I've been on the lookout for one of these sets for a long time, thirty-five years in fact. Way back in 1984 I was the owner of two round Ekco radios but foolishly sold them to another collector for what turned out to be too low a price.
Anyway, this one appeared on Ebay last week, I won it at a favourable price and drove down to Louth in Lincolnshire on Saturday to collect it.
It does need restoration of course but it shouldn't take too long to get it into working order again.
Oh what a small world!! I have a sneaking suspicion you got this from the same chap I got mine from! Looks to be in good condition, I think you might finish restoring yours before I finish mine ?
good luck with the restoration, probably time I updated my thread on mine now!
Hi Norman, I've always wanted an Ekco A22 but was never willing to pay the four figure asking price for these sets.
Hi Loyd, the big news tonight is that the set now works!
Before any mains was supplied to the set all the TCC and Hunts waxie capacitors were checked for leakage and it goes without saying all are useless. The capacitors will be re-stuffed to maintain the original appearance of the chassis, nothing looks worse than a vintage radio full of Hi-Viz capacitors. I've taken a chance with the original 8 + 16 mfd smoothing capacitor. The full-wave rectifier HT valve in this set is a Mullard AZ31 which has directly heated 4volt heaters. For test purposes an indirectly heated GZ32 is being used. Mains supplied from the variac.
The power supply chassis is very rusty so that something else that will need attending to in the future. The cabinet has cleaned up nicely.
Hi David, How are you going to clean that rust, will it be localised cleaning or are you stripping the whole chassis and dipping it in something. Norman
Hi Norman, The power supply chassis is a truly horrible looking thing. It can be detached from the main chassis but there is the complication of removing the coil pack to consider. I'm not sure about the tuning capacitor, it might be attached to the main chassis. There's lots of other parts that need cleaning, those IF transformer cans for starters. Managed to restuff most of the waxies, two were a total loss but I have plenty other salvaged capacitors to replace them. Meanwhile the original smoothing capacitor is holding up, but it does need a new mounting clip.
I’ve just separated the 2 chassis parts on mine, didn’t take much doing, the tuning gang is fixed to the front by the bracket that holds the tuning drive, comes off easily by loosening the screw that holds the drive to the shaft of the gang, remove the 2 big screws that hold the bracket to the gang, then remove 2 screws that go through the rubber mounts and the whole drive and bracket comes away, then there is just one screw and nut at the back to remove, 2 wires and a bit of earthing braid and the gang is free. I haven’t got to the coil pack yet, but it’s got to come off so I can de-rust the trimmers! Oh, and the main smoothing can clamp will come up lovely if you leave it in vinegar for a week 🙂
The PSU chassis comes off fairly easily, unsolder the screened wiring loom from the tag strip, remove its clamps and it then stays with the PSU chassis, remove the wires from the output tranny that go to the output bottle, also disconnect 3 more wires at the bottom end of the tag strip that go to the coil pack, undo the large nut on the volume pot, take off the wave change switch actuator, remove 4 more screws that hold the 2 chassis together and that should be it! I should have made a video of it shouldn’t I?!
Making good progress with the restoration of the A22. All the restuffed capacitors have been refitted. The HT smoothing capacitor is holding up well even so now that the directly heated AZ31 has now been refitted. Very few 4volt full wave rectifier valves were made after WW2. One example is the AZ41. https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_az41.html
The set now operates on all three wavebands. Short waves are a bit quiet but a few of the more powerful transmitters are coming through. The Medium waveband is very lively although performance at the HF end of the waveband could be better. MW aerial trimmer T4 has little effect, tuning is very flat. The Long Waveband is working with BBC R4 coming in. Can't receive RTE Radio 1 on 252Khz.
The attachment shows the trimmer and coil layout in the coil pack assembly. The trimmers are used to adjust the HF end of the wavebands and the coil cores adjust the LF end of the wavebands.
The design of the AZ31 dates back to 1933 when it was introduced by Philips as the AZ1. For test purposes the indirectly heated GZ30 or 5Z4 can be used.
The loudspeaker has been painted and the power chassis is being prepared for an application of VHT high temperature paint.
The design of the AZ31 dates back to 1933 when it was introduced by Philips as the AZ1. For test purposes the indirectly heated GZ30 or 5Z4 can be used.
The loudspeaker has been painted and the power chassis is being prepared for an application of VHT high temperature paint.
Till Eulenspiegel.
I don't know how much your Simoniz VHT paint costs, but I've used B&Q BBQ paint to great effect on exhaust pipe maniforlds on a 750BHP drag racing car (a vauxhall Chevette, no less!) , and much less money than the proper exhaust paint.
Hi Doz, I bought the Simonize VHT paint from Halfords, can't remember the exact price but it was under a tenner. Will keep the BBQ paint in mind though. The loudspeaker was brush painted with Humbrol.
The chassis has been sprayed and reassembly has started. I'll post up the pictures tonight.
Hi Frank, far from it, in fact the most used testmeter in the workshop is a Fluke digital. Nevertheless, the + forty year old Simpson 260 is still in regular use as well. This instrument has had a rough life. There is a topic on the vintage-radio forum about a repair to the damaged bakelite case. The digital instrument is a RS components RS14.
Attachment shows the progress so far with the restoration of the A22. Much of the rubber insulated wiring is in need of replacement. Modern silicon rubber wire will be used.
The Ekco A22 is working on all three wavebands. Long wave reception of BBC radio4 is not good, but that's how it is in the North-East of England. Can't receive RTE Radio 1. Medium waveband is lively at the low frequency end so BBC Radio 4 on 503 metres is coming in loud and clear. However, the high frequency end of the MW waveband is very insensitive. It can be peaked up with the MW aerial trimmer so at least we know the coils and trimmers are working. The short waveband is quite lively about the middle but performance falls off at the HF and LF ends of the waveband.
The attachment shows a very rusty chassis taken from a smashed up A22.
