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Old 8th May 2021, 7:11 pm   #61
PaulR
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

I have used a rotary switch mounted in a small plastic project box. The output from the tuner is connected to one core of a two core coaxial cable and the other core goes to the input to the amp. The cable is terminated at the other end by a standard stereo jack.

The project box has two stereo jack sockets on it. One is used as the input from the CD player or whatever. The two channels on this are paralleled and connected to one of the poles of the switch. The other socket has one channel used to connect the output from the tuner to an adjacent pole on the switch and the other goes the the centre of the switch.

This means that when the switch turned so that it is connected to the output from the tuner then the radio works as normal. When it is turned so that the two paralleled channels of the CD player are connected to the centre it then feeds into the amp.

Some car radios use slightly unusual connections to the volume control but if you are lucky yours will simply have the tuner connected to the left hand end of the track when viewed from behind and the amp will be connected to the wiper.

I think I got that right - it has been a while since I did this. The beauty is that it is easily reversible and that the control switch can be put in the glove box along with the music source.
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Old 8th May 2021, 10:49 pm   #62
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

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Originally Posted by PaulR View Post

Some car radios use slightly unusual connections to the volume control but if you are lucky yours will simply have the tuner connected to the left hand end of the track when viewed from behind and the amp will be connected to the wiper.

I think I got that right - it has been a while since I did this. The beauty is that it is easily reversible and that the control switch can be put in the glove box along with the music source.
Easier to think of the tuner connection as being to the clockwise end of the track when viewed from the spindle side. That applies irrespective of the orientation of the pot.
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Old 10th May 2021, 8:44 am   #63
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

Has anyone used a Bluetooth relay to c/o from radio to external source, my phone can control 3 Bluetooth devices at the same time according to its spec, so a Bluetooth relay and audio device should be possible or am I in "cloud cuckoo land"?
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Old 10th May 2021, 11:00 am   #64
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

You can use many audio sources as long as they have an output such as a headphone socket you can connect to the radio. I don't "do" Bluetooth but I shouldn't think that actual source is important.
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Old 11th May 2021, 6:05 pm   #65
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

had couple of hrs free so had a play with bluetooth this afternoon.
found a 6.9v supply in the radio tuner, connected to a regulator and got a steady 5.1v dc o/p, no other components used, paired very quickly with my phone so i tried it into the pu input of a radio and it worked ok but quite a volume difference had it playing for 15mins and the regulator did not seem to be heating up.
have i made a howling error by connecting it up in this way??, obviously it's only a trial and more work will be needed on the cct eventually.
would a hard wired aux input give more volume than the bluetooth, i will try that when i connect into the car radio cct.
The current draw of this radio is 3 amps,you would not want to listen to it for too long parked up in your morris minor !!.
mods
please let me know if you think this thread is past it's sell buy date as the radio itself is now a runner.
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Old 11th May 2021, 7:04 pm   #66
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

If you search the forum you will find quite a few threads reporting the low output from these bluetooth modules. I used a chinese module with a CMOS opamp in between.
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Old 11th May 2021, 10:53 pm   #67
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

I have found that the output from the bluetooth unit I've used in conversions is controlled by the phone volume. It's worth checking if this is the case with your bluetooth module.

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Old 12th May 2021, 1:11 pm   #68
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

[/HTML]Hi, it is and on max and is the same if powered direct from the phone, when I added a krc module to a bush record player last year I used a little mono amp to equalise the two inputs, but not sure if I have enough room to fit one in the radio power supply box.
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Old 12th May 2021, 5:43 pm   #69
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

connected the bt module into the volume control on the car radio tuner and found that although the volume was lower compared to the same setting on MW it was better than when i tested it into the pu input on a radio, happy with that.
the bt module i used was one i bought last year when having the drop out problems with the KRC but solved, this unit is running with only the regulator supplying it,the spec says it will work between 3.5-5 volts and i measured 4.7 volts+/- 20mv it ran for three hours via spotify without problem.
unfortunately this module is not very DIY friendly as it has mini usb and a headphone socket, you can connect but not easily (with my soldering iron).
I have decided to use a c/o switch and mount both in the power unit with suitable wiring between the power unit and tuner.
Is it a mistake to use the regulator as i am doing anyone like to comment.
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Old 13th May 2021, 9:52 am   #70
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

