The waveform on my Eico 324 is exactly the same as what you're getting on yours, yet it works very well. The frequency calibration is exactly right. So, I agree with you, it seems like that model Eico is designed to output that waveform.
Thanks! Good to hear from you. I think this has happened to me too in the past. Anyway, when I place the Eico near an AM or shortwave radio, when I tune the Eico to the corresponding frequency, I get a buzzing, certainly not a clean tone as you've demonstrated. So, your video confirmed for me that mine needs work. Just a laymen's guess: audio oscillator section (and of course, caps).
I built on in kit form back in 1962 and in later years installed a BNC connector on front for my freq counter, I used a 5pf cap. The Eico 324 is in storage now along with all my other test gear. Bill
Right. I generally use 1% resistors because they are widely available. What really matters is the actual value of the component. If the original specs are 20%, then your replacement should be within 20% of the value stated on the schematic.
What a great video. I have a Conar signal generator and also trscer I picked up on Ebay and want to do the same type of restore. I also picked up some of those safety caps and will install them also . Have radios to restore as well. Keep up the great work.
The best kit form RF Signal Generator. The only thing it lacks is a socket for vital markers. However anyone who has done serious alignment knows sweeping an AM Radio IF circuit is a waste of time. The best method is peak alignment using a good AC VTVM or monitoring the negative DC AVC voltage response.
Great video. I realize this is over two years old, but I recently acquired an Eico 324 and this is about the best video for restoration that I have seen. I am new to this and would like to know on the two electrolytic that were replaced. Which side is the Pos and which side is the Neg once they are applied to the terminal strip? Kinda hard to see in the video. Thanks
Thank you for this. Between this video and a couple of others, I feel confident to restore mine now. Every video seems to make some assumptions of their viewers so it takes a combination to answer some basic questions.
Hi, absolutely awesome video! I just acquired 2 of these guys and would love to restore them both. Where did you get the parts you used to restore these? Thank you for any help you can give.
Hi. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I purchase parts from several major vendors - Digi-Key, Mouser And Allied Electronics. They offer many 1,000s of parts and it can be difficult to find what you need. You might be better off with someone like Just Radios that caters to the vintage electronics hobby. Also I suggest you check out the Test Equipment area on the Antique Radio Forum. You will find many others restore vintage test equipment like the 324 there: antiqueradios.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=8 Good luck, Bob
Excellent video, but would have been nice to have seen how it worked before the restoration. I doubt the paper caps would have caught fire, but the improvement due to the restoration would have been fascinating. Haven't read the other comments to check for duplication, sorry.
The output waveform is a bit bent as it is rich in harmonics and low in amplitude. My one mod is a 47pf cap coming off the oscillator plate circuit where you can realize a. 60 vpp pure sine wave, connected to a BNC male jack for connection to the frequency counter. It is a must to recap all the caps and check resistor tolerances. Calibration of the 455k Kc signal is most of important signal and then mark it off with the log scale
I never saw this video until now; well done. I just bid on an Eico 320 on ebay, but it doesn't have a test probe; aside from the connector, is there anything fancy about it? Could I replace the screw-type jack with something more common (like an RCA jack) and just connect it to a test probe lead? I'm not sure how crucial shielding is in that application.
Followed your instruction when I did my re-cap of the Eico 324. Question? Looking at the video going from the right side of the terminal strip did you have to connect the pos side of the cap with the pos side of the wire with what I call a solder bridge between the two? Also took my voltage reading about 150 or so any suggestion? Thanks
Yeah, looks like it but I don;t really remember - follow the schematic. Join the antique radio form and ask in the test equipment section. Those guys can help you out more the I can.
thanks for tlhe vid pal. please put more videos up on restoration of vintage test equipment. also thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. some of us learn from watching you.
Hi, just did thte same job I really enjoy signal generators, howerever the reason I chime in is the HP5316B universal counter , For the life of me I cannot pick up a frequency. Have you done any tutorials on that equipment or would you. Thanks Michael
Sorry, no I haven't and don't have the HP anymore. What I can tell you is that you need to crank the output of the 324 up all the way and even then it might not be enough to trigger the 5316 properly.
