Bush BA91 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

bobhowe · 29th Apr 2021, 6:51 pm

Hi has anyone got a picture of a Bush BA91 external battery box they could post on this forum kind regards Bob

Sideband · 29th Apr 2021, 7:42 pm

I've never seen one and neither has a Bush specialist that I know. I have a BA91 and built a power supply for it. No idea what the original battery box looked like though.

Paul_RK · 29th Apr 2021, 8:01 pm

Not something I've heard of either, so I've assumed owners would generally just have tried to position the set where the exposed battery could be hidden or unobtrusive. The absence of any reference to a battery box in the service manual's parts list, which includes part numbers for the cabinet, cabinet back, knobs etc., seems to point the same way. I had a BA91 until not very long ago but can't claim to have seen many examples.

Paul

bobhowe · 29th Apr 2021, 8:24 pm

Did any other makes of valve radio have no room for a battery ?. Bush did a BP90 valve radio & there was room for the battery regards Bob

Cobaltblue · 29th Apr 2021, 8:36 pm

Ever Ready's saucepan special springs to mind as does the Cossor 527X both of these were export models.

Cheers

Mike T

Paul_RK · 29th Apr 2021, 9:40 pm

Yes, those are the only post-WWII examples occurring to me, plus the Berec Pioneer

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/berec_pioneer.html -

again an export model but extra production was offered fairly extensively in the hobby press, in kit form or ready assembled.

The BP90's portability would have been much impaired if it hadn't used a different basic chassis allowing space for the battery

Paul

Cobaltblue · 29th Apr 2021, 10:23 pm

Interestingly the BA91 uses K series Valves (2V fialments) so not designed to be an all dry battery set.

It looks as if a compromise was made to have the case of the popular DAC90 with external batteries hidden away.

The choice with the batteries inside (pure conjecture on my part) would have been the BA11 which seems to use the same case as the AC81

That case would probably had enough room for the HT battery and accumulator.

I suspect the chassis wasn't the same as the BA91 but similar to AC81 chassis as it doesn't even use the same series of 2V valves as the BA91.

I don't think I have ever seen a BA11 in the flesh.

Cheers

Mike T

Trifocaltrev · 29th Apr 2021, 11:09 pm

Hi, Herewith an extract on the BA91 from Mike Izycky's Bush Pages.

Regards
Trevor.

Not forgetting the battery user, yet another variant of the DAC90 theme appeared in November 1948 in the shape of the BA91. This set was made for use with outboard batteries: a 2-volt accumulator and a 120v HT battery which must have looked odd as the battery cable is quite short, not giving you much opportunity to hide them away: however, in a catalogue recently acquired by the author it would seem that a small plinth could be purchased from the manufacturers to enclose the H.T. battery out of sight (sadly, no details are given), and give the set something to sit upon; no such luck with the accumulator though! Bush’s reason for keeping the batteries external to the set was that it prevented the inevitable corrosion of chassis components and kept the cost down: a report in the 13th November issue of the Wireless and Electrical Trader said it would have added £4 to the cost.

29th Apr 2021, 6:51 pm	#1
bobhowe Heptode Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 661	Bush BA91 Hi has anyone got a picture of a Bush BA91 external battery box they could post on this forum kind regards Bob

29th Apr 2021, 7:42 pm	#2
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,580	Re: Bush BA91 I've never seen one and neither has a Bush specialist that I know. I have a BA91 and built a power supply for it. No idea what the original battery box looked like though. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

29th Apr 2021, 8:01 pm	#3
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,259	Re: Bush BA91 Not something I've heard of either, so I've assumed owners would generally just have tried to position the set where the exposed battery could be hidden or unobtrusive. The absence of any reference to a battery box in the service manual's parts list, which includes part numbers for the cabinet, cabinet back, knobs etc., seems to point the same way. I had a BA91 until not very long ago but can't claim to have seen many examples. Paul Last edited by Paul_RK; 29th Apr 2021 at 8:12 pm.

29th Apr 2021, 8:24 pm	#4
bobhowe Heptode Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 661	Re: Bush BA91 Did any other makes of valve radio have no room for a battery ?. Bush did a BP90 valve radio & there was room for the battery regards Bob

29th Apr 2021, 8:36 pm	#5
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,879	Re: Bush BA91 Ever Ready's saucepan special springs to mind as does the Cossor 527X both of these were export models. Cheers Mike T __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk

29th Apr 2021, 9:40 pm	#6
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,259	Re: Bush BA91 Yes, those are the only post-WWII examples occurring to me, plus the Berec Pioneer https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/berec_pioneer.html - again an export model but extra production was offered fairly extensively in the hobby press, in kit form or ready assembled. The BP90's portability would have been much impaired if it hadn't used a different basic chassis allowing space for the battery Paul

29th Apr 2021, 10:23 pm	#7
Cobaltblue Moderator Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK. Posts: 6,879	Re: Bush BA91 Interestingly the BA91 uses K series Valves (2V fialments) so not designed to be an all dry battery set. It looks as if a compromise was made to have the case of the popular DAC90 with external batteries hidden away. The choice with the batteries inside (pure conjecture on my part) would have been the BA11 which seems to use the same case as the AC81 That case would probably had enough room for the HT battery and accumulator. I suspect the chassis wasn't the same as the BA91 but similar to AC81 chassis as it doesn't even use the same series of 2V valves as the BA91. I don't think I have ever seen a BA11 in the flesh. Cheers Mike T __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk

29th Apr 2021, 11:09 pm	#8
Trifocaltrev Hexode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Lancing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 286	Re: Bush BA91 Hi, Herewith an extract on the BA91 from Mike Izycky's Bush Pages. Regards Trevor. Not forgetting the battery user, yet another variant of the DAC90 theme appeared in November 1948 in the shape of the BA91. This set was made for use with outboard batteries: a 2-volt accumulator and a 120v HT battery which must have looked odd as the battery cable is quite short, not giving you much opportunity to hide them away: however, in a catalogue recently acquired by the author it would seem that a small plinth could be purchased from the manufacturers to enclose the H.T. battery out of sight (sadly, no details are given), and give the set something to sit upon; no such luck with the accumulator though! Bush’s reason for keeping the batteries external to the set was that it prevented the inevitable corrosion of chassis components and kept the cost down: a report in the 13th November issue of the Wireless and Electrical Trader said it would have added £4 to the cost. Last edited by Trifocaltrev; 29th Apr 2021 at 11:18 pm.