Berec Auto Portable - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Seamaster · 15th Jul 2020, 9:04 pm

Hi folks.

I am new to vintage radio and need a bit of help. I have just bought one of these to use inside and outside of my classic car.

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/berec_auto_portable.html

It works fine on its own with a PP9 battery but I can't get it to work in the car. As you can see it has a cradle which is mounted into the car. It's got connections for negative earth, positive 12v, aerial and speakers. When I have wired it up all I can get is a very tiny bit of very low static from the car speaker.

It's a clever design, there is a locating pin in the cradle that pushes a mechanism inside the radio. This disengages the PP9 and internal speaker and should engage the 12V system.

So I have checked the connection and tried a good earth but can't get anything other than a tiny crackle when I turn on and off. The minute I pull it out and pop it on it comes into life.

If anyone has any advice I would be most grateful or know a person that I could pay to help around West Lancashire please let me know.

Many thanks

Station X · 15th Jul 2020, 9:36 pm

Hello and welcome to the forums.

First question. Is your car positive or negative earth?

60 oldjohn · 15th Jul 2020, 10:46 pm

Have you plugged in an aerial ? If you need to change the polarity instructions are in the service data top right of this page for £1.99, some wires need soldering in different positions. The service data will show which earth the set has been wired for. Getting the earth wrong will destroy the set. I believe this set is the same as the more common Ever Ready Car Portable.

John.

Seamaster · 16th Jul 2020, 7:40 am

Hi yes plugged in an aerial, and even added an extra earth to cradle chassis to see if that was the issue. It's definitely neg earth and so is the car.

Thanks for helping.

60 oldjohn · 16th Jul 2020, 7:23 pm

If you have the service information which I trust you have to have been able to confirm the which earth the set has been wired to, you will see the external aerial is switched into the circuit when set is inserted into the cradle. I would suggest and clean these contacts. Sorry to keep harping on but these sets were sent out wired for positive earth.

John.

Seamaster · 16th Jul 2020, 9:21 pm

Hi John. There is a sticker on the cradle that says negative earth. I have cleaned the contacts with a dentist tool and they seem shiny. I am hoping to get an installation manual which may shed some light. Thanks Jed.

Seamaster · 16th Jul 2020, 9:41 pm

Just downloaded the manual John and can see what you are saying about the default to pos earth. I will have a close look at weekend. Thanks it's a good steer.

Station X · 16th Jul 2020, 9:47 pm

Extract from the circuit mentioned in post #3.

Assume nothing! The circuit shows the unit wired for positive earth. Check that it's been modified for negative earth. Don't rely on a sticker, you don't know who's messed with it in the past.

Once you've done that check that you're getting 12 Volts at the correct polarity across P1 and P3 of the cradle. ie P1 negative and P3 positive.

Also check for 12V between P2 and P3 of the cradle. A voltage here will prove that the external speaker is connected.

Posts crossed.

Seamaster · 17th Jul 2020, 3:54 pm

Thanks. The radio is on my old boat at the moment as I took it up there to tinker with last weekend I will test those connections. I would love it to be the polarity. I will feedback when I can. Thank you for the help. Much appreciated.

Station X · 17th Jul 2020, 8:44 pm

If it isn't the polarity or a dodgy aerial connection P4 it's most likely to be a problem with the slide switch in the receiver which is operated when the set is inserted into the cradle.

Try squirting Servisol 10 contact cleaner onto the contacts and operating the switch several times.

Seamaster · 17th Jul 2020, 11:20 pm

I will order some now. Great idea. Can't hurt!

Seamaster · 20th Jul 2020, 8:43 pm

Servisol on way.

Sideband · 20th Jul 2020, 9:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Station X

Extract from the circuit mentioned in post #3.

Assume nothing!

Golden Rule!! It may have been modified for negative earth at some point but possibly been converted back again....and not everyone will remove a sticker or may just have forgotten to do so. Never assume anything as it can make an Ass of U and Me....as my old college lecturer used to say....!

Seamaster · 24th Jul 2020, 6:04 pm

OK so checked the polarity and it was fine. Just out of interest I swapped over the blue and red wire and tried it and it crackled and the smoked. I have decided to give it a miss and just use it on battery as a portable radio and leave the carriage in the shed. The servisol will be handy so that's good. Thanks for the help folks.

Herald1360 · 24th Jul 2020, 6:18 pm

Let's hope the smoke wasn't the magic variety or you could be looking at a new set of transistors

.

