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Old 19th Nov 2009, 11:59 am   #1
6.3volts
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Default Pye 350/C "All Electric Three" 1929

Can anyone help to identify this newly aquired set? It is an AC mains model with metal rectifiers and - I think- internal biasing. Inside the case is a similar sized aluminium chassis containing 3 valves. Looks original except for recently lost chassis cover screws and an old intervalve transformer change. I will be restoring this and wonder if any of you are interested in my progress. Happy to bore you with updates. I will remove from case and photograph it if anyone is interested.
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 12:44 pm   #2
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

I can't find an exact match, but it's very similar externally to the battery-only model 460 of 1929 which lacked the fretwork at the bottom.
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 12:57 pm   #3
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by 6.3volts View Post
Happy to bore you with updates. I will remove from case and photograph it if anyone is interested.
Yes please, would be very interesting to follow your progress with this set, and yes, would like to see the internal (out of cabinet) view as long as it is not too much trouble.
Neil
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 2:05 pm   #4
Paul LS
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

It is a Pye Model 350 from 1929... an early mains set.

Regards,
Paul.

Last edited by Paul LS; 19th Nov 2009 at 2:14 pm.
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 2:18 pm   #5
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Yes Paul is correct it is a 1929 PYE 350 AC set. This is the AC version of the 460 battery set Darren mentioned. In the AC set there should be a speaker. There was no grill on the 460 because the space behind was used as a battery compartment, it had an external speaker

That will make a very nice looking Radio when cleaned up and restored, it was very expensive when bought new

Mike
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 2:48 pm   #6
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Hello,
The circuit is avaliable up the top here:- http://www.service-data.com/section.php/6434/1
I have one awaiting restoration and when I bought it I was told that there is a long wirewound resistor with many sections hidden in the front that often gives trouble.
I don't think it has an internal speaker.
Yours, Richard
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 4:39 pm   #7
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

The above set was featured in the BVWS 'The Bulletin' summer 2004 (pictured on the cover) along with an excellent article on it's restoration with useful information on where to get parts etc.

I dont have the facility to copy the article but hopefully someone can do this for you.

The set itself when restored will give a good account of itself,i have that very set in my collection and can confirm it really does perform well,i also have the radiogram version awaiting restoration...........

Mike
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Old 19th Nov 2009, 7:06 pm   #8
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

I saw one of these in a car boot with a perfect cabinet - but empty! Goodness knows why someone removed the chassis.
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Old 20th Nov 2009, 12:56 pm   #9
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Smile Re: Very early Pye identification

Thank you all very much for your help. It's nice to know others have examples of this set. Will post more pics as soon as time allows. Regards to all Jonathan.
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Old 20th Nov 2009, 4:17 pm   #10
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Red face Re: Very early Pye identification

As requested a few more pics. Note repairs to presumably o/c sections of R1! Any advice about restoring the radio will be well received as although nothing so far has defeated my past attempts at restoration I am aware that unsympathetic work on this type of early set is all too easy to achieve. Can anyone point me at a copy of the article about restoring this model? Regards Jonathan
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Old 20th Nov 2009, 4:24 pm   #11
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Moose View Post
Hello,
The circuit is avaliable up the top here:- http://www.service-data.com/section.php/6434/1
I have one awaiting restoration and when I bought it I was told that there is a long wirewound resistor with many sections hidden in the front that often gives trouble.
I don't think it has an internal speaker.
Yours, Richard
Richard, Thanks for the link! My resistor looks u/s as it has resistors soldered in presumably O/C sections. Will keep you informed if I rewind mine before you rewind yours. Regards Jonathan.
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Old 21st Nov 2009, 2:41 pm   #12
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Hi Jonathan,
You've probably discovered by now that Googling Pye350 provides lots of info. I have one of these which I will eventually get round to restoring. I for one, and probably others, would be very interested to follow your progress.
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Old 24th Nov 2009, 11:24 am   #13
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

I have the console version of this radio and have attached a picture below. This version does have a moving iron speaker. I am looking forward to resotring mine, so will be interested in hearing progress on any other similar restorations.

