My girlfriend brought home an Echophone model EC-306 she bought for $2 at a yard sale last week. I took one look at it and decided it was NOT going to be resold like most of the stuff she buys - I am going to restore this radio.
I'm an electrician at a HVAC manufacturer, and I can easily understand 480 volt 3 phase systems, VFD's, etc., but...you ask me to understand my father's WWII electrician's training manual, and I am LOST. (Yes, things have changed that much!)
The cabinet needs work - it's in poor, but able to be restored condition. The chassis seems to be complete - the wiring is aged and cracked, the tubes are intact, and the capacitors are rusted. (Caps really used to be that big? WOW!)
My issue is that I never have tried working on anything with tubes - in fact, I find it amazing that anyone could take a bunch of vacuum tubes, capacitors, and wires, and make them into some of the most beautifully complex systems I have seen - like the older computers, for instance. This radio? Yeah...I look at it the same way. I can easily wire up a 10-unit penthouse HVAC system with 24 compressors, or a Potter PFC-9000 addressable fire alarm, but looking at that little box with those glowing things confounds me.

I am unable to find a service manual for this model, and I understand that this was not a common radio/phono unit to begin with. I am kind of lost as to where to start - other than the obvious replacing of the wires. I did plug it in for a moment - the two glass tubes glowed, indicating to me that the heaters work, but that's as much as I would attempt for today.

Can anyone offer advice concerning where to start?

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/hallicraft_echophone_ec_306.html

The above link gives a SAMS folder number, so if all else fails you can go to the SAMS website and purchase the service info for this set.

This isn't a particularly complex unit so it would be a good one to learn on.

Here's a schematic on ebay reasonable price...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLICRAFTERS-ECHOPHONE-EC-306-EX-306-PHONO-PHOTOFACT-/380178584510
If it's an AC/DC set (no power tranny) beware because one side of the chassis could be hot, depending on how you orient the wall plug. You should use an Iso-tranny when working on the sets, or your time with the radio hobby may be cut short.
Also, all those crumbling wires must be replaced to avoid shorts, etc.....

There is an EC-306 under Hallicrafters on this site here:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/842/M0008842.htm

Just copy and paste in your browser.

Clifton

:Here's a schematic on ebay reasonable price...
:http://www.ebay.com/itm/HALLICRAFTERS-ECHOPHONE-EC-306-EX-306-PHONO-PHOTOFACT-/380178584510
:If it's an AC/DC set (no power tranny) beware because one side of the chassis could be hot, depending on how you orient the wall plug. You should use an Iso-tranny when working on the sets, or your time with the radio hobby may be cut short.
:Also, all those crumbling wires must be replaced to avoid shorts, etc.....
:

I would start by replacing any bad capacitors especially electrolytics. Many times these dry out and leak. The next thing I would do is before you power your radio up, put a 60 watt light in series with it. If the bulb glows dim, chances are it is safe to operate. If it glows brightly, chances are you have a short.

If you have never worked on tube equipment before, please note that the radio will need 30 seconds or so to warm up after it is turned on.

Additionally, obtaining an isolation transformer is a good idea, considering that some models (and according to another poster, yours) have no power transformer which means one side of the AC line is connected to the chassis.

Tube circuits do have a high voltage section. Be careful when a circuit is live.

:My girlfriend brought home an Echophone model EC-306 she bought for $2 at a yard sale last week. I took one look at it and decided it was NOT going to be resold like most of the stuff she buys - I am going to restore this radio.
:I'm an electrician at a HVAC manufacturer, and I can easily understand 480 volt 3 phase systems, VFD's, etc., but...you ask me to understand my father's WWII electrician's training manual, and I am LOST. (Yes, things have changed that much!)
:The cabinet needs work - it's in poor, but able to be restored condition. The chassis seems to be complete - the wiring is aged and cracked, the tubes are intact, and the capacitors are rusted. (Caps really used to be that big? WOW!)
:My issue is that I never have tried working on anything with tubes - in fact, I find it amazing that anyone could take a bunch of vacuum tubes, capacitors, and wires, and make them into some of the most beautifully complex systems I have seen - like the older computers, for instance. This radio? Yeah...I look at it the same way. I can easily wire up a 10-unit penthouse HVAC system with 24 compressors, or a Potter PFC-9000 addressable fire alarm, but looking at that little box with those glowing things confounds me.
:
:I am unable to find a service manual for this model, and I understand that this was not a common radio/phono unit to begin with. I am kind of lost as to where to start - other than the obvious replacing of the wires. I did plug it in for a moment - the two glass tubes glowed, indicating to me that the heaters work, but that's as much as I would attempt for today.
:
:Can anyone offer advice concerning where to start?
:
:

I would suggest that you purchase this book:

It nicely explains radio theory AND repair/restoration?troubleshooting. With your background and you'll find it interesting and helpful.

It's available online at Amazon:
CLICK HERE

Geez, I hate not being able to edit to fix typos.

:Geez, I hate not being able to edit to fix typos.
Mee two..(insert smiley face wink)...

I happened to have that service data in my archives....... info sent.