Collaro Conquest Changer - Model 604?

[RowdyRhodes]

Hello all,

Thanks for being here and running this board. I need a little help.

I inherited an Emerson Radio and Phonograph circa 1950s and within it is a changer called the Collaro Conquest Changer. I believe it is Model 604*.

*(There are the mechanical schematics for a 604 and the only difference I see between the picture in the schematics and the actual unit is that the on/off switch is in a different location on the unit.)

It was working fine, but we needed to restore the cabinet. We took the changer out and accidently disconnected a a couple of soldered wires. Now we have no idea where to solder them back on. They are located in the on/off switch of the changer.

I have the service manual for the physical/mechanical side of things but not the schematic I need to figure out where the wires connect.

Do you think you can help or know of anyone who can? Emerson can't. Their files only go back to 1995.

I have pictures of where the problem lies and if that helps I can make them available, however all I really need are the schematics or someone knowledgable who can (from the pictures) tell me where to reconnect the wires.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Rowdy Rhodes

[Audio1950]

Hi
Welcome to the forum. If it's only the wires to the on/off switch that are adrift, sounds pretty easy to do without the schematic. Let us have a photo of the wires and on/off switch and I'm sure we'll be able to sort it out.

Barry

[RowdyRhodes]

Originally Posted by Audio1950

Hi
Welcome to the forum. If it's only the wires to the on/off switch that are adrift, sounds pretty easy to do without the schematic. Let us have a photo of the wires and on/off switch and I'm sure we'll be able to sort it out.

Barry

Hi Barry and everyone else here. Thank you for the welcome.

Having a wiring schematic would be good to have (I'd pay) if there was one out there "just in case" and for reference sake to have it with the unit.

I've uploaded a zip file to a web site I run for writers. The file contains a half dozen different shots (some blurry because I can't get in close with the camera but they might make sense to you folks even blurry).

There's a yellow resister or capacitor (not sure which) and one end has come undone. Since my Dad was a radio/tv/stereo repair tech there are a number of solder joints the yellow thing could attach to but I don't know which... should have paid more attention when I was a kid {smile}.

There is also a black wire disconnected (in pic #3 and #10 it's behind the yellow thing) that I think is power and down inside the switch there looks to be a black wire end that might match the former. Again I don't know.

I'd hate to solder stiff together, power it all up and then blow out something because finding parts ... well ... you know. The file can be downloaded at:
http://www.fwointl.com/download/Collaro_Conquest.zip

I can take more pics at different angles if needed. I could probably borrow a better camera as well if need be and re-take the shots. Hopefully the ones above will do the trick.

Any help would be appreciated on both the wiring side of things and where I might find the schematic.

Thanks again,
Rowdy

[Audio1950]

Hi
Nope, Internet Explorer will not let me open the file for security reasons!

Barry

[ALANS ANITAS]

Hi

No problem with Firefox.
I will unwrap the "Conquest" I have in my workshop and post again.

Regards

ALAN

[RowdyRhodes]

Hi folks,

Whether Internet Explorer or Firefox you can just right click the link, download the file (IE the command is Save Target As... FireFox Save Link As ...)

Once you download the file double click and (assuming you have WinZip on your system) the file should open fine or is it right click the file and use the Unzip command?

If you use a download accelerator like DAP you'll still download the file and unzip it.

No matter how you obtain the pictures, create a temp folder on your desktop and save the file there. Then go into the temp folder and unzip the file.

If you don't have WinZip it's free and can be downloaded at http://www.winzip.com/index.htm Although they charge for the full version the download evaluation version will work indefinitely last time I downloaded it. These days I'm unsure.

If you still have problems, let me know and I'll spend the time to create a web page that contains all the pictures.

Thanks for your interest.
Rowdy

[Station X]

Opens OK for me in IE8. Unfortunately the close up pictures are so out of focus I can't make head or tail of them.

What does the writing say on the yellow component?

[RowdyRhodes]

Originally Posted by Station X

What does the writing say on the yellow component?

I'll try some other pics. Maybe I can get them clearer.

As for the yellow component the following:
-----------------
TCC
Plastiseal
0-022 F
200v DC WKG
Type 293
-----------------
Patent pending {smile} 40-50 years ago I guess.
Thanks for responding. I'll do what I can with some more pics tonight when I get home.

Bye for now,
Rowdy

[Station X]

It's a capacitor then.

[RowdyRhodes]

Hi SX,

Capacitors, if I recall correctly charge up, store electricity and then let it loose at some point so at least I know I'm dealing with power and not audio or anything like that. Which makes sense given that the loose black wire appears to be part of two other wires that lead to the power source. I'm pretty sure where the black wire goes, the lead on the capacitor though could connect in about 3 different spots where I see old solder joints. Hmmmm.

Any idea where we could find schematics for this thing? I've been searching in a lot of places and nada. Does the manufacturer of the Collaro in England still exist? Or do you know of any web sites that specialize in collecting old schematics? I'll keep search as well.

New pics this weekend as a friend of mine has a really nice Sony digital that she thinks we might be able to zoom in on the components with clarity.

Thanks to everyone giving time to this,
Rowdy

[Michael Maurice]

The capacitor you refer to is on the 'signal' side, ie associated with the pick up cartridge and its wiring and has nothing to do with the motor or switch wiring which is in red.

Collaro service manuals do not give wiring diagrams, except for the terminal block showing the connections for 120 or 240V wiring.

I will try and scan in the service sheet when I have time, though my copy is in green so I dont know how easily it will scan.

[Michael Maurice]

Please see this thread https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=46456 for the service sheet of the Collaro Conquest Autochanger

[RowdyRhodes]

Michael,

You have done a very wonderful thing by sharing the Collaro schematics. I don't know yet whether they will resolve the issues I have but I do know that the company itself will not release the schematics in order to force people to hire their services.

For hobbyists and tinkerers everywhere you have made an enormous contribution as I have spent over a solid week searching the 'net to no avail for Collaro Conquest schematics.

Whether they help me or not is besides the point. They will help others in the future. In my belief system the good will you have performed will come back to you ten fold. I am downloading them as I type this and I'm eager to look through them.

I wish you and yours all the best.
Rowdy

[Michael Maurice]

Originally Posted by RowdyRhodes

Michael, I do know that the company itself will not release the schematics in order to force people to hire their services.

Rowdy

To which Company are you refering to? As far as I know Collaro ceased production in the mid to late 1960's. The Conquest is very common and loads are around both here and in the US, but the later Studio or C60 appears to be very rare and later decks rarer still at least in the UK.

Collaro were originally in Ripple Road,Barking which is a suburb of London. In the 60's they were bought out by Magnavox. What happened afterwards, I dont know. I doubt if the factory is still there, perhaps the next time I venture over to that part of the world, I'll take a look.

Michael

[RowdyRhodes]

Hi Michael,

I'm not sure of the time line or which company bought which but Emerson is alive and well in North America and have the rights to service the Collaro.

When I approached both Emerson U.S. and Canada both said the same thing. They would not release any schematics on the Conquest and if I wanted I could take the unit into one of their service depots and for a fee they would be happy to look at the problem (no guarantee they could fix it though).

I talked to my friend about using her camera and not a problem. We just couldn't hook up over the weekend. Hope to do that this week and get some more pics taken and made available of my unit.

Bye for now,
Rowdy