# Valve radio repair



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Is there anyone on here, preferably within a decent traveling distance of Anglesey, able to repair a PYE valve radio similar to this one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PYE-VALVE-RADIO-TYPE-P76F-from-the-1950s-/281984292207?fromMakeTrack=true

If so, I would love to have my old radio repaired. It was fine all the years I used it till I switched it off to move house. It has never worked since.


----------



## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Coastie, a very basic answer, since you had a move it could have jarred a tube loose out of the socket/seat,try pushing them back in.
Most likely you have done this already but it's worth a try.


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Hi John. 
Never thought of that, will give it a try, thank you.


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

You have moved?


----------



## Searcher2004 (May 3, 2012)

Try asking here:-

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/index.php

There are a lot of people on that site who specialise in domestic radios and they will be happy to advise you on repairs.


Cheers

S2004


----------



## Searcher2004 (May 3, 2012)

R651400 said:


> Coastie... Assuming the wireless is faulty would you be able to repair if you had a circuit diagram?


Cct diagram and maker's info available on:-

http://www.service-data.com/section.php/6662/1/e15068 

Cheers

S2004


----------



## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Is the going rate for repairing a crew members radio still a case of Tennent's?

(Thumb)


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Gulpers said:


> You have moved?


Not in the last 12 years I haven't!(Jester)


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

R651400 said:


> Coastie... Assuming the wireless is faulty would you be able to repair if you had a circuit diagram?


Probably not.

Many thanks Folks for your replies.


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Coastie said:


> Is there anyone on here, preferably within a decent traveling distance of Anglesey, able to repair a PYE valve radio similar to this one?
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PYE-VALVE-RADIO-TYPE-P76F-from-the-1950s-/281984292207?fromMakeTrack=true
> 
> If so, I would love to have my old radio repaired. It was fine all the years I used it till I switched it off to move house. It has never worked since.


Errrrrrm .......... have you plugged it in? (Jester)


----------



## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Gulpers said:


> Errrrrrm .......... have you plugged it in? (Jester)


Don't confuse him Ray, he is having a problem finding a wall socket.(Jester)(Jester)[=P]


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

John Rogers said:


> Don't confuse him Ray, he is having a problem finding a wall socket.(Jester)(Jester)[=P]


That statement is probably closer to the mark than you imagine John! (EEK)(EEK)(Jester)


----------



## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Gulpers said:


> That statement is probably closer to the mark than you imagine John! (EEK)(EEK)(Jester)


My lips are sealed. I hope he gives us some feedback after finds the end of the wire where the plug is. (Thumb)(Jester)(Jester)


----------



## CT1GZB (Feb 25, 2015)

John Rogers said:


> My lips are sealed. I hope he gives us some feedback after finds the end of the wire where the plug is. (Thumb)(Jester)(Jester)


Or This:

http://www.radiomanuals.info/information/800 to 1199/s1141.pdf


----------



## johnvvc (Feb 8, 2008)

Coastie said:


> Is there anyone on here, preferably within a decent traveling distance of Anglesey, able to repair a PYE valve radio similar to this one?
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PYE-VALVE-RADIO-TYPE-P76F-from-the-1950s-/281984292207?fromMakeTrack=true
> 
> If so, I would love to have my old radio repaired. It was fine all the years I used it till I switched it off to move house. It has never worked since.


Coastie,

If you don't have any luck finding anyone I'll have a look at it for you. If I can't fix it I'm sure I can find a man that can!

Oh and I'm local...


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Gulpers said:


> Errrrrrm .......... have you plugged it in? (Jester)


Many times......having shaken it first, then spat in the back and banged it!!(Smoke)


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Gulpers said:


> That statement is probably closer to the mark than you imagine John! (EEK)(EEK)(Jester)


Yeah, yeah, that's right, talk about me behind my back!!(Jester)


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

johnvvc said:


> Coastie,
> 
> If you don't have any luck finding anyone I'll have a look at it for you. If I can't fix it I'm sure I can find a man that can!
> 
> Oh and I'm local...


Many thanks John.


