Strad 553W - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

telstar · 15th Aug 2020, 12:15 pm

Hi During the lock down I started on one of my Strad radios to pass the time. It is a model 553W and quite an attractive radio. There was no sound to be heard and I thought that one of the series fed valves was o/c until I saw the dial bulbs lit. The fault turned out to be a leaky 0.005 coupling capacitor which had gone to a value nearly s/c on my insulation tester. I replaced it with a 0.0047 yellow capacitor which cured the fault and brought the sound back.
Thank goodness it was not a complex repair as all other caps had been replaced.
Cheers
Mike

vinrads · 15th Aug 2020, 1:04 pm

Nice simple repair then , strange there being no sound I would have expected low and distorted , Is this the one with a Bakelite case , I think I had one . Mick.

telstar · 17th Aug 2020, 2:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinrads

Nice simple repair then , strange there being no sound I would have expected low and distorted , Is this the one with a Bakelite case , I think I had one . Mick.

Hi Mick
Yes it was a nice simple job. The capacitor was coupled between the volume control wiper and the grid of the 1st audio amplifier. It was tubular and had colour coding. This radio was of the wood cabinet type. The long wave is the only band that does not work. I will try and get a better circuit for it as I was using the "Newnes" books.
Cheers
Mike

15th Aug 2020, 12:15 pm	#1
telstar Octode Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,593	Strad 553W Hi During the lock down I started on one of my Strad radios to pass the time. It is a model 553W and quite an attractive radio. There was no sound to be heard and I thought that one of the series fed valves was o/c until I saw the dial bulbs lit. The fault turned out to be a leaky 0.005 coupling capacitor which had gone to a value nearly s/c on my insulation tester. I replaced it with a 0.0047 yellow capacitor which cured the fault and brought the sound back. Thank goodness it was not a complex repair as all other caps had been replaced. Cheers Mike

15th Aug 2020, 1:04 pm	#2
vinrads Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Posts: 3,767	Re: Strad 553W Nice simple repair then , strange there being no sound I would have expected low and distorted , Is this the one with a Bakelite case , I think I had one . Mick.