Ekco A22's with 5 valves

[pwdrive]

I've also got this thread running on UKVRR and someone suggested that the extra valve may be due to problems sourcing the EBL31 valve usually fitted in the A22. Then I noticed in the images that the valve in position V3, where the EBL31 usually sits, is too small in diameter to be an EBL31.

I now believe Ekco, for whatever reason, substituted the EBL31 in some of the chassis for say an EBC33 and an EL33. If correct the valve line-up would have been: ECH35, EF39, EBC33, EL33, AZ31

The A22 was released just after the end of WWII and possibly valve shortages at the time forced the production of a limited number of chassis with the fifth valve. I know for certain Ekco did the same sort of thing with the AD75 round Ekco which can be found with a chassis having either a CBL31 or Pen453DD output valve and/or side-contact valve substitutes in some of the other valve positions.

Regards

That sounds very plausible Robert.

Lawrence.

[Robert Darwent]

I bet that caused some panic in the Engineering Department - 'And where the very Devil do you think I'm going to put it Sir?'. They were more polite in those days.

Yes I expect so Alan, although not as much of a problem as for the owner of one these 5 valve A22's when the dial bulb needs replacing.

Since the fifth valve occupies what was the removable bulb inspection cover, the only way to change the bulb is to remove the knobs and take the chassis completely out of the case.

Then the dial needs removing, which means the use of a long shafted screwdriver through a small hole in the side of the chassis to loosen its fixing screw.

After the new bulb is fitted and the dial back in place the dial then needs rotating to the correct position to make sure it is aligned correctly with the tuning arm. That means powering up out of the case to cast the illuminated pointer on the correct point before tightening the fixing screw again. Then the chassis can be refitted back into the case and the knobs put back on.

Not too much of a problem for one of us or a service engineer of the time, but for the average owner - not without danger and quite a faff to say the least just for a bulb!

Regards

[AlanBeckett]

It's the sort of job that the Shop knew they couldn't charge more than Peanuts for, but wanted to charge an Arm and a Leg.

Alan