----------



## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

CT1GZB said:


> Or This:
> 
> http://www.radiomanuals.info/information/800 to 1199/s1141.pdf


Wow! what a blast from the past. I haven't looked at one of those sheets for years. how many too many....


----------



## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Why not have abash yourself with the "expert" guidance of the radio fogies of SN.

Do the valves light up?

Is there a fuse or two?

(Valve pins are easily enough googled and a meter or lamp and battery can easily determine continuity).


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Hmm, good point Varley.


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

R651400 said:


> Beware before poking around inside when switched on!
> There are lethal voltages in there especially across the secondary of the mains transformer shown on the bottom right hand corner of the circuit diagram..


OMG Coastie, do NOT even contemplate taking the back off that set! (EEK)(Cloud)


----------



## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Before looking at the valve filaments; Do the scale lights come on? Does anything happen when you switch it on? 

IF, big *IF* you take the back off - just look and do not touch anything.
IF you take up Varley's suggestion then switch it off and unplug it.
Lift each valve out very gently and replace before you lift the next one.
The heater pins on the valves are the ones either side of the locating peg, (the voltage is 6.3v) - a simple continuity test should show fault or not. 

If I could do that sort of thing when I was 11years old, then I'm sure you should be able to manage. 
Any doubts at all? Just leave it - Good luck!

Malcolm.


----------



## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Wow, how could Coastie have managed it to retirement without us hedging him in with these direst of warnings.

Don't do any of what I have suggested while in the bath or outside if it is raining (the water ruins the French Polishing). Don't check for juice or 'blown' fuse by putting your fingers across the terminals or, which may offend some professionals, check to see if something is live with the back of your hand.

Make lookie lookie in ventholes to see if valves light. Switch off before pulling valves and leave many time, many time for any capacitors to discharge (at an earlier age than ML Mother ignored my warning and got a belt from the TV, she survived till 80 because she learned from the lesson).

You cannot live for ever. But you can at least live a little.


----------



## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

DV,
I think that it is probably safe to say that you have got Coastie really worried now... 
Hopefully stick with plan 'A' (Thumb)

Malcolm.


----------



## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Mad Landsman said:


> DV,
> I think that it is probably safe to say that you have got Coastie really worried now...
> Hopefully stick with plan 'A' (Thumb)
> 
> Malcolm.


I should, perhaps, have put it that one can be live a little (but only a little). And that the chassis might by design be 'live' (a lot).


----------



## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

Funnily enough my neigh our asked me to look at his workshop tube (valve) radio last week. It was covered in wood dust and when I cleaned it off found it to be a very nice Hammarlund table top shortwave radio. It was amazing how all that 70s theory came back. Valve heaters all in series. Valves all warm. Tapped with a meter on all the input grids. Screen grid HT ok. Anode grid HT ok. Cleaned the switches and up it came. A very nicely put together radio. Now I just have to get the Eddystone 870 and Atalanta done. Nice trip down memory lane.


----------



## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

Have you tried switching it off and then on again? It won't help, but it isnice to be busy.


----------



## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

*Ten Commandments of Electrical Safety*

(1) Beware of the lightning that lurks in an undischarged capacitor lest it cause thee to be bounced upon thy backside in a most ungainly manner.

(2) Cause thou the switch that supplies large quantities of juice to be opened and thusly tagged, so thy days may be long on this earthly vale of tears.

(3) Prove to thyself that all circuits that radiateth and upon which thou worketh are grounded lest they lift thee to high-frequency potential and cause thee to radiate also.

(4) Take care thou useth the proper method when thou taketh the measure of high-voltage circuits so that thou doth not incinerate both thee and the meter, for verily though thou hast no account number and can be easily replaced, the meter doth have one and as a consequence bringeth much woe upon the supply department.

(5)Tarry thee not amongst those who engage in intentional shocks for they are surely non-believers and are not long for this world.

(6) Take care thou tampereth not with interlocks and safety devices, for this incureth the wrath of thy seniors and bringeth the fury of the safety officer down upon thy head and shoulders.

(7) Work thee not on energized equipment, for if thou doeth, thy mates will surely be buying lunch without thee and thy space at the table will be filled by another.

