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Old 3rd Sep 2019, 3:40 pm   #2261
Sinewave
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Quote:
Originally Posted by Superscope View Post
I've been keeping an Eye out for some time now, to see if any Meters
appearing on Ebay have been previously reported on this Thread.

I was always surprised, that none of the Meters appearing for sale
where the Serial Number was visible had ever been previously reported on here!

Until now!

Model 7 Serial No 49460-A-954
First Reported on here in August 2009
Page 23 #453

Turn Away Now! if SteamPunking of AVO Meters offends you!


The Sad part of this particular one, is it is quite a Rare one.
Not in Age, but in it's Bakelite Colour.

I always thought the Tropicalized Brown Bakelite was much Darker, but this
is the first one I've actually seen a Picture of!



Ian
Yes I've seen a few of these on there. Delusions of grandeur with the price of one with a lamp drilled into it!
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Old 3rd Sep 2019, 5:53 pm   #2262
AndyGilham
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

I saw this Bakelite brown instrument when it was pre-steam punk on eBay last week, and I intended to buy it, but it went! One week later, it's ruined!! Shame.
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Old 3rd Sep 2019, 5:59 pm   #2263
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Quote:
Originally Posted by Superscope View Post
Andy,

Do you have a Photo?
Might be interesting to see.


Ian
Ian,
I meant to upload an image..... But forgot to attach it!
Image now included.

I compared this instrument to the one Richard displays on his website (richardradios)
Seems that one has a high volt range of 500v, whereas mine is 200v

Andy
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Old 3rd Sep 2019, 8:57 pm   #2264
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Andy,

Your meter is an early Railway Signalling Heavy Duty Avometer.

The attached table is a quick survey of HD variants for reference. I will try to update and amend this table as soon as time allows.

PMM
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Old 3rd Sep 2019, 10:56 pm   #2265
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

There was an error in a serial number in the table in my previous post.

The amended version is attached.

PMM
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Old 4th Sep 2019, 7:39 am   #2266
AndyGilham
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

PMM,
Thank you for that document, I was in the process of trying to gather similar data myself (Great minds!). So my version is the early instrument from the late 1940's. It a shame there is not serial number, which makes me wonder if the movement (or scale) had been replaced at some time. There does seem to be a pencil marking on the rear of the plate, but it looks to be a signature/name that i am not able to read.

Andy
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Old 4th Sep 2019, 11:19 am   #2267
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyGilham View Post
I saw this Bakelite brown instrument when it was pre-steam punk on eBay last week, and I intended to buy it, but it went! One week later, it's ruined!! Shame.
I'm kind of glad you didn't as the price he wanted for it was ridiculous!
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Old 4th Sep 2019, 4:54 pm   #2268
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Out of shear idle curiosity
What price was he asking?


Ian
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Old 4th Sep 2019, 5:05 pm   #2269
Phil G4SPZ
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyGilham View Post
...One week later, it's ruined!!
This should be a punishable offence, something like “defacing a historic industrial artefact” with a suitable sentence to match the gravity of the crime.
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Old 4th Sep 2019, 8:26 pm   #2270
AndyGilham
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Quote:
Originally Posted by Superscope View Post
Out of shear idle curiosity
What price was he asking?


Ian

It had a £50 bidding price, or buy it now for £100

Andy
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Old 4th Sep 2019, 8:27 pm   #2271
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyGilham View Post
I saw this Bakelite brown instrument when it was pre-steam punk on eBay last week, and I intended to buy it, but it went! One week later, it's ruined!! Shame.
Is it possible to restore it?

Aitor Eneko
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 7:49 am   #2272
AndyGilham
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Aitor
The problem with these steam punk conversion is how they actually converted it! Yes if they drilled some holes and fed some cable through, that’s workable! But if they tore out all its insides... then it’s pointless!!

Andy
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 1:05 pm   #2273
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Rest Assured the Meter is Savable!


I managed to negotiate a price much lower than first asked, and only a bit more
than a good Model 7 would normally fetch.
I didn't spot it as early as some of you, but I felt this one had to be Saved urgently
when I did see it.
And Yes, it really is that Colour!


To give the Seller his Credit, he only removed the Battery Bay, Drilled a Hole in
the back and the Battery Cover.
He put the Battery Bay back in for me and removed the Light fittings.

Thank God, the Brown Bakelite Panel and Switch/Knobs are fine.
A few dinks and Scratches but nothing to bad.
This Meter has been used, it's not had a Hard life, but it has had a Life.

The Movement was a bit Sticky between 90% - 100% FSD, but I have had that out and cleaned it, now the Meter reads Spot on AC & DC Volts.
I will need to look at the 10,000 Ohms as I can't Zero it, but the 100,000 works fine.
Current, not yet tested, to much going on at the moment.

The Internal insulation has been damaged whilst the Hole was Drilled by the looks of it, so I will need to see if I can find a replacement from somewhere,
as with the Battery Cover. (See Pics).



Ian
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 1:19 pm   #2274
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Wonderful! So rare for these meters to have a happy ending. I have an AVO 7 here that is in very worn condition, you can have it for the postage if you want, though I am in Ireland. It has a bakelite back though so won't have the inner insulation.
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 2:33 pm   #2275
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Congratulations and thanks for rescue it for the history.

It looks very well and with a easy solution
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 4:40 pm   #2276
AndyGilham
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Well done on bringing it back to life..... for a moment there I thought it was brown bread! Not just brown coloured!

Looks to be encapsulated transformer? Panclimatic model 7??

Andy
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 6:18 pm   #2277
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Well done Ian for taking the steam out of that punked Avo. I’m sure it feels better now it’s back in good care. A nice find, and a pretty rare meter too.

I’ve never seen that colour panel, but looking at your pictures the bobbin resistors appear to be encapsulated also. So possibly an early style of panclimatic 7. Perhaps the brown Bakelite proved too costly to mould in small batches, so they reverted to standard Avo black.

Is there any evidence of a grounding terminal?
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 7:09 pm   #2278
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Watching another one with a lamp on it which has just had £90 slashed off it's price.
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 7:51 pm   #2279
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Hi Phil,

Definitely a Pan-Climatic Meter.
Pretty much everything is encapsulated.

No mention of Pan-climatic on the Data Plate though, and
definitely no Earth Terminal.
Interestingly, the Ident Label calls itself a 7 Mk II, but it has the Mk I Style Terminal Screws but in the same Light Brown colour.
1954 is a pretty early for a Mk II isn't it?

Beautifully Made, a real work of Art.

Npickland originally implied this was given to his Radio Club by AVO, so it may not have ever been a Retail Meter, or Colour.
We may never know!

Unfortunately, attempts to find Nick or more information on this Meters History have failed so far.


Ian
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Old 5th Sep 2019, 8:57 pm   #2280
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Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

I have a later Mod 7 MK2 bakelite case in good condition Ian but as always there's no gty. that all 8 of the holes will match up with your Milk Chocolate Avo. They do have to be very exact!

Dave
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