Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

kentplums · 11th May 2018, 4:45 pm

Hi again
haven't been allowed to add to my collection until yesterday!!
DUCASTEL AC563, valve line up ECF1, ? (poss ECH3), CY2 and ? (the one in the photos). I can't find a schematic and the valve line up does not seem to be very common. Any clues gratefully received. The ECF1 has a loose top - does that mean it's dead? The mystery one is white inside and has a small crack on the side. surely dead.
Thanks in advance!
R

ms660 · 11th May 2018, 4:52 pm

Barretter?

Lawrence.

TonyDuell · 11th May 2018, 4:54 pm

I was going to say the same, but you beat me to it. Given the other valves in the set, I would assume it has to stabilise the current to 200mA. And it's on an International Octal base. I am trying to find a suitable candidate.

HamishBoxer · 11th May 2018, 5:02 pm

ECF1 with loose cap, if there is no air in it and there is a bit of wire showing easy to rectify.

kentplums · 11th May 2018, 5:28 pm

I forgot how good this site was!

OK sorry, I have delved further and will now give the correct valve line up...ECH3, ECFI, ? (poss CBL6), CY2 and ?. Five valves plus an EM4 eye.

Barretter? Not sure what that means!

Live chassis I assume - nowhere near plugging it in yet.
Cheers
R

brightsparkey · 11th May 2018, 6:14 pm

https://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/1b10_17_baretter.html

ask your favourite search engine..

So its basically a type of light bulb?

Boater Sam · 11th May 2018, 7:10 pm

Iron filament in a hydrogen atmosphere.

kentplums · 11th May 2018, 7:41 pm

So if it is knackered what is the scenario? Is a replacement likely to be sourceable?
All in all the underneath of the chassis looks old but OK with lots of those glass caps etc.
I might clean everything up and see what happens on a dim bulb test.
Cheers
R

kentplums · 11th May 2018, 7:55 pm

R30N?
https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_r30n.html

TonyDuell · 11th May 2018, 7:59 pm

I think you've found it. That explains the voltage selector panel on the back of the chassis as well.

kentplums · 11th May 2018, 8:07 pm

Line up now got to be

ECH3, ECF1, CBL6, CY2 and R30N with EM4 magic eye.

PJL · 12th May 2018, 9:25 am

The barreter may still be OK, there is no obvious break in the wire. Try measuring the resistance.

Boater Sam · 12th May 2018, 9:39 am

Barreters have no getter inside and often appear cloudy. If the wire is intact it may work. Is that a crack or just a scratch? I would be surprised if it was a crack, it would have run further than that.

Hoveradio · 12th May 2018, 11:32 am

You may have to change the base to a side contact type and fit a C1 barretter which is quite common.It has a heater current of 200ma.
I have seen a barreter with a crack in the side. In that case it was a very rare UX6 type for a Ferguson 603,luckily Jim Fish of Wilson Valves had one in stock.

John

AC/HL · 12th May 2018, 11:43 am

Some more information here: http://www.radioremembered.org/ballast.htm

kentplums · 12th May 2018, 2:04 pm

Thanks for the input.
I took the plunge and, after replacing mains lead, plugged her in and....lots of glowing tubes. No noise as yet though except when changing wavebands. No crackle on volume or tone controls.
The caps underneath look a bit ropey by and large, the two smoothing caps however have been replaced a long while ago. Maybe a re-cap is in order. Also I'll clean the wavechanger as soon as I can get some contact cleaner.
Cheers
R

kentplums · 12th May 2018, 2:08 pm

I should say that the baretter is only glowing on about half the filaments. Is that normal?
R

julie_m · 12th May 2018, 2:17 pm

It looks (from the link in post #9 above) as though the voltage selector bypasses sections of the filament, so they may not all glow. The section powering the dial lamps will have a lower current through it (only 100mA), so may appear dimmer than the section powering the valve heaters (300mA: 200mA for the valves plus another 100mA for the dial lamps). The section powering the HT will additionally have the HT current flowing through it.

kentplums · 12th May 2018, 2:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyDuell

I think you've found it. That explains the voltage selector panel on the back of the chassis as well.

We have supply of about 230 v here. Should I select 220v or 240v?

Thanks
R

ms660 · 12th May 2018, 6:34 pm

I would try 240v if that section's intact.

Some more Celsior info here:

http://lampes-et-tubes.info/rl/rl020.php?l=f

R20N?

Lawrence.

