[Hammarlund] SP-600 gear lubrication, nameplate and inrush limiter

[Bob Camp]

Hi

The CL-80's were a big deal for a while. You do not see much about them 
anymore. The general consensus seems to be that the heat from the 
limiter (they get *hot*) is an issue. The tubes in a receiver seem to 
last a good long time without the soft start from the limiter. The same 
thing seems to apply to modern electrolytic capacitors if the 
rectifiers have been "solid stated". Certainly they do help, the 
question is how significant the improvement is with the stuff in a 
receiver.

Many years ago it was common to over lubricate just about everything. 
At least that was true around my ham shack. A lot of radios and similar 
gear I see for sale used has been *way* over lubricated. Compared to 
the way "we used to do it" a gear train should look dry (and clean). 
Since part of the drive on a SP600 is friction based it's *very* 
important there.

Synthetic lubricants seem to be all the rage these days. A bunch of 
people make them. Mobil 1 synthetic gear lube is one example, but by no 
means the only one. What ever you use a little goes a long way. The 
best idea is to find something you can use on a lot of different stuff. 
If you use more than one product be sure that they work well together. 
Some combinations of oil and grease can turn into gummy gunk. With 
synthetics be sure you have something that can take them off as well 
....

	Take Care

		Bob Camp
		KB8TQ

On Apr 11, 2005, at 11:04 PM, bluesdude wrote:

> Hello All,
>
> Please excuse the long-winded post:
>
> Over the past few weeks I have been restoring a fairly nice
> SP-600-JX. I had a few electrical problems to clean up including
> an open choke in the RF section and a damaged variable coil
> in the BFO circuitry. I have replaced all of the black beauties that
> weren't already replaced and will be replacing the big electroltic
> as soon as the new one arrives. She is working A-OK electrically
> now but some more work needs to be done,  so, I have a few questions 
> for the
> group:
>
> I noticed whenever I aquired the radio that the "Megacycles" indicator
> was off - the text displayed was between bands such that part of two
> adjacent bands were displayed in the window. Also, the indicator for
> the "band change" vernier was also off by a couple of bands. There 
> seems
> to be some binding in that mechanical sub-assembly (the cam...). I
> can only assume that all of it requires lubrication, it seems extremly 
> dry.
> I have the jumbo technical manual (TM 11-851) and it does outline a
>  lubrication procedure but it references a mil-spec grease. I'd like 
> to get
> some opinions on the best common lubricant for this application. Any
> additional locations I should lubricate other than those outlined in 
> the
> technical manual? Also, an I possibly overlooking the cause of this 
> problem?
> I'd hate to put it all back together again and have the indicators
> jump on me again....
>
> I've looked through the archives on anything related to inrush current
> limiting in the SP-600, I know it is fairly common to add a CL-80 
> limiter
> to the AC input on R-390A's. Is anyone doing simular with SP-600s?
> I know the CL-80 is used in the 390s to solve some particular problems
> like the microswitch fusing but would it also possibly prolong tube 
> life
> in general? Only a couple of $$....
>
> Finally, are there any sources for original nameplates? I've looked in
> the usual places and have found nothing other than a fellow auctioning
> reproductions for $27.50 on the site that shall not be named. (that 
> seems
> a little pricey to me for repros but I am no expert at all..)
>
> Thanks!
>
> 73,
>
> Paul W4QG
>
>
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