Hi, again. This layperson is confused regarding the safety caps and 20% resistors. The original paper caps are rated at 400V. What voltage are your safety caps? All I can find for .01 uf is 250V and 275V (film) at Just Radios. I'm theorizing these would be fine, as these caps are, as you point out, on the AC line. Also, the only X/Y I could find were discs, same values. The schematics show several 20% resistors, which seem impossible to find.
With x y caps you don't have to worry about voltage as they are made for that specific purpose. Also disc capacitors are much better bypass capacitors than film capacitors!
No, this generates radio frequencies way beyond the audio range. Check out my videos on Wavetek function generators like the 148A for something that make cool sounds.
Polarity on the yellow caps is of no concern. Mr. carlson is full of horse pucky. There is no outer foil on newer caps. They stopped making circularly wound foil caps in 1970. It is a good idea to buy orange drops caps and the yellow ones. Their foils is concentrically wound and capped at each end, e whole different way the original caps were made. On another note ne we’re caps are made with better materials, not paper and not wax, but space age msterials
Mr. Carlson just wants ro sell to you an expensive toy to test caps to show how clever you might be. It is not necessary to even be concerned, polarity on signal coupling caps does not matter. Now electrolytic caps are another story.. testingold parts is a waste of time when you are going to replace the old part because it’s an old part. There is no fountain of youth when it comes to electronics parts😊
Have you seen the construction manual at ebookbrowse? Interesting paragraph on the "Unpacking" page, in regards to resistor tolerances. I THINK it might explain why your set had resistor values that conflicted with the schematic. It basically notes that values might vary kit to kit because of the 20% tolerance. AND, I think this answers my previous concern about 20% resistors; that is, it is not necessary to buy resistors of this exact 20% tolerance, right? THANK YOU so much.
I know this is an older video , but I was bidding on one today that looked like it was just built.... Another bidder wanted it more than me... I finally stopped bidding at 91 bux. I should have went to 125.00 .... I'm still kicking myself.....
Thanks for the resistor tolerance info. Looks like your comments disappeared again here. Anyway, I studied a little and I believe I should use Y safety caps.
Why waste valuable time ,effort and money using over priced component on a cheap ass electronics instrument. The original design of the EICO engineers was satisfactory for all practical purpose. When was the last tome a .1 uf paper cap shorted and caused a fire. In all my 60 years of experience I’ve never experienced one.
With regards to replacing the input power caps (C1 and C2) wouldn't it have been even safer to delete them both and run a modern three-wire power cord, connecting the ground (green) wire to the chassis?Also, I have about the same distortion on the bottom half of the wave as you do. Checking the input to the cathode follower (pin 2), the sine wave is just about perfect, so the distortion is coming from the cathode follower. What's making the output of the cathode follower so distorted?
Yes, it probably would be safer, but I'm not a fan of modifying vintage gear. I don't think I've ever added a three-wire cord to anything. I'm not sure about the cathode follower. I sold my 324 years ago. Check out the Antique Radio test equipment forum. I know the 324 has been discussed many times.
I am a member, but have only read two 324 threads. Looks like I need to be exhaustive. Thanks so much for the really quick reply, and good job on the power supply. B+ is so low on the 324 I'm thinking of raising it by reducing that resistor between the filter caps. A modern rectifier can handle it.
This thread has good info on distortion in the 324. Sounds like the distortion is intentional to generate harmonics used on the higher bands. antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=59427
Safety caps do not apply to this vintage instrument. A cap is never going to cause a fire. If it shorts the line circuit breaker will trip turning off all power. It the cap opens nothing adverse will happen, but perhaps some hum
They are not called safety caps because of a fire hazard. They are called that because they are designed to handle voltage spikes without failing. It's needed for a return path for RF and noise. Nothing to do with hum.
I just finished recapping my 324. However, im not getting the 400 hz tone. I get a very low hum but its very frequency specific. And if I use that hum to align my radio(an s38e hallicrafters), 8 was able to adjust each band. What do I need to check in terms of getting the 400hz tone to work???
@@bandersentv I do have one of those and it is a heathkit IG 5282 are you familiar with those? only thing is i do not have the probes. All i have are banana cords. And i have the probe for an Heathkit IM-28 vtvm but not sure if i can use that probe.
