EICO 320 Signal Generator
Posts: 384
Threads: 22
Joined: Mar 2015
City: Waxahachie, TX
Guys,
I got this generator at the Dallas spring auction for like $10. I ordered all new caps and resistors. Also changed the outputs to BNC. It was a bit of a rust bucket. After I painted the chassis, I rewired the whole thing and installed new caps and resistors.
I calibrated it like the instructions say to at 10KC. Seeing that this is an inexpensive signal generator, the signal doesn't track very well with the dial scale - no surprise there. I always use a freq. meter anyway.
Works well enough to align my restored AM radios.
It was fun and easy to do.
I have before and after pictures.
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...ozwp7b.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...fswff0.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...9nefrt.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...yrxnjw.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...ykk4ik.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...llxojv.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...yafafr.jpg]
Crist
(This post was last modified: 07-27-2016, 10:17 PM by Crist Rigotti.)
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City: Merrick, Long Island, NY
You did a great job! These "oldies" stabilize once on for about 20 minutes, and yes, check with digital meter, but for AM radios, dial setting is usually "close enough."
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City: Roslyn Pa
What some folks do is get the calibration good at the low end (for the IF frequencies) and use the BC stations to align ant/osc stages.
Terry
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City: Waxahachie, TX
Posts: 9
Threads: 1
Joined: Jul 2016
City: Flint Hill, Va.
Top notch restoration. The coil section looks a lot like the Heathkit SG-6/7 series. Probably the same tubes as well.
Oh, and the early Eico blue enameled panels look so nice when you clean them up.
A good application of car wax makes them 'pop'. Really love that blue!!!!!
Mitch
Posts: 244
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Joined: Oct 2011
City: Black Mountain, NC
Cool! Now you want to make me get mine out of hibernation and refurb.
Thanks,
Mike
Cossor 3468
GE 417A
Philco 118H
Radiola 17/100
Scott 800B6
Silvertone 6130
Stromberg 535M
Truetone D1952
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State, Province, Country: MI
Great resto. I am jealous at how neat you have dressed the wiring and components! Joe
Joe
Matthew 16:26 "For what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul?"
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City: Annapolis, IL
Very nice resto! I like seeing our test equipment restored as well as radios. After all, this is what helps bring our old radios back to life. I am curious about the gold thing (diode I assume) connected to your line cord. Is this replacing the old? What did you use?
If I could find the place called "Somewhere", I could find "Anything"
Tim
Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me , believes not in me but in him who sent me" John 12:44
Posts: 384
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Joined: Mar 2015
City: Waxahachie, TX
(07-28-2016, 07:19 AM)TV MAN Wrote: Very nice resto! I like seeing our test equipment restored as well as radios. After all, this is what helps bring our old radios back to life. I am curious about the gold thing (diode I assume) connected to your line cord. Is this replacing the old? What did you use?
Thanks to everybody for the nice comments.
The gold thing is a dropping resistor to bring the line voltage down to 115Vac from 120vac. I'm not sure it is really needed, but I'd rather err on the safe side. There was no resistor before.
BTW, since there pictures were taken, I've added the extra trimmer caps (which takes it from a 320 to a 322) for each coil which made the dial more accurate, but I use a frequency counter with all my signal generators.
Crist
(This post was last modified: 07-28-2016, 09:47 AM by Crist Rigotti.)
Posts: 599
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City: Edmonton AB CA
Another first class job Crist, keep up the great work!
Gregb
Posts: 244
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Joined: Oct 2011
City: Black Mountain, NC
Crist,
Can you post a photo/values where you added the trimmer caps?
I may want to make that mod too.
Thanks,
Mike
Cossor 3468
GE 417A
Philco 118H
Radiola 17/100
Scott 800B6
Silvertone 6130
Stromberg 535M
Truetone D1952
Posts: 9
Threads: 1
Joined: Jul 2016
City: Flint Hill, Va.
I've restored about a dozen or so Heathkit/Eico/Knight signal generators. Got at least eight more awaiting their turn. Each one is a lot of fun to do and the transformation always satisfying.
Now I do the dropping resistor just a little differently. I add it in the secondary, just between the transformer and the 1N4007 diode which replaced the selenium rectifier. It limits the inrush current to the first filter capacitor, (usually a 20/22 ufd). A half watt resistor is all thats needed. I determine the value of the added resistor by clipping a 10K pot where the new resistor will be. Then adjust the pot to dial in the proper voltage for the B+. It runs between 200 ohms and 1K. All depends on how much voltage drop was across the old selenium diode and what the present voltage you've got coming out of the wall.
I'm wondering if your approach is better or worse than mine? Does the resistor run warm? Mine doesn't. I'll have to post a photo of a similar signal generator that's in the restoration queue, so you can see how my approach looks. I'd bet you could make valid arguments for doing it either way. Something to ponder.
Mitch
Posts: 384
Threads: 22
Joined: Mar 2015
City: Waxahachie, TX
(07-29-2016, 03:08 PM)PhilcoMike Wrote: Crist,
Can you post a photo/values where you added the trimmer caps?
I may want to make that mod too.
Thanks,
Mike
Here are 2 pictures. I forgot I etched a board to hold the trimmers. Made for a neat and tidy installation. The trimmers are 10pf to 60pf. I think I got them from the Ukraine.
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...awjkcp.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...j0kzoe.jpg]
Crist
Posts: 244
Threads: 11
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Black Mountain, NC
Thanks Crist!
Mike
Cossor 3468
GE 417A
Philco 118H
Radiola 17/100
Scott 800B6
Silvertone 6130
Stromberg 535M
Truetone D1952
Posts: 384
Threads: 22
Joined: Mar 2015
City: Waxahachie, TX
This thread got me thinking about what a pain it is to hook up my frequency counter to this generator. I really can't use the RF output because I can turn it down pretty low so low that the frequency counter becomes inop.
So I added another BNC jack just for the frequency counter. The "pick-off" is just before the attenuator pot. I used a .01 uf cap just like on the RF output jack.
Works real well. I can turn down the RF jack all the way down without affecting the frequency counter.
The pictures describes what I did. Pretty simple.
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...f6w8ym.jpg]
[Image: http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t458...bryfya.jpg]
Crist
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