Quote:
Manufactured by EMI at Hayes
My dad has the HMV badged version, the middle preset button has the HMV logo on it.
The radio works just fine and hasn't had any work done to it from new!
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Last edited by Cobaltblue; 13th May 2021 at 9:53 am. Reason: Automotive
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Old 16th May 2021, 8:51 am   #71
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

Thanks for that info...closer inspection of my radio points to something may have been on the centre pushbutton so this may also have been a HMV,(was it a transfer).
After running the radio for 4 hrs last saturday pm decided to check the 3 remaining capacitors that tested ok and did not change in the power supply,good job i did,two were bulging and one emitting wax.Ordered from cricklewood and fitted them and listened to five live sport pm yesterday,just now waiting for a mini toggle switch,screened cable and a more diy friendly b'tooth module to complete.
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Old 21st May 2021, 1:14 pm   #72
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

So i have looked more closely at bluetooth post's especially the dac90a thread and i clearly did not use the krc bt module to it's best use in my bush record player so will re visit that.
i purchased the module kcx bt002 as i liked that it had connections already made and have temporary connected the same way as post 69.
it does not though appear to have a audio in( unless the mic is a microphone input and usable would anyone know),otherwise i am going to use the changeover switch and a twin individually screened cable between the power supply with two rca sockets on the power unit case, so the case is still easily removable.
you can slightly hear a fast buzzing noise with the volume down at minimum which i think is the ssv but not a bother at normal listening level.
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Old 25th May 2021, 8:06 pm   #73
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

help needed here if possible.
had a problematic week with the radio !!
had to remake both the 5 pin plugs on the cable between tuner and power unit but should have done them both when the first one gave trouble and not wait till the second, remaking them much easier said than done.
then the speaker plug started to be troublesome so did that.
i started to play again with bluetooth to see if once the volume was set to max on it, switching off the power would reset the volume back to min ?
then a few crackles and no music !!
checking again (connections first !) and found the 200vdc rail good, checking down the valve inputs good until V4- 0 V on the anode (pin7),r14 220k is the resistor and has already been changed as it was 50k high on initial tests, changed it again but the same.
So i found to have 0.9ma flowing in 220k, this appears to be about correct by the valve characteristics
i removed the valve hoping to get full volts but still nothing,all capacitors around the valve have been changed,i have not a lot of valve radio knowledge as you know and if somebody could give me some points to check before i blunder on i would appreciate it.
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Old 12th Aug 2021, 9:31 pm   #74
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

well revisited the radio yesterday after a summer recess ,all my problems are due to the plugs and sockets used to connect between tuner and power supply. having tried several different b'tooth modules have come back to the krc 86B.
posted in the wanted section and checking out alternatives plug/socket combinations.
long job.
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Old 24th Aug 2021, 5:04 pm   #75
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

Replaced cable plugs and power supply socket, will need some manipulation to fit the new socket in the tuner though
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Old 9th Oct 2021, 6:03 pm   #76
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Default Re: 50's car radio repair. Smith and Sons 200X.

So the radio is finished and picks up what is there, gold comes in nice along with the cricket commentary.
Must admit to a fair amount of looking at it and cursing !!.
Tuner.. changed all the capacitors except the high vale ones in the tuner end, only 4 resitors and V4 6AT6.
Power unit.. replaced all caps including bi-polar, the main transformer was rewound and the mechanical vibrator replaced with an electronic .
Replaced plugs and sockets on the multicore between the two.
Which leads me to a lesson reminded from working days "checked all the connections first did you ?" (err no).
Bluetooth.. tried 3 different modules they all worked but the KRC is the best IMO but does need a bit more attention to detail.
Unfortunately could only fit them in the power box and the extra cables between the box and tuner was messy and as it was not really an option to fix in the tuner decided to leave it out,pity i drilled the two audio socket holes in the grill.
Bigger pity i sold my classic car a few years ago !!
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