that measure around 320mA, not perfect but good enough and rather better than some UL41s of late which had climbed to over 10 volts. Realignment next, nothing wrong with its IF, and RF was almost spot on too but still no County Sound on 192. The MW range on this set is 192 - 566 metres so County Sound is right on the limit but a small adjustment to C12 brought it on loud and clear. This was a cheap and cheerful Ekco model in its day, it has no tone control nor even a dial bulb. 54 years later though it still works very well and needed very little doing to it. This is an early example with no handle, I already have a later one with a carry handle and that too needed little doing to it. Good little sets these, they pick up just about everything on MW and LW, sound very good for their modest size and this one is almost mint. My thanks again to Horris for collecting the set, and to Ron for checking it over. Howard |
21st Oct 2009, 12:10 am | #2 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 196
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
These are nice little sets. The U245 was the first radio that I ever worked on... and so I have a fond spot for it. I must admit the one you have there is in really excellent condition, nice.
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21st Oct 2009, 10:21 am | #3 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Hello Paul,
These Ekco U245s are ideal sets for a novice, most of the capacitors are soldered onto standoffs and chassis tags so their wires once heated just slide off. This example certainly has a good cabinet, one of the glossiest I've got. Its grille cloth has shrunk a little in the middle but that's all part of its charm, but Sid Chaplin keeps this cloth so if I wished it could be replaced in the future. He also keeps the brass plated handle trims for the portable U245, I fitted a new pair recently to mine, see below. Howard Last edited by howard; 21st Oct 2009 at 10:30 am. |
21st Oct 2009, 6:13 pm | #4 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 326
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Nice little sets those ones, I have a fond spot for them as my Aunt worked at the EKCO factory for over 40yrs. She had one of these sets as a "second" in her bedroom. As usual they clean up well and are good performers...
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21st Oct 2009, 8:20 pm | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 1,962
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
One of my favourite sets. I love my brown one.
They do run hot, I've drilled holes in the bottom of mine and fitted a heat deflector with very good results. They certainly seem to sound better than the far more expensive DAC90As (same valve lineup I think) to me . Well done! |
21st Oct 2009, 9:17 pm | #6 | ||
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Quote:
Yes they do get very hot, the rear cover could have done with a few more holes in it. I think the DAC90A sounds a little better than the Ekco U245, it has a bigger loudspeaker and a bit more bass. Quote:
Howard |
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21st Oct 2009, 9:48 pm | #7 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK.
Posts: 673
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Hi Howard, Stunning condition; just lovely. Col.
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22nd Oct 2009, 1:57 am | #8 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,970
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
The U245 was a good economy design, and seems to have sold in large numbers judging from the many survivors around today. They don't seem to appeal to collectors and are usually available for little money. They make a good first AC/DC set for restoration since they are relatively easy to work on.
I have two, one an early model in good basic condition and one a later model restored from a complete wreck thanks to replacement cabinet parts from Paul Stenning. Both are excellent performers given their 'second set' status, pulling in RTE R1 very well here in Oxford on the built in ferrite rod aerial. I'm a big fan of 1950s Ekcos. Paul |
22nd Oct 2009, 7:23 am | #9 |
Octode
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,976
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
i like them got one at a local boot sale for £3 nice but sadly one damaged foot
cleaned up very well |
22nd Oct 2009, 8:59 am | #10 |
Hexode
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 397
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
That certainly was a good looking example of that model. I am pleased to see that you have had another success.
Dave |
25th Oct 2009, 9:45 pm | #11 |
Octode
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Wimborne, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 1,407
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Well done howard, I've had one of those for around 18 yrs now, it was my first propper valve radio given to me by a teacher at school!, It's still unrestored and was working before put away, I must get it out the loft and get on with it.
Cheers
__________________
Lee |
26th Oct 2009, 12:11 pm | #12 | |||
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Quote:
Quote:
If it had been sent through the post it may well have not looked so nice now but thanks to you it arrived in perfect condition. Quote:
Howard |
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26th Oct 2009, 12:24 pm | #13 | |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,970
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Re: 1955 Ekco U245 5 valve AC/DC MW/LW table radio
Quote:
The feet have an important safety function in that they cover the potentially live screw heads securing the chassis in place. Paul |
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