[klondike98]

Yes Terry.... I'm going to do it all over again! This time I'll double check my wiring BEFORE I start chopping out caps in the IF transformer It should arrive soon, will get some pics out when it does.

[patrickdickey52761]

I'm reviving an old thread simply to say you're my hero klondike98. I was at a hamfest early last month, and someone left a TO behind after it was done (part of the "trash" they couldn't sell). So, I took it home. It's nowhere near as nice looking as yours, but the two threads you did will give me some ideas on how to repair it.

The model that I got was an export radio (has the 120/240 switch but no batteries included). If worse comes to worst, the radio will become my practice radio for soldering and other tasks associated with repairing and restoring.

Have a great weekend, what's left of it.
Patrick.

[klondike98]

Thank you for the kind words! Zenith made TO's for many years in many different models. From what I read during the restoration, 8G005 was made from 1946 to 1951 and came in different flavors including the export model. Morzh also had a thread going for this model at http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=18906 . Good luck with your restoration!

[morzh]

I might add to it that I just happened to buy a chassis on the Bay for $20 total so now I can (when done with the Stromberg) replace the damaged coils and re-tune the SW bands.

[klondike98]

that's great Mike! I got a set from Larry (Rocketeer) for $25 a few Kutztown's ago, took out the parts I needed, and then sold it again for $25 as a parts set (with the missing parts listed) at the following Kutztown.

[morzh]

I got mine for $35 which was Sam's donation to the Phorum.

[MrFixr55]

I realize that this is an old thread but I figured that I would add to it. I have an 8G005 TO that I bought from ePay. Still had a battery pack and the dry cell in it and amazingly, there was still some voltage left on the battery. I did not load test it as the no load voltage was only about 20% of what it should be. I merely hollowed it out. The thing plays well with absolutely no work done to it, not even replacing the Lytic. I have a 6G001 "universal", released at around the same time as the 8G005. Unfortunately, no one wants the 6G001s except as parts sets for the 8G005. I think that the pots, most of the tubes and IFs are similar. Obviously the OPT is different.

Personally, I like this one more than the later sets due to the PP output and fairly common tubes as opposed to the hard to get 1L6s.
Amazingly, the chassis of both sets are amazingly clean. The 6G001 is cad or zinc plated (I think) and it looks brand new. The 8G005 is painted and is still beautiful. Most pics of Zenith TOs have great paint also. I wish that Westinghouse (and GE) did as nicely when they built the RCA Radiola 16s, 17s, 33s, 60s, etc. (I have a few of these)

Eventually, both Zeniths will be recapped. It is a great Idea (I can't remember if it was Moezh, RadioRoslyn or someone else who suggested it) to put a Zener across the filter cap for the filament. I would use a 12V The string runs on 10.5V, so using the 12V It would not conduct except in an overvoltage condition but the string could take 12V without too much strain. As suggested, with the tube rectifier, it is a "soft start" for those tubes.

[morzh]

Yeah, might be my suggestion about the Zener.

I restored both of these radios, and both threads are here. I think 6G001 was the first portable Z I did. I changed the electrolytic at the time and was satisfied with it. But then, about 4 or so years ago I got back to it, and did a full recap.

BTW there is a version of 6G001, I think 6G004, which has shortwave band also.

[MrFixr55]

Morzh, thanks for a great suggestion! I will retrofit my TO, Zenette, 6G001 and a mid-50s RCA with appropriate Zener. All my other sets using 1.4V tubes are battery only.

The 8G005 TO, the 6G001 and a chassis from a 6S52 all have the original wax caps and still work. I can see why they last in the battery sets (no heat), but am amazed at the condition of the caps in the Black Dial (ca 1936!) I have no cabinet for it (Teenage neighbor gave me the chassis because he was going to make a guitar amp out of the cabinet, dunno how he was gonna power the magnet on the speaker or what he was using for an amp, he had no electronics skill), but if I ever find a 6S27 cabinet (or reasonable facimile) I will likely stuff the wax caps (I took out the wet 'lytics when I was 12).

[radiorich]

Hello Mr fixr,
I too have one those sets waiting to restore the first one I want to finish is my later solidstate one.

Sincerely Richard

[morzh]

I was trying to remember why I suggested that Zener. Then I remembered, it was charging the capacitor if a tube is blown or extracted while the radio is hot, and then inserting a fresh tube while it is still hot. The cap charged to the full B+ voltage (no divider present) will discharge through the filaments chain, potentially blowing all or some of the tubes' filaments.

Well, I have always been and will be a vehement opponent of plugging/unplugging things hot, unless I specifically know they are designed for it (or when I designed the device with hot-plug option).
But even when designed for it: for instance, Guppy (I think it is Guppy) FireWire camera.
FireWire is a hot-plug interface, but if done to this camera, it fries. Literally. And it is over $2K. Very painful realization. We lost many a cam this way, until everyone who deals with them learned the power-down sequence. And even then....did not warn a tech in the compliance lab, and he killed it the same way. By simply unplugging and then plugging back into the computer board.