Premier Radio Circuit - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Sideband · 2nd Aug 2005, 11:08 pm

I've just bought a Premier radio from Steve Johnson's clear-out (Thanks Steve). Great little set which I think started life as a kit. Standard valve line-up of 6k8, 6k7, an odd one presumably a 6q7 equivalent and a 6v6. It has a selenium rectifier and a heater transformer so the chassis is live.

It's in superb condition, needs a good clean and the usual capacitors replaced. It has a white cabinet (well it will be once it's had a good clean) that's based on the 'Little Maestro' style. There are no markings on the back cover further suggesting that it was a kit.

Does anyone have a circuit for this? Did such a thing exist? Is it based on any other circuit? It looks very conventional.

Thanks for any help.

Rich.

Paul_RK · 2nd Aug 2005, 11:28 pm

Hi Rich.

Your set's cabinet very probably is the Little Maestro one: it was used for kit sets from quite a few different suppliers, with Premier probably the best known of them. I have one here in a mottled cream finish, from "Benson Radio Ltd." if my memory serves. Some - including I suspect the Premier - were available ready-built for a little extra, but as they didn't pass through the normal trade channels I doubt circuits would have been available beyond whatever was issued with the sets themselves. Someone somewhere may have a copy... but, as you suggest, the circuit's unlikely to include anything especially challenging.

Paul

Sideband · 3rd Aug 2005, 10:03 am

I'll post some pictures when I get home. I've taken the chassis out and there was an interesting combination of screws holding it together including a long self-tapper used to hold one of the knobs on....nice and live!! If it was a kit, it's very well built so possibly it may have been one of the ready-assembled versions. There is some fur growing out of one of the electrolytics......Hmmm. Capacitor change time I think!!

Rich.

Sideband · 5th Sep 2005, 1:04 pm

Just found this circuit and it bares an uncanny resemblance to the Premier radio. It seems virtually identical and I wouldn't mind betting that the Premier was based on this. Mine has three wavebands so there may have been a later mod to add SW. Unfortunately part of the power supply is missing from the scan but it does show a heater transformer just like the one in mine.

Look on this site http://vintageradio.me.uk/radconnav/valvesuperhet/

Choose the 'Repanco' Hi Gain SH4 (third down).

The set has come up very well after replacing one of the electrolytics and a couple of waxy capacitors. It uses 'Sprague' metal-clad capacitors and these all seem to check out fine so I've left them in situ for the moment.

Rich.

ronbryan · 5th Sep 2005, 5:42 pm

Hi Richard

I've checked with my original Repanco SH4 circuit and the diagram shows a metal rectifier taken from the primary of the heater transformer, exactly as you describe.

Ron

Sideband · 5th Sep 2005, 9:36 pm

Hi Ron.

The original rectifier was two finned seleniums in series. The HT supply consists of a 16+16uF and a single 4uF. The smoothing resistor is 500 ohms. I'm assuming that this is all original.....the only bit that doesn't is the separate 4uF. Unfortunately I had to replace the selenium as it was only giving about 90 volts HT. Is the HT voltage marked on your circuit? If so what is it?

I've looked at the diagram more closely and it is as near as dosen't matter with the Premier set. It's so close I'm sure the Premier is based on it. The main difference is the addition of shortwaves.

Rich

ronbryan · 5th Sep 2005, 9:53 pm

Hi Richard

Unfortunately the HT supply voltage is not marked on the circuit. The diagram shows a double pole switched 230V AC mains input going to a metal rectifier feeding a pi filter consisting of a 32uF reservoir capacitor, then a 10H 60mA LF choke, then another 32uF filter capacitor.

Ron

bizmark98 · 7th Sep 2005, 11:43 am

Hi Ron/Everyone

For some reason I never completed the page on Vintage Radio about the SH4 using the data Ron sent me in 2003.

I will correct that over the next few days and add a complete (and better) copy of the circuit to my site.

I would really also like some pictures of the set to add to the kit section on the site.

Maurice

Sideband · 7th Sep 2005, 12:04 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronbryan

The diagram shows a double pole switched 230V AC mains input going to a metal rectifier feeding a pi filter consisting of a 32uF reservoir capacitor, then a 10H 60mA LF choke, then another 32uF filter capacitor.

.

Hmm! That's a bit posher than the circuit I have. No doubt there were several variations. Mine has a single pole switch switching the neutral side....not good! Then after the rec, it has a 32uF followed by a 500 ohm resistor, then a 4uF, then another 500 ohm and then another 32uF. Works OK but not sure if this was the original design.

Rich.

bizmark98 · 7th Sep 2005, 7:54 pm

Have split the circuit into two parts to make it fit.

Its all there now.

http://vintageradio.me.uk/info/repancosh4.htm

You may have to Control-Refresh to get your browser to see the new version

Maurice

Sideband · 8th Sep 2005, 3:21 pm

Well I am convinced the Premier is the same circuit. Maybe someone decided not to use a choke and modified the power supply with two-stage smoothing to reduce hum....or maybe the choke failed and it was modified. Well no matter. It's a good set and with the circuit shown, I can probably tweak the alignment a little to cure a dead-spot on MW.

