Tandberg series 15 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

David001 · 25th Mar 2020, 12:56 pm

I won a lovely Tandberg series 15 on eBay but it's in Durham, I'm in Glasgow with little chance of collecting it during the present climate in the UK.

David001 · 19th Apr 2020, 7:58 pm

Thanks, David.

I have some good news- due to the pandemic making travel impossible to Durham from Glasgow, the seller has agreed to send the Tandberg 64 mono R2R via Parcelforce48, should arrive Wednesday.

DMcMahon · 20th Apr 2020, 3:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by David001

That's really kind of you to find this, now I know how it works!

Hope you and yours are well.

Egards,

David.

Glad it was useful, good news about the Tandberg. Yes OK this end, hope everybody else out there is keeping safe and well in these strange and very difficult times.

David

David001 · 22nd Apr 2020, 3:12 pm

Hello. Yes, it works, but seems to get quite warm. Is this normal?

David001 · 22nd Apr 2020, 3:19 pm

Tandberg Series 15, not 64, sorry. Mono, half-track

DMcMahon · 22nd Apr 2020, 3:32 pm

Do not know, would not have expected it to get very warm. Is it the mixer itself when on internal battery operation that gets warm or power adaptor that gets warm when using power adaptor ?

David001 · 22nd Apr 2020, 3:33 pm

Sorry, I mean the Tandberg R2R is getting quite warm. At least it works, tbf

David001 · 23rd Apr 2020, 6:40 pm

I gave everything a clean, case looks better (and smells better). Will get it serviced sometime. Managed to get nearly all the rust off the case clips. Alas, no key for it but not really important.

DMcMahon · 23rd Apr 2020, 9:23 pm

Looking good.

David001 · 24th Apr 2020, 12:31 am

Thanks David. Your advice was helpful. It's a shame my Uher was u/s, but there you go. This seems a nice deck and it's no longer running hot. Might just have been inaction. I think the tape counter belt is going, but will wait until the repairman opens up again.

saxmaniac · 24th Apr 2020, 6:40 am

Over an hour the whole top on mine is surprisingly warm even though it's solid state. It should be a great machine, there's a few things that might need attention like belts, pinch roller and r/p switch

David001 · 24th Apr 2020, 9:32 am

Yes, it's really good. Not done any recordings yet. I think the bass pot needs changed, it's very loose compared to the treble one. The belts will need changed but I'll wait until the repair guy can do it, don't fancy doing it myself.

David001 · 24th Apr 2020, 11:50 am

The pinch roller cleaned up really well, I took the advice of the late John Peel and did it with a cotton bud and saliva (my own), worked really well. Most of the muck was tape residue.

David001 · 26th Apr 2020, 7:37 pm

Hello everyone.

I'm very happy with it, although I notice it had the apparently dreaded B-B-B tone. I had a look through the threads, and it seems a common problem. Is this merely down to a bad switch (rec/play/amp) or is it to do with the int/both/ext switch?

It does sound very nice via line out, record worked well too.

Any advice?

David001 · 26th Apr 2020, 7:40 pm

Oh dear, also a slight acrid smell. I expect that's the caps? I don't want to make anything worse so might just pack it away for a while. At least, in general, it works, lol

Paulus.d · 27th Apr 2020, 2:28 pm

Also check the rectifier .... the power supply components are on the power amp PCB...
JUst a thought but check the record lever back light bulb lights up..
Regards Paul

ben · 27th Apr 2020, 3:09 pm

Some warmth is usual with these.
Obligatory things to check:

- Clean rec/amp switch contacts with q tip wet with switch cleaner.
- Replace Rifa cap, located on tagstrip on trfmr (motor switch suppressor, think it was 0.1uF +47R resistor)
- De Gunk/relubricate with fresh grease linkages, pinch roller return, joystick, etc.
- If noisy play, resurface idler.
- If left hand tape guide shows wear, loosen then rotate it to expose new surface.
- If counter jams, add a tiny drop of grease to the little cams on the segments.
- Ensure rec meter bulb is okay. If not, the oscillator goes unstable and this can also affect playback.