Craig
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Old 24th Nov 2009, 10:06 pm   #14
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Hi Jonathan, I have restored a Pye G and an S, later sets than this. Surprisingly most of the cased caps were fine, but the resistors had gone high. I have some of lower values that had also gone high, so I simply re-painted them to the values they now were. The do not seem to have alterted significantly since. Let me know if you need any of this resistor type as I probably have some that would do.

Ed
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Old 25th Nov 2009, 12:50 pm   #15
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Well, I had no idea there were still so many of these Pye 350c sets around. I've attached a few pictures of the one I've got.

If you're restoring it, the circuit is interesting in a number of respects - the coil switching is complex, the HT power supplies (voltage doubler circuit and huge potential divider resistor across the supply) are a little strange, and the reaction and volume control circuits are unusual. Best to get a circuit diagram from this site! And note particularly that the spindle of the volume control variable resistor is at HT potential (it is isolated fron the chassis with an ebonite bush).

Some sets I've seen, but not all, have an RF choke in the detector circuit.

Like Ed (earlier post) I discovered to my surprise that the metal cased capacitors were still serviceable. I soak tested them at an elevated voltage for days and they were OK, so I went against all the usual advice on this forum (and from me) and left them in place, unstuffed. The rather low HT voltage helps. I also found that the metal rectifier was still working pretty well.

The big wirewound potential divider resistor was open circuit, but it is in sections and a hand rewind is easy. If it's a termination break you can use the original resistance wire if you're gentle. In my set the LF transformer was also open circuit on the secondary, but again it is sectionally wound, and I rewound it by hand without too much difficulty.

Having done all the, the set works remarkably well.

Robert
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Old 5th Dec 2009, 7:39 am   #16
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Thumbs up Re: Very early Pye identification

Thank you to everone who has shown interest. More when I have started the restoration. Regards Jonathan
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Old 5th Dec 2009, 7:41 am   #17
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Default Re: Very early Pye identification

Quote:
Originally Posted by TriMan66 View Post
I have the console version of this radio and have attached a picture below. This version does have a moving iron speaker. I am looking forward to resotring mine, so will be interested in hearing progress on any other similar restorations.

Craig
What a very handsome set you have. Look forward to seeing more when you work on it
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Old 16th Apr 2020, 5:19 pm   #18
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Default Pye 350c 1929

This is a very late continuation of my thread dated 19th Nov 2009.

I always intended to restore this set but, as with many good intentions it was left behind by events. I recently found this set hiding behind lots of other good intentions during a sort out.
Anyway, here it is, with reference to R Thornton's 2004 "All Electric Three".

The set He describes is S/n C26118, mine being C26637 so fairly close behind his in age.
I hope to add some extra information to that contained in his work in the hope that this helps others to work on these sets.

Having removed the set from its case I decide to start (as is normal for me) with the power supply. The transformer is soak tested in isolation from the ht circuit and proves perfect. The paper caps in the power block are way past hope and will be re-stuffed with new. The block contains six 2uF paper caps which is not what Mr Thornton reported but he did not open the can to reveal its secrets. In my set C12 & C13 are 4uF (2x2uF) and C10 & C11 are 2uF each. In the pic of the caps the large rolls are the 2uF and the small flats are the rest of the set's caps rated at 1uF.
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Old 16th Apr 2020, 5:43 pm   #19
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Default Re: Pye 350c 1929

I have seen a lot of reference to "re stuffing" caps lately.
Do you just drill holes in the originals clean them out and hide new caps in there to keep the original look? Or do you actually repair and refurbish the originals?

Would anyone ever bother drilling the innards out of a black or brown waxy and hiding a new cap in there or is it not worth the effort.

Just interested in the practice but not likely to do it myself.

Neil
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Old 16th Apr 2020, 5:54 pm   #20
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Default Re: Pye 350c 1929

Just clean out and put in a new replacement, while trying to keep original look. A set of above age, no way should it be showing very often Yellow modern caps.
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