09-19-2022, 07:25 PM
Hi Charles,
The 39-80 is a farm set that uses a 1.5V A Battery and a 90V B Battery. It is a rather common circuit, as it was also used for portable radios.
There is a place in my heart for these farm sets, as these people did not have utility electricity. In addition, this was likely toward the end of the "Dust Bowl" era for the "Great Plains" states. There were different ways of having "off the grid" radio back then. Some farm radios were 6V Sets with a vibrator supply similar to car radios. The battery was either swapped with the one in the tractor or the Ford, or charged with a "WinCharger ™. Other farms had a 30V Delco single cylinder generator that charged 15 2V Lead Acid batteries, so 30V radios were available where both the A and B supplies were 30V. This total try cell (1.5V A, 90V B) set was probably for the boonies and likely played for about 100 hours before the batteries had to be replaced, therefore it was used sparingly, for farm reports, maybe news of the brewing war and maybe to listen to a religious service on a Sunday.
Rather easy to build a 90V power supply. not as easy to build a 1.5V supply. For the 1.5V, the radio would play for a while on a D Cell if only demonstrated for a few minutes per day. Worst case is to run it on a D Cell and a bunch of 9V batteries.
These radios probably went into the attic in the 1950s. Do replace the caps. If no mouse damage, repair is rather easy, tubes are plentiful and relatively cheap all things considered.
Good luck with it!
The 39-80 is a farm set that uses a 1.5V A Battery and a 90V B Battery. It is a rather common circuit, as it was also used for portable radios.
There is a place in my heart for these farm sets, as these people did not have utility electricity. In addition, this was likely toward the end of the "Dust Bowl" era for the "Great Plains" states. There were different ways of having "off the grid" radio back then. Some farm radios were 6V Sets with a vibrator supply similar to car radios. The battery was either swapped with the one in the tractor or the Ford, or charged with a "WinCharger ™. Other farms had a 30V Delco single cylinder generator that charged 15 2V Lead Acid batteries, so 30V radios were available where both the A and B supplies were 30V. This total try cell (1.5V A, 90V B) set was probably for the boonies and likely played for about 100 hours before the batteries had to be replaced, therefore it was used sparingly, for farm reports, maybe news of the brewing war and maybe to listen to a religious service on a Sunday.
Rather easy to build a 90V power supply. not as easy to build a 1.5V supply. For the 1.5V, the radio would play for a while on a D Cell if only demonstrated for a few minutes per day. Worst case is to run it on a D Cell and a bunch of 9V batteries.
These radios probably went into the attic in the 1950s. Do replace the caps. If no mouse damage, repair is rather easy, tubes are plentiful and relatively cheap all things considered.
Good luck with it!
"Do Justly, love Mercy and walk humbly with your God"- Micah 6:8
Best Regards,
MrFixr55