If the bass control is loose, check it has not had a knock, the back plate might have come loose and you can reassemble it. I always loosen the metal collar inside the tone knobs as they tend to be hard to get on and off.

David001 · 27th Apr 2020, 3:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulus.d

Also check the rectifier .... the power supply components are on the power amp PCB...
JUst a thought but check the record lever back light bulb lights up..
Regards Paul

Yes, it does. Recording needle moved with mic input source direct via DIN on front too.

David001 · 27th Apr 2020, 3:42 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben

Some warmth is usual with these.
Obligatory things to check:

- Clean rec/amp switch contacts with q tip wet with switch cleaner.
- Replace Rifa cap, located on tagstrip on trfmr (motor switch suppressor, think it was 0.1uF +47R resistor)
- De Gunk/relubricate with fresh grease linkages, pinch roller return, joystick, etc.
- If noisy play, resurface idler.
- If left hand tape guide shows wear, loosen then rotate it to expose new surface.
- If counter jams, add a tiny drop of grease to the little cams on the segments.
- Ensure rec meter bulb is okay. If not, the oscillator goes unstable and this can also affect playback.

If the bass control is loose, check it has not had a knock, the back plate might have come loose and you can reassemble it. I always loosen the metal collar inside the tone knobs as they tend to be hard to get on and off.

Thanks, think the tape counter belt is gone, or at least very loose. At least it's works, so the repair guy can hopefully fix it in 2021.

ricard · 28th Apr 2020, 5:22 am

I had a Tandberg model 15 (not sure if I still have it, a few too many Tandbergs have passed through my hands over the years), where the motor was wired for 115V even though the mains transformer was wried for 230V (matching the type plate on the back of the machine). The result was that the motor ran very hot, with a slight burning smell. Very surprisingly to me anyway, the speed was correct, I would have supposed that being an asynchronous motor it would have run a bit fast when subjected to twice its intended voltage.

Anyway, rewiring the motor brought back normality, motor runs as usual with no burning smell.

What amazes me is that it must certainly have been manufactured like this, and spent its working life being "the machine that smelt bad". I was considering if the motor had been replaced, but the solder joints had that factory uniformity about them so I don't think so.

25th Mar 2020, 12:56 pm	#1
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Tandberg series 15 I won a lovely Tandberg series 15 on eBay but it's in Durham, I'm in Glasgow with little chance of collecting it during the present climate in the UK.

19th Apr 2020, 7:58 pm	#2
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Uher Stereo 500 mixer help Thanks, David. I have some good news- due to the pandemic making travel impossible to Durham from Glasgow, the seller has agreed to send the Tandberg 64 mono R2R via Parcelforce48, should arrive Wednesday.

22nd Apr 2020, 3:12 pm	#4
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Uher Stereo 500 mixer help Hello. Yes, it works, but seems to get quite warm. Is this normal?

22nd Apr 2020, 3:19 pm	#5
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Uher Stereo 500 mixer help Tandberg Series 15, not 64, sorry. Mono, half-track

22nd Apr 2020, 3:32 pm	#6
DMcMahon Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 6,603	Re: Uher Stereo 500 mixer help Do not know, would not have expected it to get very warm. Is it the mixer itself when on internal battery operation that gets warm or power adaptor that gets warm when using power adaptor ?

22nd Apr 2020, 3:33 pm	#7
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Uher Stereo 500 mixer help Sorry, I mean the Tandberg R2R is getting quite warm. At least it works, tbf

23rd Apr 2020, 6:40 pm	#8
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Uher Stereo 500 mixer help I gave everything a clean, case looks better (and smells better). Will get it serviced sometime. Managed to get nearly all the rust off the case clips. Alas, no key for it but not really important. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by David001; 23rd Apr 2020 at 6:41 pm. Reason: More info

23rd Apr 2020, 9:23 pm	#9
DMcMahon Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 6,603	Re: Tandberg series 15 Looking good.

