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Vintage Radio (domestic) Domestic vintage radio (wireless) receivers only. |
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20th Mar 2018, 10:48 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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. |
21st Mar 2018, 4:35 pm | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,588
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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 |
22nd Mar 2018, 1:10 am | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK.
Posts: 690
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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 |
22nd Mar 2018, 10:54 am | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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. |
30th Apr 2018, 8:18 am | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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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30th Apr 2018, 8:28 am | #6 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Aalborg, Denmark
Posts: 903
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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 |
30th Apr 2018, 9:23 am | #7 |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
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Re: Re-stringing an Etronic RA640
Plug & Play.
I see why you wanted a diagram, does it tune the right way now? |
30th Apr 2018, 11:09 am | #8 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. (Einstein) |
30th Apr 2018, 4:59 pm | #9 |
Rest in Peace
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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 Last edited by crackle; 30th Apr 2018 at 5:08 pm. |
1st May 2018, 8:00 am | #10 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. (Einstein) |
7th May 2018, 5:56 pm | #11 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. (Einstein) |
9th May 2018, 8:29 am | #12 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 421
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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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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. (Einstein) |