Ekco TC208 Saved - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

mark pirate · 3rd Jan 2012, 9:53 am

Thanks Jeffrey, the tube has an aquadag coating, so that will save the nasty job of dealing with the visconal. I will leave it in place for originality, disconnected of course!

Mark

ppppenguin · 3rd Jan 2012, 9:57 am

Just make sure the dag is earthed. If it isn't, things can get a bit sparky in there. Probably won't do any harm except when you jump back and break something

The metrosil on the EHT is pretty much optional too.

Retired · 3rd Jan 2012, 10:13 am

Hi,

Well done in salvaging this set Mark. Good luck with the repairs although with help from John; Jeffrey and the other experts you are guaranteed success and the set will be running like new in no time at all.

Kind regards, Col.

mark pirate · 3rd Jan 2012, 10:38 am

Thanks for the encouragement Col, I don't suppose you would like another cabinet restoration

I am aiming to get first light this week, things are a bit cramped in the workshop at the moment, as there a three 405 sets on the operating table awaiting the arrival of a capacitor order. I think the Ekco will be eating in to my stocks today.

Mark

Tractorfan · 3rd Jan 2012, 11:07 am

Hi,
In 1958 my parents rented a Ferranti 17" set with a broadly similar chassis and I remember Dad altering the mains tappings during the winter in the sixties because the supply voltage used to drop and reduce the size of the picture. It didn't have the spot wobble unit, though. But it did have a VHF radio. I remember being fascinated by what was inside when the man came to repair it (not due to over voltage, I might add!)
Later on I was given a 14" round tube Ekco set with the same tube support. I watched Prince Charles' Investiture on it in 1969 in my darkened bedroom.
Another set I remember with this chassis was at my secondary school in the physics lab. This Ekco was also a console set with spot wobble (but it didn't have the toggle switch at the top) and I learned the hard way about live chassis construction when touching a radiator with one hand while turning the knobless spindle with the other. The worst possible path across my chest

!
Oh, the memories

.
Cheers, Pete

mark pirate · 5th Jan 2012, 5:29 pm

This set has had me very busy over the last couple of days, I have cleaned the chassis, removed the screening round the LOPT & got to work carefully cleaning that area, the LOPT looks very good now cleaned, there is a small area of damaged perspex near the EHT rectifier, possibly done by a soldering iron.

Far and away the biggest problem has been an o/c frame blocking tx, I discovered that the feed out wire had broken where it entered the windings, luckily under a large magnifier, I managed to tack on a strand of wire, the tx now reads correct to spec.

This set will require over 40 replacement caps!
But I really wanted to get first light before diving in with a soldering iron, my replacement U301 arrived at lunchtime, so this was fitted and the set fired up, this time I had a dull heater, followed by a couple of sparks in the EHT rectifier as the EHT came up, then a full screen raster

I plugged in the aurora to the band 1 aerial socket & after a few clicks of the tuner, I had the test tone & a wildly unlocked test card c, both horizontal & vertical hold pots are working, but cant quite manage to lock the picture.

Another good sign is the Mazda tube has been replaced with a 'Suffolk' regunned tube, so it should still have some emission!

I am now happier that it looks like this set is worthy of restoration, I must admit i have had my doubts over the last couple of days

Mark

3rd Jan 2012, 9:53 am	#21
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Ekco TC208 Saved Thanks Jeffrey, the tube has an aquadag coating, so that will save the nasty job of dealing with the visconal. I will leave it in place for originality, disconnected of course! Mark

3rd Jan 2012, 9:57 am	#22
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: Ekco TC208 Saved Just make sure the dag is earthed. If it isn't, things can get a bit sparky in there. Probably won't do any harm except when you jump back and break something The metrosil on the EHT is pretty much optional too.

3rd Jan 2012, 10:13 am	#23
Retired Heptode Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield. UK. Posts: 673	Re: Ekco TC208 Saved Hi, Well done in salvaging this set Mark. Good luck with the repairs although with help from John; Jeffrey and the other experts you are guaranteed success and the set will be running like new in no time at all. Kind regards, Col.

3rd Jan 2012, 10:38 am	#24
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Ekco TC208 Saved Thanks for the encouragement Col, I don't suppose you would like another cabinet restoration I am aiming to get first light this week, things are a bit cramped in the workshop at the moment, as there a three 405 sets on the operating table awaiting the arrival of a capacitor order. I think the Ekco will be eating in to my stocks today. Mark

3rd Jan 2012, 11:07 am	#25
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: Ekco TC208 Saved Hi, In 1958 my parents rented a Ferranti 17" set with a broadly similar chassis and I remember Dad altering the mains tappings during the winter in the sixties because the supply voltage used to drop and reduce the size of the picture. It didn't have the spot wobble unit, though. But it did have a VHF radio. I remember being fascinated by what was inside when the man came to repair it (not due to over voltage, I might add!) Later on I was given a 14" round tube Ekco set with the same tube support. I watched Prince Charles' Investiture on it in 1969 in my darkened bedroom. Another set I remember with this chassis was at my secondary school in the physics lab. This Ekco was also a console set with spot wobble (but it didn't have the toggle switch at the top) and I learned the hard way about live chassis construction when touching a radiator with one hand while turning the knobless spindle with the other. The worst possible path across my chest! Oh, the memories. Cheers, Pete __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

5th Jan 2012, 5:29 pm	#26
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Ekco TC208 Saved This set has had me very busy over the last couple of days, I have cleaned the chassis, removed the screening round the LOPT & got to work carefully cleaning that area, the LOPT looks very good now cleaned, there is a small area of damaged perspex near the EHT rectifier, possibly done by a soldering iron. Far and away the biggest problem has been an o/c frame blocking tx, I discovered that the feed out wire had broken where it entered the windings, luckily under a large magnifier, I managed to tack on a strand of wire, the tx now reads correct to spec. This set will require over 40 replacement caps! But I really wanted to get first light before diving in with a soldering iron, my replacement U301 arrived at lunchtime, so this was fitted and the set fired up, this time I had a dull heater, followed by a couple of sparks in the EHT rectifier as the EHT came up, then a full screen raster I plugged in the aurora to the band 1 aerial socket & after a few clicks of the tuner, I had the test tone & a wildly unlocked test card c, both horizontal & vertical hold pots are working, but cant quite manage to lock the picture. Another good sign is the Mazda tube has been replaced with a 'Suffolk' regunned tube, so it should still have some emission! I am now happier that it looks like this set is worthy of restoration, I must admit i have had my doubts over the last couple of days Mark Attached Thumbnails