(8) Verily, verily I say unto thee, never service high-voltage equipment alone, for electric cooking is a slothful process, and thou might sizzle in thy own fat for hours on end before thy Maker sees fit to end thy misery and drag thee into His fold.

(9) Trifle thee not with radioactive tubes and substances lest thou commence to glow in the dark like a lightning bug.

(10) Commit thee to memory the works of the prophets, which are written in the instruction books, which giveth the straight info and which consoleth thee, and thou cannot make mistakes.


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Gulpers said:


> OMG Coastie, do NOT even contemplate taking the back off that set! (EEK)(Cloud)


I've had the back off it and had the chassis out of the casing many times, even having to re string the dial once after mice got into it when we used to use it in the printing works many moons ago.

I am well aware of the possibility of the chassis being live and I've earthed it.


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Coastie said:


> I've had the back off it and had the chassis out of the casing many times, even having to re string the dial once after mice got into it when we used to use it in the printing works many moons ago.
> 
> I am well aware of the possibility of the chassis being live and I've earthed it.


If I hear Helimed flying over my house going in your direction, I'll be thinking of you!(A)


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Just DON'T bring malted milk biscuits if/when you visit me in YG!! (Jester)


----------



## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

If you don't know about the workings of a valve radio, I would recommend you don't even try! It is not necessarily a sensible thing to earth the chassis either! If it was an AC/DC set, and the plug had been wired the wrong way round - "boomsville!"(Jester)
OK to earth the chassis of a set with an isolation transformer. But if they do have a transformer and a full-wave rectifier valve. The secondary of the transformer would probably produce 350 - 0 - 350 Volts, even though only half of that would end up as High Tension Voltage. But 700 Volts would still be there across either end of the transformer making it doubly dangerous to go poking about underneath whilst it was switched on!
Bob


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Oh, I've been made aware on may occasions of how dangerous electricity can be!! (Thumb)


----------



## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

I've just had a good look at the one on ebay - What a lovely old radio, with a built in antennae and input for magnetic pick-up. 
They don't make 'em like that any more. 

I noticed that it is '4 Band' - with 'TB' = Trawler Band.... in between Short and Medium. The old long range high frequency band. 
Does anyone still use it, if so who?


----------



## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I am currently trying to resurrect a c1957 Philips 151U, LW/MW 5-valves broadcast Rx, but the drive cord is broken. I found this site http://www.service-data.com from which for the princely sum of £1.99 I have downloaded a complete service manual with cct diagrams and how to fit a new dial cord..

Worth a look if you get stuck.

David


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Mad Landsman said:


> I noticed that it is '4 Band' - with 'TB' = Trawler Band.... in between Short and Medium. The old long range high frequency band.
> Does anyone still use it, if so who?


Trawlers! Strangely enough!! On a night watch when we had the Skanti, we'd often hear whistles from various trawlers communicating to one another in their "secret language".


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

R651400 said:


> Back to your #1 with Ebay link have you bid/bought the wireless or not?


It's pick up only, so, as yet, no.


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

david.hopcroft said:


> I am currently trying to resurrect a c1957 Philips 151U, LW/MW 5-valves broadcast Rx, but the drive cord is broken. I found this site http://www.service-data.com from which for the princely sum of £1.99 I have downloaded a complete service manual with cct diagrams and how to fit a new dial cord..
> 
> Worth a look if you get stuck.
> 
> David


I just pulled the chassis out, switched it on, tuned the radio to a Station which I knew the frequency of (194 Radio City, Liverpool IIRC) then arranged the string so that the pointer was in the general vicinity of 194 on Medium Wave and at the top end of Trawlers Band.


----------



## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Mad Landsman said:


> I've just had a good look at the one on ebay - What a lovely old radio, with a built in antennae and input for magnetic pick-up.
> They don't make 'em like that any more.


I used to have an Hitachi AM/FM tuner which used to sit on top of my old PYE and its output was fed into the "Gram" input of the PYE so that I could listen to "Local broadcasts" (me pirating!) with that gorgeous warm valve (tube) sound.(Thumb)


----------

