Grandelek Rebuilt CRT.

[FERNSEH]

Last Monday I collected a Pye FV1 from Doncaster. Saved it from the possibility of being up-cycled to become a cat of small dog bed. That's how it was advertised.
Felt duty bound to save the poor thing.
The set has a rebuild MW31-74 CRT from a firm called Grandelek.
Never come across this CRT rebuilder before.

DFWB.

[ms660]

I've seen quite a few Grandelek's back in the day, I think they supplied one of the firms I worked for.

Lawrence.

[peterpixel]

This company was based in Marple and was run by a man called Oscar Rabin. I bought quite a number of rebuilds off him and never had any problems with them. My last dealings with him would be about 1985. Peter.

[Nickthedentist]

https://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/dis...e.php?pid=5088

[ms660]

Also in this thread from a couple of years or so ago:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=174245

Lawrence.

[G6Tanuki]

Companies House doesn't have any info on Grandelek, which implies that they ceased trading over 20 years ago [from memory, when Companies House made their records searchable electronically some time in the late-90s they didn't load data from companies which were no longer trading at the time]

[Laurence Smith]

I saw that listing too - I'm glad you saved it!

[Richard_FM]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

https://visitmarple.co.uk/photos/dis...e.php?pid=5088

Thanks, I was wondering where they were based in Marple, as I lived there for nearly 30 years.

In the previous thread I pondered on a few potential sites, but not this one.

[peterpixel]

Richard, the link was given in post #60, in reply to your post #57, in the link given by Lawrence in #5 in this thread. Peter.

[Richard_FM]

Originally Posted by peterpixel

Richard, the link was given in post #60, in reply to your post #57, in the link given by Lawrence in #5 in this thread. Peter.

Thanks for reminding me, I had forgotten!

[FERNSEH]

The Pye FV1 needs a lot of work doing to it before it ever displays a picture on the Grandelek CRT. For starters almost every section of the mains dropper is open circuit, most likely caused by corrosion.
The line output transformer is receiving the warming up treatment.
Cabinet refurbishment is the easy part of the restoration.

DFWB.

[Joe_Lorenz]

Oh my dear! That looks like a lot of work to do. But well, how many of these have survived to now? Quite few I guess!

You are a brave man!

Joe

[FERNSEH]

Hi Joe,
I already have a Pye FV1 in my collection. Bought for me 1960.
That set is in excellent condition. The set we're discussing in this topic was found in an attic. Put up there forty years ago. There's evidence it's been a very reliable set, only one valve replacement and that was the PL38 line output valve. Date code is B7G. And of course that CRT.
No other component replacements.

DFWB.

[Joe_Lorenz]

That sounds exceptional! So the set is worth the effort. Among my collection there is just one set that has never been in need of repairs, a SABA T 187.

Good success!
Joe

[Wellington]

A Grandelek label found in a Ekco T311. (This set was eventually subject to an epic restoration back in 2010 by Col.)

I didn't know that they were based in Marple. Makes sense, being relatively local.

[FERNSEH]

The cabinet that houses the 12" Grandelek tube is receiving the attention it deserves. I doubt if the cat and dog bed or up-cycling types would have gone to the extent of doing this kind of work.

DFWB.

[Joe_Lorenz]

That looks great! What did you have to do to get it so shiny now?

Joe

[FERNSEH]

Joe_Lorenz wrote: "That looks great! What did you have to do to get it so shiny now?"
Hi Joe,
after scraping off the the old lacquer french polish was applied to the surfaces. It's likely the sides will require the same treatment.

DFWB.

[FERNSEH]

The electrical restoration of the Pye FV1 continues. All the necessary components in the power supply have been fitted and work continues on the rest of the chassis.
We're looking forward to seeing how good or bad the Grandelek CRT is.
The FV1 and derivatives FV2C and FV4C are difficult sets to carry out live servicing work. There is no access to the underside of the chassis when it is installed in the cabinet. What is needed is extension cables so the work can be done with the chassis outside the cabinet.
Must try and find the twelve pin plug and socket used in these receivers to connect the scan coils, the loudspeaker and CRT socket.
The second attachment shows to type of socket I'm looking for. Also, will need the matching plug.
DFWB.

[Techman]

Originally Posted by FERNSEH

There is no access to the underside of the chassis when it is installed in the cabinet. What is needed is extension cables so the work can be done with the chassis outside the cabinet.

Yes, tell me about it!

I started working on one of these a couple or so years ago and got fed up with the awkwardness of having to keep removing and refitting the chassis all the time. The last time I worked on it I had a lack of height problem and suspected a possible problem with that blocking (or similar) transformer, as on close inspection there were pencil marks on the connections, evidence that it had been disconnected in the past. This TV had come from the attic offices of a closed down TV shop and looked like it had had very little use. The former shop owner was a once respected local TV engineer, so guessing that having come to this fault in the sets early life, it was put aside for another time and another day, a day that never came.

I found that the dropper sections were o/c due to corrosion of their windings and I've patched in a not so well fitting replacement for the time being. The large smoothing can was completely dud and despite my best efforts to reform it, it leaked its fluid and I had to be quick with the kitchen roll to soak it up before it made a mess everywhere.

The back and bottom of the cabinet are riddled with woodworm, but the near mint veneered parts haven't got a single hole, so I soaked the infected parts with woodworm fluid and it seems to have done the job.

It may not be that transformer contributing to the height problem, but not being able to easily do proper fault finding on the chassis has caused me to put the set to one side for the time being.