Posts: 824
Threads: 112
Joined: Aug 2012
City: The Villages
State, Province, Country: Florida
I just got a GE radio with a ballast tube. I've never seen one(or heard of one) and was wondering how to test it.
I did some reading about it but couldn't find a test procedure. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Eric
Lake in the Hills, IL
Member: Philco Phorum, ARF, ARCI & Radiomuseum.org
Posts: 1,107
Threads: 89
Joined: Jun 2011
City: Tacoma
State, Province, Country: Washington
What's the number of the ballast?
Posts: 824
Threads: 112
Joined: Aug 2012
City: The Villages
State, Province, Country: Florida
It's a BL42B
Eric
Lake in the Hills, IL
Member: Philco Phorum, ARF, ARCI & Radiomuseum.org
Posts: 15,365
Threads: 532
Joined: Oct 2011
City: Jackson, NJ
Eric
You simply measure resistance between the pins where the resistors inside the tube are connected to.
It is that simple.
Posts: 1,107
Threads: 89
Joined: Jun 2011
City: Tacoma
State, Province, Country: Washington
These ballasts are available from several sources for about $12. Looking at the schematic, I see that pin 3 to pin 7 should show continuity. Pin 7 to pin 8 is the dial lamp connection. To check both sections check from pin 3 to pin 8, then from pin 8 to pin 7
Posts: 824
Threads: 112
Joined: Aug 2012
City: The Villages
State, Province, Country: Florida
Thanks, B A, I'll check it out.
Eric
Lake in the Hills, IL
Member: Philco Phorum, ARF, ARCI & Radiomuseum.org
Posts: 824
Threads: 112
Joined: Aug 2012
City: The Villages
State, Province, Country: Florida
Well, you were right. No continuity at all. I opened it up just to see what it looked like and found broken wires inside. Has anyone put resistors inside the metal tube instead of replacing it?
Eric
Lake in the Hills, IL
Member: Philco Phorum, ARF, ARCI & Radiomuseum.org
Posts: 824
Threads: 112
Joined: Aug 2012
City: The Villages
State, Province, Country: Florida
B A, where did you see them advertised?
Eric
Lake in the Hills, IL
Member: Philco Phorum, ARF, ARCI & Radiomuseum.org
Posts: 1,107
Threads: 89
Joined: Jun 2011
City: Tacoma
State, Province, Country: Washington
Posts: 824
Threads: 112
Joined: Aug 2012
City: The Villages
State, Province, Country: Florida
Thank you. It will be ordered tomorrow.
Eric
Lake in the Hills, IL
Member: Philco Phorum, ARF, ARCI & Radiomuseum.org