15th Jul 2020, 9:04 pm	#1
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Berec Auto Portable Hi folks. I am new to vintage radio and need a bit of help. I have just bought one of these to use inside and outside of my classic car. https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/berec_auto_portable.html It works fine on its own with a PP9 battery but I can't get it to work in the car. As you can see it has a cradle which is mounted into the car. It's got connections for negative earth, positive 12v, aerial and speakers. When I have wired it up all I can get is a very tiny bit of very low static from the car speaker. It's a clever design, there is a locating pin in the cradle that pushes a mechanism inside the radio. This disengages the PP9 and internal speaker and should engage the 12V system. So I have checked the connection and tried a good earth but can't get anything other than a tiny crackle when I turn on and off. The minute I pull it out and pop it on it comes into life. If anyone has any advice I would be most grateful or know a person that I could pay to help around West Lancashire please let me know. Many thanks

15th Jul 2020, 9:36 pm	#2
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Auto portable Hello and welcome to the forums. First question. Is your car positive or negative earth? __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

16th Jul 2020, 7:40 am	#4
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable Hi yes plugged in an aerial, and even added an extra earth to cradle chassis to see if that was the issue. It's definitely neg earth and so is the car. Thanks for helping.

16th Jul 2020, 7:23 pm	#5
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,989	Re: Berec Auto Portable If you have the service information which I trust you have to have been able to confirm the which earth the set has been wired to, you will see the external aerial is switched into the circuit when set is inserted into the cradle. I would suggest and clean these contacts. Sorry to keep harping on but these sets were sent out wired for positive earth. John. __________________ My favourite text message "I'll be there in five minutes, if not read again" Last edited by 60 oldjohn; 16th Jul 2020 at 7:34 pm.

16th Jul 2020, 9:21 pm	#6
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable Hi John. There is a sticker on the cradle that says negative earth. I have cleaned the contacts with a dentist tool and they seem shiny. I am hoping to get an installation manual which may shed some light. Thanks Jed.

15th Jul 2020, 10:46 pm	#3
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,989	Re: Auto portable Have you plugged in an aerial ? If you need to change the polarity instructions are in the service data top right of this page for £1.99, some wires need soldering in different positions. The service data will show which earth the set has been wired for. Getting the earth wrong will destroy the set. I believe this set is the same as the more common Ever Ready Car Portable. John. __________________ My favourite text message "I'll be there in five minutes, if not read again" Last edited by 60 oldjohn; 15th Jul 2020 at 10:58 pm.

16th Jul 2020, 9:41 pm	#7
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable Just downloaded the manual John and can see what you are saying about the default to pos earth. I will have a close look at weekend. Thanks it's a good steer.

16th Jul 2020, 9:47 pm	#8
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Berec Auto Portable Extract from the circuit mentioned in post #3. Assume nothing! The circuit shows the unit wired for positive earth. Check that it's been modified for negative earth. Don't rely on a sticker, you don't know who's messed with it in the past. Once you've done that check that you're getting 12 Volts at the correct polarity across P1 and P3 of the cradle. ie P1 negative and P3 positive. Also check for 12V between P2 and P3 of the cradle. A voltage here will prove that the external speaker is connected. Posts crossed. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

17th Jul 2020, 3:54 pm	#9
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable Thanks. The radio is on my old boat at the moment as I took it up there to tinker with last weekend I will test those connections. I would love it to be the polarity. I will feedback when I can. Thank you for the help. Much appreciated.

17th Jul 2020, 8:44 pm	#10
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Berec Auto Portable If it isn't the polarity or a dodgy aerial connection P4 it's most likely to be a problem with the slide switch in the receiver which is operated when the set is inserted into the cradle. Try squirting Servisol 10 contact cleaner onto the contacts and operating the switch several times. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

17th Jul 2020, 11:20 pm	#11
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable I will order some now. Great idea. Can't hurt!

20th Jul 2020, 8:43 pm	#12
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable Servisol on way.

24th Jul 2020, 6:04 pm	#14
Seamaster No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 24	Re: Berec Auto Portable OK so checked the polarity and it was fine. Just out of interest I swapped over the blue and red wire and tried it and it crackled and the smoked. I have decided to give it a miss and just use it on battery as a portable radio and leave the carriage in the shed. The servisol will be handy so that's good. Thanks for the help folks.

24th Jul 2020, 6:18 pm	#15
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,536	Re: Berec Auto Portable Let's hope the smoke wasn't the magic variety or you could be looking at a new set of transistors . __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O