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Starting on an RCA140 - Printable Version

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RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 06-14-2026

I am dreading the thought I have another 2 chassis like this one.

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - Arran - 06-15-2026

Mike;
By then you will be the expert in RCA 140/G.E K-80 chassis, and it looks like the article I linked to was right, you pretty much have to pull everything out and rebuild the thing. Why Soviet engineers chose this thing to copy I will never know.
Regards
Arran

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 06-15-2026

Because they just had it in hand?

Plus they got rid of one band. Saved 4 coils and 8 wires.


Q: what is it: it does not buzz and does not crawl up the *ss?
A: An *ss-crawling buzzer, made in the USSR.

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 06-15-2026

Re-wiring the coil assembly. Most rubber-coated wire is peeling, so...
Slowly.

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - radiorich - 06-16-2026

Hello morzh,
I have half a dozen radios waiting for restoration, all suffering from rubber wire leprosy.
it seems like the 1940s was a bad time to buy radios .

Sincerely Richard

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 06-16-2026

It was 1933.

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - Arran - 06-16-2026

Rich;
if you mean some of the immediate post war sets, well yes, I had an American Crosley with rock hard rubber/gutta percha wire, and had to rewire most of the set, including the IF cans. I think that they were using whatever materials they could get just to get the sets out the door. I noticed this with many sets of the early 40s as well, Canada was at war starting in late 1939, but radio and car production continued until early 1942. You would see things substituted, like wood escutcheons replacing bronze ones, and asbestos used under chassis rather then a sheet metal bottom cover, also field coil speakers replacing P.M speakers (nickel was a strategic metal).
Regards
Arran

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 06-16-2026

Continuing the recap of the coil assy.
I ordered some solid AWG22 wires yesterday that should come tomorrow. It is a colored insulation 600V wire. I want them thinnker than what I have (black AWG18).
Plus some of the wires that come to the switches, they go in the same solder posts as the caps I remove, so I decided to wait 'till tomorrow, so I do not have to solder the same post twice.
They use real black tar on these caps. I hate black tar. Especially the soft black tar. Though easy to remove, it fouls up things around.

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - radiorich - 06-16-2026

Hello Arran,
Yes, exactly, my General Electric model L-916 console had to be completely rewired.
Morzh, I have wire in 18, 20, and 22 gauge, available in both stranded and solid core. I also carry PVC and cloth-covered wire, as well as some high-temp wire. For power cords, in both cloth and PVC types, with the PVC cords bought in bulk in brown, black, and white. I offer wires with voltage ratings of 300, 600, and 1000 volts, plus wire suitable for car audio systems.
Sincerely Richard

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - radiorich - 06-16-2026

morzh,
Yes, that black tar reminds me of roofing tar what a mess to deal with .

Sincerely Richard

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - Arran - 06-17-2026

Rick, Mike;
I think that anyone who has played around with either Rogers or Atwater Kent, or Majestic built sets is all too familiar with the insulation going bad, that Rogers 10-60 was full of it. One thing the Rogers has over that RCA 140 is that the coils are mounted in cans above the chassis like an RCA 143, same with the IF cans.
Regards
Arran

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 07-12-2026

Today I washed the tuning cap. Regular dishwasher degreaser soap and very warm water from the tap.
And a long soft brush.
Soaked for 10 minutes, then brushed.
Then rinsed.
Now drying.

Before

   

After


   
   
   
   




After that I intend to take the smaller can out.
I am not sure what to use to unbend the tabs, but I am inclined to by a "Lady's foot" rolling pry bar, sharpen it and try it out.
This is it.

   

Or will this tool work?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Car-Radiator-Repair-Tools-Tab-Lifter-and-Closing-Header-Pliers-for-Serious-Repair-Shops/19645705462

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 07-12-2026

Ordered an indexing sharp rolling prybar and flush side cutters.
Cheap enough to try.

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - radiorich - 07-13-2026

    Morzh, 
Here are a few of my favorite small prybars: one is made by Wilde and the other by Dasco. All of them are made in the USA.


Sincerely Richard

RE: Starting on an RCA140 - morzh - 07-13-2026

Rich

I think i might have one of those, similar to the blue ones.
I think my tools will come today.

I saw that first one that looks like a bent flat screwdriver. I think it is good, but my entry angle is a bit too restricted for it; this was the reason I chose the indexed one.

If what comes today does not work, I will dry some other versions.