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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 12th Jan 2020, 11:42 pm   #1
DMcMahon
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Default Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Today collected my next restoration project a Grundig TK 819, around 1954 vintage.

With top removed it looks relatively good for its age, all 5 drive belts intact.

It came with no mains lead (another one of those untested/no cables sales), the mains plug on the unit is a somewhat unusual small 2 pin (flat pins) plug,
it may be a challenge finding a matching mains socket to fit it ( I tried 3 different shaver mains sockets (round pins) but no fit.

I will hard wire a mains cable in and if no luck later with finding correct mains socket will replace the plug on the unit with something more suitable.

I have the service manual and I know it has auto reverse on playback.

If anybody has any useful information on this model then please advise.
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 12:19 am   #2
Alistair D
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

I have a lot of information and pictures of various mains connectors. Can you post a picture of the one on your machine. Hopefully I may be able to identify it.

Al
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 1:33 am   #3
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Thank you Al, I will get photo details on the mains connector plug later in the morning.

Subsequent to my original posting I now see there are quite a lot of interesting posts on this forum about the TK 819 and similar 820, but still would welcome any additional inputs.
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 8:50 am   #4
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

The TK819 seems to be a budget version of the TK820, with no tone or input selector controls, and mechanically latching buttons.

As far as I know (I've had two of them, but only one right now and it's been in storage for years) it is not auto reversing, but rather stops at the end of the tape (with a resounding CLUNK!) as there is a solenoid which physically pulls the stop button down to release all other buttons. Or else there's something wrong with mine, but given that, contrary to the TK820, the buttons are mechanically latching, I can't understand how an auto reversing mechanism would work as it would have to physically operate the buttons to switch the tape direction.
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 11:50 am   #5
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Thank you Ricard, I am sure I read it does Auto Reverse, I either misread it or the person who was saying it was incorrect, I have been trying to find a User manual so that I can fully understand all its operational controls but no luck so far (not even a German one).
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 11:54 am   #6
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alistair D View Post
I have a lot of information and pictures of various mains connectors. Can you post a picture of the one on your machine. Hopefully I may be able to identify it.
Photos attached of the mains plug. Its height is 32mm, width 15mm and overall depth (including pins 25mm).
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Last edited by DMcMahon; 13th Jan 2020 at 11:56 am. Reason: Typo error
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 12:05 pm   #7
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

To check out the mains plug I removed the unit from its wooden box (nicely made), as usual plenty of cobwebs, dust and fluff but have seen far worse.

From a quick overall visual can see at least 3 large brown components (capacitors/snubbers maybe) with lots of black gunge oozing out the end, think I previously read of similar in older posts (will re-read them).

Should be able to easily identify the components both from the electrical schematic and the components layout drawings .

Lots of Frako capacitors and some Wima but will not condemn them just because of their manufacturers name, certainly will check them out though and other components before applying any mains power.

Photo of one of the leaking (tar like) components.
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 12:51 pm   #8
Alistair D
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

I have photographs of 12 rectangular 2 pin mains connectors and none of them matches yours. Sorry about that.

Al
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 1:29 pm   #9
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Al,

Well many thanks for trying anyway.

David

Last edited by DMcMahon; 13th Jan 2020 at 1:34 pm. Reason: Typo
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 5:05 pm   #10
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

As far as I can make out from the adverts on the Hi-Fi engine website it is the TK-919 which has the auto-reversing facility. Both it and the TK-819 play and record in both directions. All in glorious valve-driven mono.
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 5:09 pm   #11
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Thank you for the clarification, hopefully one day it will work/play in both directions.

There is a noticeable vertical gap between the top of the Magic eye and the viewing hole in the top panel (you can sort of see this in one of the photos in the first post), does anybody know if this is normal or could there be a surround/ infill piece missing from the panel hole ?
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 6:15 pm   #12
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Hi,I have a TK830,which I resurrected after it spent 18 years on a shelf in a barn.It now performs very well but I don't think I will be taking it to a party as it weighs a ton.Regarding the magic eye there is no escutcheon around it and the top of mine is flush with the top panel.Without opening mine up I can't see if the height of the eye is adjustable or not but seeing you already have the top off you can easily verify that.Peter.
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 6:32 pm   #13
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Thank you Peter, good to know that it probably should be flush with no escutcheon, it certainly is heavy. I did have a very quick look in terms of any height adjustment, did not seen anything obvious, but could easily have missed it with a cursory glance, will check more thoroughly later.

David
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 10:17 pm   #14
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Amongst other things, I would replace the snubbers, the ones shown in your photo look to be C36 & C37 across the motors start and run voltage selector contacts CII.

Contacts KV are the motor reversing contacts.

In the schematic I'm looking at.

Lawrence.

Last edited by ms660; 13th Jan 2020 at 10:25 pm. Reason: addition
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 10:35 pm   #15
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Thank you Lawrence. The other 2 (maybe more) that are leaking I think (not easy to see without more stripping down) look worse than the photo one. So would definitely replace them even if they measured OK.

David
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Old 13th Jan 2020, 10:44 pm   #16
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

The 2 Pinch Wheels look in a sorry state, the rubber is very hard, dry & cracked, looks like it would not take much for them to crumble apart.

Full Grundig name and part number for assembly (if same as TK 830) is Complete Crepe Rubber Pressure Roller With Fittings - 0607-050
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 12:47 am   #17
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Removed snubbers C36 & C37 for inspection, not that easy, had to remove the Supply Reel table to get access to connections. For reference they are Frako L 654 S / ZN. 1212 F, 0.2uF / 100 ohms, 220 volts ac / 2,000 volts dc.

The one that is not leaking gunge measures around 0.5uF, the bad looking one measures around 0.21uF, I guess they may break down under voltage.

The other 2 snubbers are worse condition and look somewhat more difficult to access/remove.

I don't really want to strip down the top section of the chassis as it looks difficult and I don't really want to disturb too much of the working mechanisms (although it would make it a lot easier to get to the 2 remaining snubbers).

The top section of the Reel Table has some strange looking grey clay like substance within its circular annulus (maybe not the right word).
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:27 am   #18
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

Quote:
Originally Posted by DMcMahon View Post
The top section of the Reel Table has some strange looking grey clay like substance within its circular annulus (maybe not the right word).
Do you mean the steel cap? This is part of the elecromagnetic clutch for fast wind.
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 10:56 am   #19
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

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But seeing you already have the top off you can easily verify that.Peter.
I now see that the magic eye valve has an adjustable bracket for height.

Last edited by DMcMahon; 14th Jan 2020 at 10:56 am. Reason: Missing word
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 11:07 am   #20
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Default Re: Grundig TK 819 Any Useful Info

It was worth asking the question to avoid reinventing the wheel.To improve access to everything it should be noted that the transport can be easily separated from the electronics.Peter.
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