24th Apr 2020, 12:31 am	#10
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Tandberg series 15 Thanks David. Your advice was helpful. It's a shame my Uher was u/s, but there you go. This seems a nice deck and it's no longer running hot. Might just have been inaction. I think the tape counter belt is going, but will wait until the repairman opens up again.

24th Apr 2020, 6:40 am	#11
saxmaniac Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 618	Re: Tandberg series 15 Over an hour the whole top on mine is surprisingly warm even though it's solid state. It should be a great machine, there's a few things that might need attention like belts, pinch roller and r/p switch

24th Apr 2020, 9:32 am	#12
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Tandberg series 15 Yes, it's really good. Not done any recordings yet. I think the bass pot needs changed, it's very loose compared to the treble one. The belts will need changed but I'll wait until the repair guy can do it, don't fancy doing it myself.

24th Apr 2020, 11:50 am	#13
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Tandberg series 15 The pinch roller cleaned up really well, I took the advice of the late John Peel and did it with a cotton bud and saliva (my own), worked really well. Most of the muck was tape residue. Last edited by David001; 24th Apr 2020 at 11:50 am. Reason: Typo

26th Apr 2020, 7:37 pm	#14
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Tandberg series 15 Hello everyone. I'm very happy with it, although I notice it had the apparently dreaded B-B-B tone. I had a look through the threads, and it seems a common problem. Is this merely down to a bad switch (rec/play/amp) or is it to do with the int/both/ext switch? It does sound very nice via line out, record worked well too. Any advice?

26th Apr 2020, 7:40 pm	#15
David001 Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Posts: 83	Re: Tandberg series 15 Oh dear, also a slight acrid smell. I expect that's the caps? I don't want to make anything worse so might just pack it away for a while. At least, in general, it works, lol

27th Apr 2020, 2:28 pm	#16
Paulus.d Hexode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Margate, Kent, UK. Posts: 355	Re: Tandberg series 15 Also check the rectifier .... the power supply components are on the power amp PCB... JUst a thought but check the record lever back light bulb lights up.. Regards Paul

27th Apr 2020, 3:09 pm	#17
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Tandberg series 15 Some warmth is usual with these. Obligatory things to check: - Clean rec/amp switch contacts with q tip wet with switch cleaner. - Replace Rifa cap, located on tagstrip on trfmr (motor switch suppressor, think it was 0.1uF +47R resistor) - De Gunk/relubricate with fresh grease linkages, pinch roller return, joystick, etc. - If noisy play, resurface idler. - If left hand tape guide shows wear, loosen then rotate it to expose new surface. - If counter jams, add a tiny drop of grease to the little cams on the segments. - Ensure rec meter bulb is okay. If not, the oscillator goes unstable and this can also affect playback. If the bass control is loose, check it has not had a knock, the back plate might have come loose and you can reassemble it. I always loosen the metal collar inside the tone knobs as they tend to be hard to get on and off. __________________ Regards, Ben.

28th Apr 2020, 5:22 am	#20
ricard Octode Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lund, Sweden Posts: 1,632	Re: Tandberg series 15 I had a Tandberg model 15 (not sure if I still have it, a few too many Tandbergs have passed through my hands over the years), where the motor was wired for 115V even though the mains transformer was wried for 230V (matching the type plate on the back of the machine). The result was that the motor ran very hot, with a slight burning smell. Very surprisingly to me anyway, the speed was correct, I would have supposed that being an asynchronous motor it would have run a bit fast when subjected to twice its intended voltage. Anyway, rewiring the motor brought back normality, motor runs as usual with no burning smell. What amazes me is that it must certainly have been manufactured like this, and spent its working life being "the machine that smelt bad". I was considering if the motor had been replaced, but the solder joints had that factory uniformity about them so I don't think so.