saba: 125 Stereo; Meersburg Automatic: Lamps

It's impressive how the Q, L, M, K, UK keys light!

But the M key isn't lit. It's not obvious to me how to access the bulbs. How do I replace the failed lamp and where do I get a replacement?

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Dear Michael,

give a look here for a solution of your problem. Else I have some VCH673 bulbs, 6V at 55mA, that could be used with reduced life expectancy.

Emilio

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If I am not mistaken, the original button light bulbs (Tastenlampen) were rated at 8.5v 150ma, but actually ran at 6.3v.

You can get replacement bulbs (6V, 100mA E5.5) at Reichelt Electrical Shop for EUR .64 each. (seach for part # L1061 if you are at the home page)

But, I do not know the correct procedure for replacing these bulbs.

Regards,
Bob

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Thanks.

I guess I have to remove the arrowed screws and the search switch plate to get access?

Tilo Heyl did some good work on this set and shipped it to me safely (!) but there is a little more to do. I will write about it separately.

When I saw the crazy prices some Saba sets were going on eBay the last 6 months I didn't think I'd ever afford one, or at best a total wreck. This one's case is in very good condition and receiving well on LW, MW, SW and VHF-FM, though only up to 101MHz of course.

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Michael,

yes, the replacement of bulbs is quite complex and the bottom plate must be removed. My advice is to use the 8.5V bulbs if still available and replace them all.

Emilio

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From looking over several threads about this portion of the chassis, which is similar on a variety of SABA models, your procedure seems to be correct.  Since I only have photos to look at, it appears that the bulbs "snap in" rather than scew in.  If this is true, it shoud make replacing them much simpler (after you've removed that plate, of course.)

Wow, you are so right about the ridiculous prices some people are paying for these on Ebay right now.  I hope this trend ends soon.  It made me chuckle to read about from whom you purchased this radio, because I sent him an email earlier this morning wanting to purchase it!  As GEN Nathan Bedford Forrest said, the winner is "whoever gits there firstest with the mostest."

Good job!

Bob

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Hello Emilio,

 Do you know of a source for replacement 8.5V bulbs, other than pulling them from junker radios?

Kind Regards,

Bob

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Bob,

about one year ago Paul Pinyot in this article gave a Chicago P/N, available at Mouser. You can check if still available.

Sorry, I gave a better look to the article and the Chicago 342 are only 6V, even if long-life. So they are more or less equivalent to the VCH673s that can be found at Farnell.

Good luck,

Emilio

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Farnell UK won't ship to me this last number of years (they used do). Now I have to order from Farnell Ireland who charge unreasonable postage and minimum order of €20.

I've not tried Mouser, who offer Irish and UK websites as well as USA. I'll check what their postage is. I wonder would christmas tree "fairy light bulbs" of suitable voltage fit. 

The Mouser part is 6V 40ma 606-CM342 which is 10,000 hours. Typical 6V torch bulb would be under 500 hrs at 6.3V A typical oven/fridge/sewing machine bulb is only 1,000 hrs. So the mouser bulb filament  could be a 7V or 8V part if rated at < 1,000 hrs. I'd guess it must be quite "orange".

Another issue I have of course is that my Electricity is about 235V typically, not 220V. I've bought regular supposed 6.3V 300mA MES and had short life. Of course dial "6.3V" bulbs are "really" 7V to 8V and 6.0V torch bulbs assume an average voltage of about 5V. So an 8V lamp at 6.3V and long life 6.3V dial lamp can actually be the same filament. A good guide is colour temperature. Torch bulbs will look bluer or at least quite "white" and real long life dial bulbs will be quite orange and have less lumens for same power.  The "white" LEDs (which are really violet/UV with poor phosphors compared to short wave CFL/ Florescent tubes) will thus always look very unnatural and create wrong colours on coloured dial glass.

I need to think about this!

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There is a recently added 20,000 hrs midget 6.3V JKL lamp at Mouser p/n 560-7320 rated 20,000 hours.

They also for regular MES sockets recently added p/n 560-46 a JKL lamp 6.3V 250mA (not 300mA sadly), but 3,000 hrs (which is still x3 "ordinary lamps"). Fine for ordinary dial lamps.

Sadly if I get 10 x midget and 20 x Miniature the total is €15.55 + €20 delivery at Mouser.

How do the Thai, Malaysians, Taiwanese, Chinese and Hong Kong do it? I can get stuff from there to Ireland at negligable postage. 200 LEDs for €8 including postage.

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Actually there are two more screws and three wires (orange, brown and black on mine) that have to come off for access to all the button lamps.

Here the "Gram" lamp is unscrewed. I have swapped it with the MW lamp and put a Christmas Tree fairy lamp (paint scraped off) which though long and pointy does fit. It's a similar "midget" screw thread.

The spring "earths" against the switch bar/lever to complete the circuit. The screw connects the lamp "tip" to the 6.3V AC supply.

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