UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > Success Stories

Notices

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!

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 27th Jun 2017, 5:14 pm   #1
MurphyNut
Heptode
 
MurphyNut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 979
Default Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

After some not so successful attempts at fixing old radios this came as a welcome change.
I’ve had this set some years and restored and cabinet about 10 years ago. Today I decided it was time to look at it and hopefully get it working.
I powered it up to be greeted with a loud hum. I very quickly switched it off; I removed the chassis from the cabinet and had a good look. I’d successfully fixed my A30 last year which looks very similar so I was expecting to see lot of wax capacitors and a large Murphy “condenser box”. I was surprised to see none of this but lots of silver capacitors of varying makes. It looked as if someone had attempted to fix it many years before I obtained the set.
The first thing I replaced was the Hunts duel electrolytic cap (16 uf x 16 uf) as it read remarkably low. I used a couple of 22 uf and to my delight the radio sprang into life. It was still producing a hum but nothing like before so I decided to replace all the existing caps. While I was doing this a few wires just disconnected themselves from their solder joints with very little disruption. So I made good and re-soldered all this previous work to make sure everything was well connected.
I replaced the horrible white mains lead with a nice period fabric covered one and I now have a very nice radio wich doesn't hum.
It’s incredibly sensitive; I can even pick up stations without an aerial plugged in, with one it sounds really good and goes very loud.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSC07226.JPG
Views:	313
Size:	151.7 KB
ID:	145216   Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCF3456.jpg
Views:	247
Size:	113.5 KB
ID:	145217  
__________________
Clive
MurphyNut is offline  
Old 27th Jun 2017, 5:22 pm   #2
Guest
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

Very pretty, 19/10!
 
Old 27th Jun 2017, 6:07 pm   #3
Andrewausfa
Octode
 
Andrewausfa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK.
Posts: 1,180
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

Very nice Clive.

Andrew
__________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life. Or they should do.
BVWS Member
Andrewausfa is offline  
Old 28th Jun 2017, 4:13 pm   #4
PJL
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Seaford, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 5,997
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

That's a really nice job you have done on the cabinet. Is it french polished?
PJL is offline  
Old 28th Jun 2017, 4:30 pm   #5
ukcol
Rest in Peace
 
ukcol's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 3,944
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

I had always assumed that the Murphy models with the prefix "D" were DC mains only models. When you made no mention of having to convert your D26 to work on AC mains I looked into it.

Murphy made 14 models between 1930 and 1940 with the prefix "D" in the model number and only 3 of them were DC mains only models, the other 11 being universal (AC/DC) sets.

The DC mains only models were D4, D24 and D28.

The AC/DC mains models were D26, D30, D34, D36, D38 D46, D48, D50, D70, D72 and D90.

You live and learn.
ukcol is offline  
Old 28th Jun 2017, 6:13 pm   #6
MurphyNut
Heptode
 
MurphyNut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 979
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by PJL View Post
That's a really nice job you have done on the cabinet. Is it french polished?
Thanks, I now tend to french polish my cabinets, but this Murphy was done with polyurethane varnish some ten years ago. If lots of coats are built up and cut back between each one very good durable results can be had. But it is time consuming as it takes a good day for each coat to fully dry.
__________________
Clive
MurphyNut is offline  
Old 29th Jun 2017, 7:55 am   #7
robin coleman
Hexode
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 354
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

A very nice set, another one for my list when one comes up.

Regards, Robin.
robin coleman is offline  
Old 29th Jun 2017, 6:07 pm   #8
bobskie
Hexode
 
bobskie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Falkirk, Stirling, UK.
Posts: 336
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

Very nice radio, good job!

Cameron
bobskie is offline  
Old 12th Aug 2017, 9:37 pm   #9
Phil G4SPZ
Dekatron
 
Phil G4SPZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,736
Default Re: Murphy D26 (1935) Fixed.

Well done Clive, that looks very good.
__________________
Phil

Optimist [n]: One who is not in possession of the full facts
Phil G4SPZ is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:52 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.