Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - Printable Version
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+--- Thread: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception (/showthread.php?tid=26487)
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - morzh - 05-21-2026
>>> It does not play at first power up of the day most times.
So you have to turn it on several times for it to play?
Have you looked at the volume control?
(I am not blaming the power switch as you said the voltages are OK when stopping playing)
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - RodB - 05-21-2026
When you have the problem the set goes quiet and the AVC drops to minimum. That tells me there's no, or very little, signal from the antenna.
When the ground is disconnected from the antenna does the problem occur? Maybe there's a strange ground loop. Usually a ground loop will result in interference or oscillation.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
Volume control seems OK and I have sprayed it with Deoxit F5.
The AVC never varies much whether the reception is good or bad.
I will play the radio with ground disconnected and see how long it lasts.
Earlier this morning when I turned it on it was on the strong station and reception was bad. I turned up the volume to almost max and I could here the station with much noise. Currently the ground is disconnected tuned to strongest station in the area playing as expected with some noise. AVC voltage is -2.3. Off station AVC is -2.5 opposite what I would expect.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - RodB - 05-21-2026
With a strong station I expect to see -5 to -8 volts of AVC.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
That is what I thought. So does that give us a clue?
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - morzh - 05-21-2026
Where are you measuring your AVC, and relative to what?
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
On the 6H6 tube pin 8. Pin 4 and 8 are tied together. Positive probe on pin 8 negative probe on ground.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - RodB - 05-21-2026
Is the gimmick made with stranded or single strand wire? Might want to replace it with a 5pf cap.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
Stranded wire. Where do I connect the cap. I assume osc section to ant section of tuning cap?
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - RodB - 05-21-2026
The gimmick should have two wires connected. The cap leads go where the gimmick wires are soldered in.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - morzh - 05-21-2026
What you are measuring is mostly voltage created by the Candohm divider between the 27 Ohm and 128 Ohm sections.
And NOT the AVC.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
When I first got the radio the gimmick was connected to the osc section and wrapped around the wire going from ant section to the 6A8 grid. Only one side of gimmick was connected. So not sure how to wire 5pf cap.
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
Where do I measure the AVC?
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - morzh - 05-21-2026
I think the filtered AVC is C12/R5 connection. Which will be the same voltage as on the Grid of 6A8. (G4, the Grid cap)
RE: Zenith 6S254 Intermitten Reception - dconant - 05-21-2026
Ok. I get a decent swing of AVC on the 6A8 grid.