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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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4th Sep 2011, 12:15 am | #1 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
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Ekco A173
Ekco A173, no I'd not seen mention of it either.
This interesting set utilises the same chassis as the A104/A129/A144/A172 sets with the addition of a tuning indicator valve. Wavebands are MW and four SW bands covering 10-120 metres. Valve line up is UCH42, UF41, UBC41, UL41, UY41 and UM4. Six voltage selections are available covering 100 to 250 volts. I believe this would be an export set brought back into the UK and was pretty much confirmed as likely by the seller, after being asked, as the original owner had lived in Germany and Holland post-war. There is no service data available for the A173 as far as I'm aware and the only reference on the 'net are some photos on the Radio Museum site posted by the seller after I purchased the set. However, the circuit given in Trader sheet 947 for the Ekco A104 is broadly similar though, as it became clear to me when working on this radio, differs in several places notwithstanding the additional shortwave ability. This set, when it arrived, was in quite good cosmetic condition, albeit with two wrong knobs, just dirty . There were a few scrapes and dents but nothing serious. However, once the back was removed and I looked inside I could see a little pile of wax on the cabinet floor. My heart sank a little and my immediate thought was that this was not going to be an easy fix as the wax looked to be in the proximity of the mains transformer. Removing the chassis showed that the wax had actually come from a capacitor, this was totally devoid of any wax at all (seen just above the two smaller electrolytics in the photos) and several other components looked a bit distressed as if they'd got very hot at some point. Additionally, some of the wiring insulation was in a downright dangerous state particularly that to the TI, one bare wire of which was touching the chassis. Before I plugged it in I replaced all the crumbling wiring, wax capacitors and one or two resistors that looked worse for wear. I also replaced the 6M8 anode resistor on the TI which was reading something over 8 meg. The smoothing can tested well for ESR and after another check over for any dodgy connections I may have made, I let the set have some power through the lamp limiter. The dial bulbs came up and within 30-40 seconds noises were heard. The set was switched off, plug pulled and I had a feel of the mains transformer which was cold. Applying power again the limiter was switched off after a while and stations could be heard clearly with no hum of any sort on all bands. Voltage checks on the valves matched those given for the A104. Tuning along I picked up Shanwick ATC and Volmet, though obviously not so clearly as they're USB! What wasn't working at all though was the TI so this was replaced with a new one. Cabinet wise this was cleaned, covered in scratch remover and then a light coat of wax. The plastic grille was re-sprayed and the inside of the glass was very carefully cleaned. This is really quite a lovely set to listen to, lots of bass and it's pretty loud. Just a shame about those knobs. Anyone got two knobs to spare? Andrew
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4th Sep 2011, 12:19 am | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
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Re: Ekco A173
Couple more chassis views showing the dial cord arrangement and the coloured waveband wheel.
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4th Sep 2011, 10:08 am | #3 |
Hexode
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Glasgow, UK.
Posts: 321
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Re: Ekco A173
A very nice set and you have made an excellent job of it.
Ian |
5th Sep 2011, 8:49 am | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Coulsdon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,109
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Re: Ekco A173
A great job and an unusual set also - as you say it would have been an export model.
I love that "colour wheel" indicator. I spy your voltage selector is showing on 220/230, I guess you've probably already moved it to the next tap up , ie 240/250 ? I'm sure I have one ( hopefully 2 ) of those knobs somewhere.... I'll have a dig Andy |
5th Sep 2011, 9:50 am | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 1,962
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Re: Ekco A173
That is a lovely set, I am very jealous
I saw it for sale and was tempted to buy it myself but I feel you've done a better job than I would have been able to do with it, well done! Josh. |
5th Sep 2011, 10:45 am | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 3,301
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Re: Ekco A173
Nice one
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5th Sep 2011, 5:29 pm | #7 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Tamworth, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 320
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Re: Ekco A173
That is really nice Andrew, a credit to you sir
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Cheers Paul. |
5th Sep 2011, 8:57 pm | #8 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
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Re: Ekco A173
Thanks gents. I must say initially I was of the mind to try to leave as many original components in as I could. Alas all the waxies I tested were all out of tolerance and had to go bar one which is, as you may have guessed, the one that had got so hot as to deposit its covering on the cabinet. Despite this, it measures 64nF which for a 0.05uF (50nF) vintage capacitor is not so bad. Some of the 0.1uF capacitors I took out measure anything from 200nF to 1.2pF!
Andy (hope you're well) yes it's on the next voltage setting, that was a 'before' shot. That would be fantastic if you could find a knob or two. I wasn't holding out a lot of hope on this front I must admit. Josh, you would have done a better job than me if it had had any major faults, I'm still learning here Andrew
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5th Sep 2011, 9:34 pm | #9 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Dartford, Kent, UK.
Posts: 1,661
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Re: Ekco A173
Very nice looking set, well done! I believe those knobs are the same as on the Ekco U215:-
http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/ekco_u_215u21.html Regards, Mick. |
6th Sep 2011, 1:58 am | #10 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area.
Posts: 2,965
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Re: Ekco A173
A really interesting looking set. Well worth the effort.
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Simon BVWS member |
6th Sep 2011, 7:51 am | #11 | |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ware, Herts. UK.
Posts: 1,082
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Re: Ekco A173
Quote:
Testing waxies for leakage is best achieved by applying a current limited DC voltage of around the value seen by the component under operating conditions. In practice, most if not all waxies will be found to be leaky. John |
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6th Sep 2011, 2:28 pm | #12 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
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Re: Ekco A173
Well done Andrew
That is a nice set. The outer two knobs are from an ivory U122, U159 or U215, and I've seen those inner knobs in a spares tray at an event recently so if I see them again I'll grab a couple for your set and swap them for your outer knobs. Howard |
6th Sep 2011, 3:03 pm | #13 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
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Re: Ekco A173
Thanks Mick and Howard. It's the outer knobs, the castellated ones for want of a better description, that are original. There was a nice ring of dirt circling the middle knobs where the clear Perspex part would have sat. Actually I had a thought the middle ones had a BushysortofGrundigy feel about them. The middle ones have another brass trim in the manner of the Bush VHF61, one ring was missing so I pulled the other one off so they matched. Great to know they were used on another set in case Andy can't find any.
Regards _Andrew
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6th Sep 2011, 4:43 pm | #14 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
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Re: Ekco A173
That's a lovely-looking set.
Did I spot a power transformer and U-series valves there? That's pretty unusual in and of itself! Is it a proper transformer, or an autotransformer?
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6th Sep 2011, 6:06 pm | #15 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
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Re: Ekco A173
Hi AJS,
Proper one! Same type as in the A172. Regards _ Andrew
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6th Sep 2011, 6:18 pm | #16 | |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 1,962
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Re: Ekco A173
Quote:
Hadn't noticed the U series valves and the transformer, the plot thickens and this radio becomes even more mysterious! Josh. |
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20th Sep 2011, 5:52 pm | #17 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK.
Posts: 673
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Re: Ekco A173
Hi,
What a gorgeous set Andrew; Its a lovely colour.Well done as it would enhance any collection. Kind regards, Col. |
28th Sep 2011, 1:37 pm | #18 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
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Re: Ekco A173
Just an update: Today I've received an Ekco U215 which indeed does have the same pattern knobs as the A173. The downside being they're about half the size! Oh well. The search continues.
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