Pye LV51/F

[mark pirate]

I bought this set this morning, it looks unmolested and original. I dusted off the fuses under the mains connector, they were both intact so a promising start.

After removing the chassis for more checks, sadly the dropper has had it.
So the question is, do I get a few of those RS repair sections, or try to get a near replacement, or try to find an original dropper?

Mark

[Records]

Nice looking TV.

[Danny]

Hi use some rs sections for now then you can get it going. Later you can find a suitable dropper if you wish but if it was in for repair when the set was in full use it would have got whatever the engineer had . Danny

[mark pirate]

Hi Danny, unfortunately, my meagre stock of droppers is buried somewhere in the depths of my garage, so annoying, as i would love to get going on this set.

According to the pye service sheet the resistances of the dropper are as follows:
365, 98, & 5x 33 ohm, the latter 5 are for various mains tappings, i have also discovered that this set is the fringe model with an additional EF80.

I am using the pye service sheet for the LV30 (same chassis).

Mark

[mark pirate]

I have found some of my dropper and resistor collection, but alas, can only come close to what I require. How critical is it to be spot on with these resistances?
I have had no luck in obtaining a dropper, or indeed the three resistors I need (365, 98, and 5 x 33 ohm)

I am really keen to get some life from this set

Mark

[mark pirate]

Ok, have made good progress today, after re-soldering the tags on the dropper, the previous o/c 365 ohm section is now ok, as is the 98 ohm section.
Two of the five 33 ohm sections (for mains tappings) are also ok, so the set will run on the 220v tapping via my variac.

On winding up the volts, the set was not drawing any volts, could hear a tinkling noise in the PZ30 rectifier, ok so a break in the heater chain somewhere?

On plugging in the aurora, there is no response on either sound or vision.
I get a low buzzing on sound, but no audio, the brightness control only works at its mid point so a promising start!

Mark

P.S. sorry about the pictures, but hard to capture due to many reflections

[Amraduk]

Hello Mark,

Originally Posted by mark pirate

P.S. sorry about the pictures, but hard to capture due to many reflections

Try turning off all lights that may be on and/or closing the curtains!

Regards,

Dave.

[mark pirate]

I have now fully recapped the set and found a NOS dropper to replace all but one section of the original. This has been a neat solution, as the dropper could be mounted above the old one.

I have replaced the worn out PZ30 and the ECL80 frame output valve. The main smoothing can has been restuffed and the set is now working quite well, but I have a problem with the focus.

All is fine for around 20 minutes but it then starts to loose focus. After an hour the picture is quite defocused and unwatchable. I am hoping this may be a resistor going high as the set warms up but not the LOPT. Any suggestions on what may be causing this would be more than welcome!

The tube is getting better with use. It has also improved since fitting the new dropper, the heater voltage is now 6.56V so not being under run now.

Mark

[IJK2008]

Mark

Have a look at this thread:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=10390&

Focus seems to be a common problem in this period of PYE sets.

By the way you have done a great job on the set.

Ian

[Danny]

Hi try using a stick rectifier in place of the valve rec i have found this helps with the fault . Danny


Hi,

Try using a stick rectifier in place of the valve rectifer, I have found this helps with the fault.

Danny

[mark pirate]

Thanks chaps, I have read the thread Ian, interesting reading and I am wondering if it is worth trying a new EY51?
I would like to try the stick rectifier idea as I have a few sets that may benefit, where can I get one?

By the way you have done a great job on the set

Thanks for the compliment. I am happy with the dropper mod, the replacement was for a Murphy set and it had the all the correct tappings bar one (the only one still working on the original). I have a couple of resistors still to change, so will fit them when my order arrives.

The chassis has cleaned up well, but the mask is showing its age. But all in all it is looking good for a 62 year old, just the cabinet to do now.

I wonder what C.O Stanley would think?

Mark

[mark pirate]

I have just got round to fitting a couple of new resistors to replace the originals that had gone high, and as I now am the proud owner of an EHT meter, duly connected it up and ran the set for a couple of hours last night.

On switch on I got 6Kv with the brightness down, and just under 5.5 Kv with a normal brightness setting, after an hour the EHT was 5Kv and the focus had gone soft but still watchable, it stayed this way until I switched off an hour later.

The Pye service info for the LV30 (same chassis, but with 9" tube) says the EHT should be 6.5Kv.

It seems better than the last time this set was powered up over a year ago, the set lives in the house, so any dampness that may have been in the LOPT should have gone by now, I am wondering if I should try a new EY51, or just fit a solid state EHT rectifier, if so can anyone recommend a suitable device?

Mark

[HamishBoxer]

Can i say that chassis looks very well cleaned up.The number avades me but there are silicon diodes that will do the eht rect.

[mark pirate]

I have just remembered that I have a scrap microwave ready to go to the tip, it has yielded a HV diode (HVR-1x 3), looking on line this is rated for 12Kv, would it be suitable?

Mark

[HamishBoxer]

Would think just fine.