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Old 20th Mar 2018, 10:48 pm   #1
Beardyman
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Cool Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Good evening one & all, I'm currently in the process of gathering as much information about this set as possible & to date, using this forums datasheet archive, been fairly successful. I can find all the different variations of this chassis but the only item I'm missing is a re-stringing diagram. The set I've got has, sadly, snapped the cord along with a bent chassis & a lot of rust!
The cord is rotten & unravelled so any information would be most gratefully received. Many thanks in advance.
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Old 21st Mar 2018, 4:35 pm   #2
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Hi. I have one of those Etronic RA640 radios in my collection, plus service information. Will let you know when I find it.
Cheers
Mike
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Old 22nd Mar 2018, 1:10 am   #3
Stuart R
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Here are a couple of general snaps of my RA640 that are easily to hand on my PC.

They may give some clues. but probably not the whole story.

Be careful around the nasty Asbestos washer hiding under the chassis.

Regards,

SR
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Old 22nd Mar 2018, 10:54 am   #4
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

That's exactly what I needed to fill in the missing information!
Thus far I've not found any hint of asbestos under the chassis and it's fairly stripped down now. Having looked at the information I've managed to garner from the internet these sets were made in a number of variants. Your valve line up is slightly different to mine but these differences are noted in the service sheets. Mine, for instance, has the output transformer mounted on the chassis not the speaker.

Many, many thanks Stuart R & Telstar, much appreciated.
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Old 30th Apr 2018, 8:18 am   #5
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

After some fiddling around (only 3-4 hours, a mere peccadillo!) it's re-strung! I've more or less copied the original but wasn't at all sure why both ends of the cord were both tied to the spring? I'm no even sure that is correct but it works. I thought I'd post a photo in case anyone else has a requirement.
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Old 30th Apr 2018, 8:28 am   #6
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Most likely one end of the string originally went to the extra hook, like the one the spring is attached to. The other end obviously to the spring.
Nice work !

PS!
I didn't know these old sets were Mouse-compatible
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Old 30th Apr 2018, 9:23 am   #7
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Plug & Play.
I see why you wanted a diagram, does it tune the right way now?
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Old 30th Apr 2018, 11:09 am   #8
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

If by "tune the right way" you mean do both sides go up & down together then yes they do, I sometimes wonder if the people who came up with these configurations had particularly curly minds?

I've already been through the shredded paper & unidentified black deposits, hence the sorbo-rubber matting on the desk & spring loaded termination devices.

The set has been "got at" (several "mustard" caps hooked in here & there) but some time ago by the looks of it, both the smoothing cans are leaking (electrically) like sieves despite several attempts at re-forming. The chassis has a distinct bend in it as well, think its been through the mill this one.

A couple of the tubes were loose in their bases but after a bit of research they were re-attached using Arctic Alumina, a non-conductive high temperature thermally conductive epoxy. A couple of top caps were loose to, re-attached the same way.

It'll keep me quiet for a while so the other half will be happy!
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Old 30th Apr 2018, 4:59 pm   #9
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

I think Sam may be intending, does the pointer move in the right direction in relation to the tuning scale and the tuning capacitor.
It looks like it would if the pointer is fixed at the top with relation to the photo you posted. As far as I can remember the high frequency end of the bands is at the bottom of the scale.
Mike

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Old 1st May 2018, 8:00 am   #10
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Ah! Yes, I see what you mean now.
It does & thank you for pointing that out as it wasn't something I'd even thought about.
Its still a long way off being ready for a dose of electrons but compared to the wreck that arrived its looking good.
Have a good day one & all.
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Old 7th May 2018, 5:56 pm   #11
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

Having had a goodly amount of time on my hands to get on with this set over the bank holiday it received its dose of electrons (via a variac!) this afternoon, no smoke, no flames, all good! The Y63 "magic eye" is extremely dim & can hardly be seen in anything but near darkness, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for one or an equivalent. Other than the obligatory crackling pots (RS contact cleaner sorted that out) it works a treat on MW/LW. I had my suspicions that this set had been "got at" & this was confirmed by some capacitors hidden away having RS printed on them, obviously not a recent repair. SW band is very very quiet, suspiciously so even with a fairly long (45') aerial & good earth. I'd have expected something? Not having listened SW for way over 40 years I'm a little out of touch so I may have to revisit the SW circuitry. Just the cabinet left to see to now, I'm thinking of Danish Oil for that. We shall see. A good evening to one & all.
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Old 9th May 2018, 8:29 am   #12
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Default Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640

The SW was very quiet due to "someone" in the past re-wiring the set for gram input only when switched to the SW band which, in some ways, is not a bad thing. At least getting a BT/MP3 player attached isn't going to be an issue. Had a lot of fun restoring this set but it has to go..............maybe not just yet though, I'm sure it will develop a "fault" or two in the future........
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