old radio on/off volume control

[RogerS]

..is now duff and needs replacing. It's the old fashioned type that has a built-in on/off switch, mounts onto the printed circuit board and has a wee plastic circular knob fixed to it that you use to turn on/off and up the volume. Total of five contacts to be soldered onto the PCB.

It's been a longtime since I looked for ahnything like this. Tried Maplin but only seemed to come up with presets but maybe I was using the wroing search term. Are these still available?

I would get mega-brownie points from SWMBO as it's her 'love' and has given many years of excellent service.

Any suggestions to buy a DAB radio will be met with the direst consequences.

 

[big soft moose]

your best bet would probably to look on freecycle or carboot sales etc for another old radio to canabalise

 

[head clansman]

hi

why not post a pic see if someone say ahh i have one of those in the shed somwhere .hc

 

[Deejay]

Hello Roger

Try

http://uk.farnell.com/

Search for 'potentiometers'. With over 5,000 listed, good luck!

Cheers

Dave

 

[chris_d]

Hi Roger,

Try http://rswww.com or http://farnell.co.uk, I use them regularly to buy electronic components. I'm assuming that you are looking for a potentiometer with a built in switch like these:

http://www.omeg.co.uk/products.htm#switches

I have a trade account with rswww.com and get free postage so PM me if you'd like me to buy something, I can give it to you at H.J.Pugh's on the 22nd if you are going.

HTH,
C

 

[tekno.mage]

Another supplier to try is http://www.rapidonline.com/ - they are a bit cheaper than RS or Farnell.

Search for "switched potentiometers"

But as has already been mentioned, you may find it difficult to get a modern one that will physically fit the radio, so posting a photo here or getting one out of some other old bit of kit may be your only option.

Regards

tekno,mage

 

[Boz62]

Which bit has failed Roger? if it's the pot track itself, gone clicky and noisy, then Electrolube (or similar contact cleaner) is great for cleaning tracks. Test it first on the casing as on rare occasions it melts the plastic. Or it is possible to put an extra series resistor in the "top" arm of the pot so that you move the effective "normal listening point" of the pot from the noisy bit of the track to an unused portion. If it's a 10k pot, add a 4k7 or 10k resistor in series with it.

If the on/off switch has failed, I have in the past taken it out of circuit and added a separate toggle switch or slide switch - worth it if the radio is much loved

Boz

 

[RogerS]

Hi guys and thanks for the suggestions.

Spot on...tracking it down is proving a tad difficult. Will take a photo and post. cannibalising another radio is also a good idea - hadn't thought about that.

It is the track and I've been Electrolubing for a few years now and so the suggestion of shifting the 'active' part makes a lot of sense. Now where's my multimeter?

 

[RogerS]

This is the culprit

It's a 50k (log, I'd guess) but I reckon anything around 10k-100k might work.

If anyone has anything similar lying in their bits box then SWMBO would be very grateful.

Thanks

Roger

 

[Jake]

That's a Zytronnix XFR50k. They don't make them anymore, you'd be better off buying a nice new radio - thought about DAB at all?

 

[RogerS]

That's a Zytronnix XFR50k. They don't make them anymore, you'd be better off buying a nice new radio - thought about DAB at all?

Really useful reply, Jake. About as much use as a lawyer on a desert island. Thanks.

 

[big soft moose]

That's a Zytronnix XFR50k. They don't make them anymore, you'd be better off buying a nice new radio - thought about DAB at all?

Really useful reply, Jake. About as much use as a lawyer on a desert island. Thanks.

i dont know about that roger - IMO a lawyer on a desert island would be extremely good idea - the only better one being to put all the lawyers on a desert island

 

[Jake]

I agree (it would me get away from those ******* clients).

My one luxury would be a (working) LW radio, oh hang on, maybe a rifle and ammo would be a better idea if the other lawyers are there too.

 

[big soft moose]

This is the culprit

It's a 50k (log, I'd guess) but I reckon anything around 10k-100k might work.

If anyone has anything similar lying in their bits box then SWMBO would be very grateful.

Thanks

Roger

have a look here roger - big list of old radio spares places (you need to scroll down to get to the spares listing)
http://www.vintage-radio.com/contacts/suppliers.html

 

[RogerS]

Thanks for that, Pete. Very helpful.