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Pye 92 Rambler 169 Chassis. 17" Transportable

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Doz
 Doz
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After searching for a long time, one finally turned up!

This is the set that started it all for me. My first one cost me £1.50 in a church jumble sale back in 1984 ish... I was 13 at the time, and lugged it all the way home. My parents weren't that keen on me poking about with mains stuff, so it was whisked off to the local TV repair place (Siemen's TV of Carshalton) where £8.00 changed hands for the repair (a new valve I think)

Subsequently it went wrong again, but this time, I couldn't help but get the back off and have a look. With the help of a chap from the church who used to help out at Scouts and work for the BBC, a 47 Ohm polo was soldered across the dropper, and service was resumed!

The set ran up to the 1986 ish when the tube was too flat for the fun to continue. I binned it ....

Well, here we are, 30 years later....

 
Posted : 30/11/2014 6:36 pm
Doz
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Plenty of Callins to add to the excitement.... and evidence of a few previous repairs.
One thing surprises me. Why the Mazda CRT rather than a Mullard? It's probably it's original tube, as the previous one had the same CRT.

I've snipped the dodgy Dubilier across the mains, and left it on the variac with a few volts to soak and give the smoothing cap half a chance.

Forum 6

Forum 7

Forum 8

 
Posted : 30/11/2014 6:39 pm
freya
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Quite a mix of capacitor types on that chassis.

 
Posted : 30/11/2014 7:09 pm
valvekits
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The 169 chassis was another one of my favourites, it looks like some of the stock fault components have already been replaced. I think I spy an original 1.5k across the line lin coil which I believe was used for damping and sometimes needed replacing.
I don't remember seeing this chassis in a portable configuration though.
Looking forward to first light.

Eddie

 
Posted : 30/11/2014 7:40 pm
Doz
 Doz
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... and first light .... briefly.

Tube looks good. Plenty of snow. Tuner stuck solid. Then it all faded away and I've got a really hot dropper and the line stage has stopped.

 
Posted : 30/11/2014 7:53 pm
Doz
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bugger....That's two in one weekend... looks like my lucky loptx streak is at an end ...

Forum 9

Forum 10

 
Posted : 30/11/2014 9:28 pm
Doz
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Would anyone care to hazard a guess as to which bit of the lopt has failed?

Just thinking if it's the EHT winding, I could just cut it off and slip something else on there .. (or just cut it off and ring the tx again to see if that is the fault, but I'm attempting not to destroy an otherwise OK EHT winding)

WSY?

 
Posted : 02/12/2014 2:25 pm
Lloyd
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Does the LOPT come apart? I had loads of trouble with a Philips Style 70 LOPT, and on that you can undo 2 nuts and the whole thing comes apart, you can then remove the windings without damage, as the ferrite is in 2 pieces. I had fun swapping EHT windings about with that one! Talking of which, the EHT winding on yours looks similar to the one in that Philips...

Regards,
Lloyd.

 
Posted : 02/12/2014 7:32 pm
Focus Diode
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Why the Mazda CRT rather than a Mullard? It's probably it's original tube, as the previous one had the same CRT.

I know of an Invicta 26" 697 CTV with a Mazda CRT, 1cm larger than the Mullard equivalent thus were not interchangeable.

The 169 looks most interesting, I like the 691 number re-arranged, clearly from the same era with the mechanical 6-button tuner. Can't be that many around as I've never seen one before.
Sorry to hear of the Lopt. As Lloyd said it should come apart without damage to allow testing with the overwind removed.

Good luck and please keep us posted.
Cheers,
Brian

 
Posted : 02/12/2014 8:40 pm
Doz
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It's held together with a sort of wire clip. I'm sure the ferrite will be in two sections, but the join will be underneath each winding.

I'll have a go this evening.

 
Posted : 03/12/2014 8:13 am
Doz
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Does the LOPT come apart?

.... Not without breaking it ....

Both the EHT winding and the others are bonded to the core.

I've tried cellulose thinners and acetone in an attempt to soften the glue. It won't. The plastic former will dissolve before the glue...

As you can see I have another (Philips) Lopt I was hoping to transfer the coils to, and use it's EHT winding, but as I cant get the one apart intact, a daren't wreck another lopt (even if I have no use for it, someone might)

This has been a bad end to a bad day. Gutted.

 
Posted : 03/12/2014 7:40 pm
AidanLunn
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Couldn't you try and make something out of what you have cobbled together and use a tripler instead?

 
Posted : 04/12/2014 12:15 am
Doz
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I don't have anything cobbled together.

The loptx with the blue winding is complete, but from a Philips set. I'm loath to break that one up, just incase I break it (likely as the glue is like cement, same as the existing tx)

I'm not able to get the good coils off the old loptx intact (although i could possibly drive the remaining ferrite out).

Stuck really. I wonder if it would take a jelly pot?

 
Posted : 04/12/2014 8:18 am
crustytv
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Hi Andy,

You've waited this long to find a Rambler, I would not be too hasty to modify it just yet.

One thing I've found to be true is no matter how rare you think something is to find, it will eventually turn up. Three examples of mine have already proved that. My Baird 8724 needed countless parts, the RGD 627 needed a LOPT which I thought was unobtainium it turned up after waiting 2 years. Also a 19" early colour CRT which was NOS.

Why not just put it on the shelf and give it some time and patience, its not going anywhere and it deserves to be kept original if possible. You only put out feelers for a LOPT this week, perhaps after a reasonable wait, then consider an alternative plan. Someone is bound to have a scrapper in their shed or one which has a duff CRT, etc etc who has not read the thread or wanted ad yet. Then these things often turn up on e-bay.

Just my opinion and of course its your set to do with as you please.

CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection

 
Posted : 04/12/2014 8:58 am
Doz
 Doz
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I'm inclined to agree with you. I'll spirit it away into the attic and hope Santa brings me something wound 😉

 
Posted : 04/12/2014 1:39 pm
hamid_1
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I feel your frustration. But there is hope, as Chris says.

Have you tried these people? http://markhindes.easywebstore.co.uk/

Your LOPT isn't listed on their website but it's worth contacting them to see if they have what you want - they've only put about 20% of their stock online.

Your Pye 169 LOPT has a part number: 3103 108 30082 - it's a Philips part, I believe. This may help someone else to find it - either the above company or another collector with a box of spare unknown LOPTs.

Also last year, forum member Colourstar gave away a 24" Invicta monochrome TV which had a good LOPT and a duff tube. I'm pretty sure it was a Pye 169 chassis. That means there is at least one other working LOPT out there ... Good luck in your quest!

 
Posted : 04/12/2014 11:55 pm
Doz
 Doz
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Thanks Hamid.

I've asked the question. Looks like a good site to have a look around!

 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:25 am
Terrykc
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It is a great pity that they have designed their site to display so few products on each page that you could lose the will to live while cranking (slowly) through it.

For example: British Valves. Page 1 of 62 ...

When all else fails, read the instructions

 
Posted : 05/12/2014 3:28 pm
crustytv
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Hi Andy,

Thought you might like to see this period ad, if you've not already.

CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection

 
Posted : 11/02/2015 4:49 pm
malcscott
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Should be easy enough to convert it to a Philips 210 loptx. More chance of finding one, Malc.

 
Posted : 11/02/2015 5:22 pm
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