Help repairing Electrohome Crescendo Imperial MK I tube console

[SmittyNA]

Hello,

I’m looking for some help repairing my grandfather’s Electrohome Crescendo Imperial MK I tube stereo console. I’m in Calgary, Alberta.

I’m a complete beginner with vintage electronics and have never soldered, but I do have a digital multimeter and have been doing some basic unpowered testing.

The console was initially showing continuity through the AC input: approximately 55–60 ohms with the power switch ON and OL with it OFF.

I replaced a previously blown internal 3A fuse with the correct type and briefly powered the console. There was a short green flash somewhere inside, but no smoke, smell, obvious arcing or sound. Afterward the console was completely dead.

I then discovered that all three 3A fuses had blown: both fuses in the original Electrohome fused AC plug and the internal 3A fuse under the tuner/preamp chassis. I have not powered it again or installed any more fuses.

Local audio shops I’ve contacted so far don’t want to work on electronics from console units. Any help or recommendations for someone in Alberta who works on Electrohome/tube console equipment—would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Nick

[SmittyNA]

A few pictures of the unit

Attachments:

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3. 

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[westcoastjohn]

Hello Smitty. Your resistance test of the power cord shows that the primary winding of the power transformer is OK. Then when you applied power, you discovered a short circuit. Check the large electrolytic capacitors, power off, with your ohmmeter. Then check the others. Find a shorted cap and you’ve found the problem.

If no joy, pull the rectifier tube, that will prevent high voltage in the circuit, the most likely cause of the blown fuses. Unplug the tuner from the main power amp to narrow down the issue. Check for shorts everywhere you can reach. Then you can try putting 12 volts AC to the power cord, with fuses installed. Measure voltages at the empty rectifier socket and multiply them by 10. If things get warm, you still have a problem, cut power.

The critical part is the power transformer. If it can be powered up at low input AC volts and stay cool with correct output voltages, then you can move ahead. If it can tolerate 120 VAC with no load, no rectifier and all tubes pulled, and doesn’t get warm, you are laughing, but still need to find that short.

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