Rich.

2nd Aug 2005, 11:08 pm	#1
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,571	Premier Radio Circuit I've just bought a Premier radio from Steve Johnson's clear-out (Thanks Steve). Great little set which I think started life as a kit. Standard valve line-up of 6k8, 6k7, an odd one presumably a 6q7 equivalent and a 6v6. It has a selenium rectifier and a heater transformer so the chassis is live. It's in superb condition, needs a good clean and the usual capacitors replaced. It has a white cabinet (well it will be once it's had a good clean) that's based on the 'Little Maestro' style. There are no markings on the back cover further suggesting that it was a kit. Does anyone have a circuit for this? Did such a thing exist? Is it based on any other circuit? It looks very conventional. Thanks for any help. Rich. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

2nd Aug 2005, 11:28 pm	#2
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,255	Re: Premier Radio. Hi Rich. Your set's cabinet very probably is the Little Maestro one: it was used for kit sets from quite a few different suppliers, with Premier probably the best known of them. I have one here in a mottled cream finish, from "Benson Radio Ltd." if my memory serves. Some - including I suspect the Premier - were available ready-built for a little extra, but as they didn't pass through the normal trade channels I doubt circuits would have been available beyond whatever was issued with the sets themselves. Someone somewhere may have a copy... but, as you suggest, the circuit's unlikely to include anything especially challenging. Paul

3rd Aug 2005, 10:03 am	#3
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,571	Re: Premier Radio. I'll post some pictures when I get home. I've taken the chassis out and there was an interesting combination of screws holding it together including a long self-tapper used to hold one of the knobs on....nice and live!! If it was a kit, it's very well built so possibly it may have been one of the ready-assembled versions. There is some fur growing out of one of the electrolytics......Hmmm. Capacitor change time I think!! Rich. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

5th Sep 2005, 1:04 pm	#4
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,571	Re: Premier Radio. Just found this circuit and it bares an uncanny resemblance to the Premier radio. It seems virtually identical and I wouldn't mind betting that the Premier was based on this. Mine has three wavebands so there may have been a later mod to add SW. Unfortunately part of the power supply is missing from the scan but it does show a heater transformer just like the one in mine. Look on this site http://vintageradio.me.uk/radconnav/valvesuperhet/ Choose the 'Repanco' Hi Gain SH4 (third down). The set has come up very well after replacing one of the electrolytics and a couple of waxy capacitors. It uses 'Sprague' metal-clad capacitors and these all seem to check out fine so I've left them in situ for the moment. Rich. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

5th Sep 2005, 5:42 pm	#5
ronbryan Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Guildford, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,959	Re: Premier Radio. Hi Richard I've checked with my original Repanco SH4 circuit and the diagram shows a metal rectifier taken from the primary of the heater transformer, exactly as you describe. Ron

5th Sep 2005, 9:36 pm	#6
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,571	Re: Premier Radio. Hi Ron. The original rectifier was two finned seleniums in series. The HT supply consists of a 16+16uF and a single 4uF. The smoothing resistor is 500 ohms. I'm assuming that this is all original.....the only bit that doesn't is the separate 4uF. Unfortunately I had to replace the selenium as it was only giving about 90 volts HT. Is the HT voltage marked on your circuit? If so what is it? I've looked at the diagram more closely and it is as near as dosen't matter with the Premier set. It's so close I'm sure the Premier is based on it. The main difference is the addition of shortwaves. Rich __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

5th Sep 2005, 9:53 pm	#7
ronbryan Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Guildford, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,959	Re: Premier Radio. Hi Richard Unfortunately the HT supply voltage is not marked on the circuit. The diagram shows a double pole switched 230V AC mains input going to a metal rectifier feeding a pi filter consisting of a 32uF reservoir capacitor, then a 10H 60mA LF choke, then another 32uF filter capacitor. Ron

7th Sep 2005, 11:43 am	#8
bizmark98 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Wigmore, Kent, UK. Posts: 102	Re: Premier Radio. Hi Ron/Everyone For some reason I never completed the page on Vintage Radio about the SH4 using the data Ron sent me in 2003. I will correct that over the next few days and add a complete (and better) copy of the circuit to my site. I would really also like some pictures of the set to add to the kit section on the site. Maurice

7th Sep 2005, 7:54 pm	#10
bizmark98 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Wigmore, Kent, UK. Posts: 102	Re: Premier Radio. Have split the circuit into two parts to make it fit. Its all there now. http://vintageradio.me.uk/info/repancosh4.htm You may have to Control-Refresh to get your browser to see the new version Maurice

8th Sep 2005, 3:21 pm	#11
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,571	Re: Premier Radio. Well I am convinced the Premier is the same circuit. Maybe someone decided not to use a choke and modified the power supply with two-stage smoothing to reduce hum....or maybe the choke failed and it was modified. Well no matter. It's a good set and with the circuit shown, I can probably tweak the alignment a little to cure a dead-spot on MW. Rich. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....