07-12-2008, 02:11 AM
Yes Justlrnin, I certainly appreciate your offer to help me "rid" 6 volts DC! In my previous post, I was referring to "ridding 6v DC", once the orig 6v radios are installed back into vehicles that have been upgraded to a 12 v vehicle battery system since vehicles were originally wired for 6v electrical systems. Some of those vintage car/truck owners want the orig 6 volt radios installed, but work via a 6v dc stepdown power resistor, to attain originality of the dashboard orig 6v radios installations. About the only way I know how to acheive this conversion in the vehicles ( dropping 12v dc to 6v dc, is to hand-wind nichrome wire around a large ceramic power resistor core). They work like a champ, but run "red hot" in dispensing the extra 6v dc once installed in the 12v converted vehicles using the 12v dc vehicles upgraded voltage regulator. I have a vintage Knight model KG-660 6-12 v dc battery-eliminator to use on my workbench when restoring these vintage car/truck radios. I replaced the orig selenium-rectifier in it using diodes many yrs ago as you suggested. Works like a champ indeed! Thank You for offering your help! You bet, your conversion applied to the vintage Heathkit BE-4 , BE5 , models battery eliminators, is a superb idea to restore those vintage pcs of great looking bench test gear, back to very reliable operation indeed for "bench testing"!! Thanks again for offering to help me with the schematics!!
etech and justlrlin, if any you guys need some nichrome-wire to handwind your own power resistors when needed, I purchased 2 almost full spools vintage nichrome wire from a vintage radio repair shop several yrs ago that had been closed back in the 50s, and remaining inventory auctioned in 1990! I need to check the "ohms per ft", as I have 2 different (diameter) sizes on 2 different rolls.(both very small diameter nichrome wire). But these 2 sizes fit most vintage radio applications indeed, and each roll has enough nichrome wire to wrap around the Earth several times! This vintage nichrome wire was mfd back in the 1950s. It is good (nos) quality!As you know, nichrome wire cannot be soldered,period! About the only way to use this wire, is by cutting to length,close as possible to proper ohms needed, then "hand wind" the nichrome wire around a old defective "open" type ceramic vintage power resistor body, then carefully twist the wire around the old end solder connections points.If needed, I will share this nichrome wire for actual cost of postage if you guys need any of it in the future! I will never be able to use all of it in my lifetime!!, so if anyone needs any, I have plenty here to share for free, if you can use it! It works well for rewinding AK ballast resistors indeed! I rebuilt a AK mod 42 power pack using it, and it works great on AC current! This nichrome wire is too small for DC use however, it takes much larger diameter wire for DC use! I rob that size diameter nichrome wire ( for DC use),... from old vintage electric room heaters! You can find mucho spare nichrome wire o-plenty at garage sales,etc., in those old elec heaters elements for cheap,cheap prices these days!!! The elec heater turn "red hot" also when you plug-em in! Having some spare Nichrome wire in your shop, is also fun to experiment with on AC and DC. You CAN, build your own power resistors by hand, and experimenting is half the fun!!
etech and justlrlin, if any you guys need some nichrome-wire to handwind your own power resistors when needed, I purchased 2 almost full spools vintage nichrome wire from a vintage radio repair shop several yrs ago that had been closed back in the 50s, and remaining inventory auctioned in 1990! I need to check the "ohms per ft", as I have 2 different (diameter) sizes on 2 different rolls.(both very small diameter nichrome wire). But these 2 sizes fit most vintage radio applications indeed, and each roll has enough nichrome wire to wrap around the Earth several times! This vintage nichrome wire was mfd back in the 1950s. It is good (nos) quality!As you know, nichrome wire cannot be soldered,period! About the only way to use this wire, is by cutting to length,close as possible to proper ohms needed, then "hand wind" the nichrome wire around a old defective "open" type ceramic vintage power resistor body, then carefully twist the wire around the old end solder connections points.If needed, I will share this nichrome wire for actual cost of postage if you guys need any of it in the future! I will never be able to use all of it in my lifetime!!, so if anyone needs any, I have plenty here to share for free, if you can use it! It works well for rewinding AK ballast resistors indeed! I rebuilt a AK mod 42 power pack using it, and it works great on AC current! This nichrome wire is too small for DC use however, it takes much larger diameter wire for DC use! I rob that size diameter nichrome wire ( for DC use),... from old vintage electric room heaters! You can find mucho spare nichrome wire o-plenty at garage sales,etc., in those old elec heaters elements for cheap,cheap prices these days!!! The elec heater turn "red hot" also when you plug-em in! Having some spare Nichrome wire in your shop, is also fun to experiment with on AC and DC. You CAN, build your own power resistors by hand, and experimenting is half the fun!!
