little-al
Active Member
So, I've just finished the restoration of my FM-50, which by the way was my first real foray into restoration work that required replacement of eletronic components. I've still got a lot to learn about the theory, although I have already learned a LOT, but I think I definitely feel a lot more confident about basic 1:1 component replacement and repair now.
The final steps were replacing the power cord and adding new X/Y caps along with a thermistor. And many thanks to all the assistance here for my basic questions. I'm sure I'll have more :thmbsp:
Everything turned out great, no more 50+ VAC on the chassis :sigh: ... no more burned out lights, and even though I replaced two of the 6AU6 tubes because two were shorted, FM reception is excellent with no alignment needed at least as far as I can tell. With its built in "volume control", it is a great little tuner to mate directly to a mono-block amplifier such as the 30-A I am currently rebuilding.
Now, that all being said, one final question though about the FM-50: Did Fisher use luminescent or flourescent paint on the white tuner dial indicator (pointer)?
I ask because I noticed a curious thing last night while showing off the now nicely lit and clean tuner to the family, which was that although the dial glass was nicely and evenly lit, the white dial indicator was essentially invisible in the dark.
Now, if you turn on the room lights, the dial indicator was clearly visible behind the nicely side-lit dial glass, but with the room lights off the indicator was completey invisible.
Perhaps Avery didn't expect one to run and adjust the tuner in pitch black Perhaps, but :scratch2:
This makes me wonder if the dial indicator, which again is currently painted white, was also originally luminescent or flourescent? I doubt the former as usually this era of self-luminescent paint (e.g. watch/clock hands) were radioactive (which probably isn't the best idea for a receiver) and also tend to look a sickly green color in normal lighting. This dial indicator is a pure white. So, I'm wondering of the paint had originally been flourescent or reflective, but has just worn out with age?
It seems odd to me that the indicator would be completely invisible in the dark by design, intentional or oversight, even though the tuner was probably meant to be operated in SOME degree of ambient light. ...or maybe that's the answer, that the tuner was designed to be used with SOME ambient light, not pitch dark. After all, the controls aren't backlit either :scratch2:
What do you think?
The side lights I've used are new white replacement LED lights, which light the dial perfectly.
Thanks,
Al
The final steps were replacing the power cord and adding new X/Y caps along with a thermistor. And many thanks to all the assistance here for my basic questions. I'm sure I'll have more :thmbsp:
Everything turned out great, no more 50+ VAC on the chassis :sigh: ... no more burned out lights, and even though I replaced two of the 6AU6 tubes because two were shorted, FM reception is excellent with no alignment needed at least as far as I can tell. With its built in "volume control", it is a great little tuner to mate directly to a mono-block amplifier such as the 30-A I am currently rebuilding.
Now, that all being said, one final question though about the FM-50: Did Fisher use luminescent or flourescent paint on the white tuner dial indicator (pointer)?
I ask because I noticed a curious thing last night while showing off the now nicely lit and clean tuner to the family, which was that although the dial glass was nicely and evenly lit, the white dial indicator was essentially invisible in the dark.
Now, if you turn on the room lights, the dial indicator was clearly visible behind the nicely side-lit dial glass, but with the room lights off the indicator was completey invisible.
Perhaps Avery didn't expect one to run and adjust the tuner in pitch black Perhaps, but :scratch2:
This makes me wonder if the dial indicator, which again is currently painted white, was also originally luminescent or flourescent? I doubt the former as usually this era of self-luminescent paint (e.g. watch/clock hands) were radioactive (which probably isn't the best idea for a receiver) and also tend to look a sickly green color in normal lighting. This dial indicator is a pure white. So, I'm wondering of the paint had originally been flourescent or reflective, but has just worn out with age?
It seems odd to me that the indicator would be completely invisible in the dark by design, intentional or oversight, even though the tuner was probably meant to be operated in SOME degree of ambient light. ...or maybe that's the answer, that the tuner was designed to be used with SOME ambient light, not pitch dark. After all, the controls aren't backlit either :scratch2:
What do you think?
The side lights I've used are new white replacement LED lights, which light the dial perfectly.
Thanks,
Al