11th May 2018, 4:45 pm	#1
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Hi again haven't been allowed to add to my collection until yesterday!! DUCASTEL AC563, valve line up ECF1, ? (poss ECH3), CY2 and ? (the one in the photos). I can't find a schematic and the valve line up does not seem to be very common. Any clues gratefully received. The ECF1 has a loose top - does that mean it's dead? The mystery one is white inside and has a small crack on the side. surely dead. Thanks in advance! R Attached Thumbnails

11th May 2018, 4:52 pm	#2
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Barretter? Lawrence.

11th May 2018, 4:54 pm	#3
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,215	Re: valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 I was going to say the same, but you beat me to it. Given the other valves in the set, I would assume it has to stabilise the current to 200mA. And it's on an International Octal base. I am trying to find a suitable candidate.

11th May 2018, 5:02 pm	#4
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,935	Re: valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 ECF1 with loose cap, if there is no air in it and there is a bit of wire showing easy to rectify. __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

11th May 2018, 5:28 pm	#5
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Re: valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 I forgot how good this site was! OK sorry, I have delved further and will now give the correct valve line up...ECH3, ECFI, ? (poss CBL6), CY2 and ?. Five valves plus an EM4 eye. Barretter? Not sure what that means! Live chassis I assume - nowhere near plugging it in yet. Cheers R

11th May 2018, 6:14 pm	#6
brightsparkey Pentode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 148	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 https://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/1b10_17_baretter.html ask your favourite search engine.. So its basically a type of light bulb?

11th May 2018, 7:10 pm	#7
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Iron filament in a hydrogen atmosphere.

11th May 2018, 7:41 pm	#8
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 So if it is knackered what is the scenario? Is a replacement likely to be sourceable? All in all the underneath of the chassis looks old but OK with lots of those glass caps etc. I might clean everything up and see what happens on a dim bulb test. Cheers R Last edited by kentplums; 11th May 2018 at 7:44 pm. Reason: spelling

11th May 2018, 7:55 pm	#9
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 R30N? https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_r30n.html

11th May 2018, 7:59 pm	#10
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,215	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 I think you've found it. That explains the voltage selector panel on the back of the chassis as well.

11th May 2018, 8:07 pm	#11
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Line up now got to be ECH3, ECF1, CBL6, CY2 and R30N with EM4 magic eye.

12th May 2018, 9:25 am	#12
PJL Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seaford, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 5,997	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 The barreter may still be OK, there is no obvious break in the wire. Try measuring the resistance.

12th May 2018, 9:39 am	#13
Boater Sam Banned Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines. Posts: 3,897	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Barreters have no getter inside and often appear cloudy. If the wire is intact it may work. Is that a crack or just a scratch? I would be surprised if it was a crack, it would have run further than that. Last edited by Boater Sam; 12th May 2018 at 9:44 am. Reason: added

12th May 2018, 11:32 am	#14
Hoveradio Pentode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pant-y-Dwr, Powys, UK. Posts: 134	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 You may have to change the base to a side contact type and fit a C1 barretter which is quite common.It has a heater current of 200ma. I have seen a barreter with a crack in the side. In that case it was a very rare UX6 type for a Ferguson 603,luckily Jim Fish of Wilson Valves had one in stock. John __________________ Made in England.Repaired in Wales!

12th May 2018, 11:43 am	#15
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Some more information here: http://www.radioremembered.org/ballast.htm

12th May 2018, 2:04 pm	#16
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 Thanks for the input. I took the plunge and, after replacing mains lead, plugged her in and....lots of glowing tubes. No noise as yet though except when changing wavebands. No crackle on volume or tone controls. The caps underneath look a bit ropey by and large, the two smoothing caps however have been replaced a long while ago. Maybe a re-cap is in order. Also I'll clean the wavechanger as soon as I can get some contact cleaner. Cheers R Attached Thumbnails

12th May 2018, 2:08 pm	#17
kentplums Hexode Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France. Posts: 280	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 I should say that the baretter is only glowing on about half the filaments. Is that normal? R

12th May 2018, 2:17 pm	#18
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 It looks (from the link in post #9 above) as though the voltage selector bypasses sections of the filament, so they may not all glow. The section powering the dial lamps will have a lower current through it (only 100mA), so may appear dimmer than the section powering the valve heaters (300mA: 200mA for the valves plus another 100mA for the dial lamps). The section powering the HT will additionally have the HT current flowing through it. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

12th May 2018, 6:34 pm	#20
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Valve ID on DUCASTEL AC563 I would try 240v if that section's intact. Some more Celsior info here: http://lampes-et-tubes.info/rl/rl020.php?l=f R20N? Lawrence.