04-18-2013, 11:03 AM
Thanks for the response!
I can see it will be a while before I get anywhere with this radio. Some of the steps listed, even though I fully understand the validity of them, will take time for me to resolve. But, you're right. They should get done. I'm hoping to have an understanding of what I need before the Kutztown Radio Show in May. I'd rather get any and all parts I need from one venue. And before that time, I would like to know if this "$45 radio" is going to turn out to be a "$500 restoration project." I'm not interested in the latter. As much as I'd like to restore this radio, I'm not going to let it nickel and dime me to death. I'd settle for just putting the shell of the radio on the shelf for appearance and put a transistorized AM radio inside of it for effect IF it looks like it's going to cost more than buying another working radio as a suitable fix.
For example, Steps 2 and 3 will be time consuming. I understand the nature of aged electrolytics, but I would want to keep this radio looking as original as possible. As such, I could either spend a large sum for original looking replacements, or spend a lot of time rebuilding the cans and inserting new electrolytics in the can for function (but still keeping the same look).
Variac... out of the question. They are too expensive for something I expect to only use once. All of my other repair work is solid state circuitry and a variac is of little use to me. I don't plan on making a habit of fixing tube radios. I'd rather put my money into this radio for parts and not a one-shot piece of troubleshooting equipment. Replacing the electrolytics is the best step toward stabilizing the circuitry. That should take care of a majority of potential issues. I could just series a 2:1 and/or 4:1 stepdown transformer (items I already have) in line with the mains and put an incandescent lightbulb in series, monitoring it for excessive load when powering up the radio.
I have several isolation transformers. One of which I already plugged the radio into. I use them for arcade monitor chassis repair, which requires the use of an isolation transformer for safety.
After taking care of all the discrete components, I'll be at a point to properly tackle the tubes. Tubes are something that I'm familiar with, but not in a practical sense. I know what a Plate/Grid/Cathode is for, but I couldn't recite the operational specifications of them. I know how to test a transistor for shorts/opens, but I don't know if the relationship to tubes is a direct one. In other words, can I check for shorts between P/G, G/K, and P/K in a similar fashion?
After thinking about it, the only way I can be absolutely sure I accounted for testing/replacing all parts, is to do a complete tear down and restore. I'm not bothered by that prospect other than the amount of time it will take.
Assuming that I never powered this radio up and wanted to restore it by starting with a teardown, where should I begin? I've seen blogs showing such restoration attempts, but they seem to lack details, or assume the reader has at least some intermediate experience with tube based radios.
Repairing this radio is an opportunity for me. It gives me something to do in which I will gain knowledge and experience, then have something to show for it later. However, I can simply dismiss the opportunity if I'm knowingly stepping into a money sucking venture.
Thanks!
Jeff
I can see it will be a while before I get anywhere with this radio. Some of the steps listed, even though I fully understand the validity of them, will take time for me to resolve. But, you're right. They should get done. I'm hoping to have an understanding of what I need before the Kutztown Radio Show in May. I'd rather get any and all parts I need from one venue. And before that time, I would like to know if this "$45 radio" is going to turn out to be a "$500 restoration project." I'm not interested in the latter. As much as I'd like to restore this radio, I'm not going to let it nickel and dime me to death. I'd settle for just putting the shell of the radio on the shelf for appearance and put a transistorized AM radio inside of it for effect IF it looks like it's going to cost more than buying another working radio as a suitable fix.
For example, Steps 2 and 3 will be time consuming. I understand the nature of aged electrolytics, but I would want to keep this radio looking as original as possible. As such, I could either spend a large sum for original looking replacements, or spend a lot of time rebuilding the cans and inserting new electrolytics in the can for function (but still keeping the same look).
Variac... out of the question. They are too expensive for something I expect to only use once. All of my other repair work is solid state circuitry and a variac is of little use to me. I don't plan on making a habit of fixing tube radios. I'd rather put my money into this radio for parts and not a one-shot piece of troubleshooting equipment. Replacing the electrolytics is the best step toward stabilizing the circuitry. That should take care of a majority of potential issues. I could just series a 2:1 and/or 4:1 stepdown transformer (items I already have) in line with the mains and put an incandescent lightbulb in series, monitoring it for excessive load when powering up the radio.
I have several isolation transformers. One of which I already plugged the radio into. I use them for arcade monitor chassis repair, which requires the use of an isolation transformer for safety.
After taking care of all the discrete components, I'll be at a point to properly tackle the tubes. Tubes are something that I'm familiar with, but not in a practical sense. I know what a Plate/Grid/Cathode is for, but I couldn't recite the operational specifications of them. I know how to test a transistor for shorts/opens, but I don't know if the relationship to tubes is a direct one. In other words, can I check for shorts between P/G, G/K, and P/K in a similar fashion?
After thinking about it, the only way I can be absolutely sure I accounted for testing/replacing all parts, is to do a complete tear down and restore. I'm not bothered by that prospect other than the amount of time it will take.
Assuming that I never powered this radio up and wanted to restore it by starting with a teardown, where should I begin? I've seen blogs showing such restoration attempts, but they seem to lack details, or assume the reader has at least some intermediate experience with tube based radios.
Repairing this radio is an opportunity for me. It gives me something to do in which I will gain knowledge and experience, then have something to show for it later. However, I can simply dismiss the opportunity if I'm knowingly stepping into a money sucking venture.
Thanks!
Jeff
