04-06-2010, 01:12 PM
I have a couple of dental inspection mirrors (You know, the ones the dentist uses to see around corners,) so if there is room, sometimes you can read the other side that way.
And it is good practice to try to have replacement components face "up" so you or the next person who works on the set can read them.
One more thing, a mica with the "dreaded mica disease" may check out ok on digital multimeters, but applying a little voltage, like my treasured Eico 950B RC Bridge does will reveal the truth. The eye will not remain open after a few volts. This test is help in the diagnosis of the set, (the crackeling and fading caused by these little monsters.)
Of course you have to remove one end from the circuit to perform the test, and at that point I usually toss it anyway and put in a new one. So most little sets can get a whole new population of caps and resistors for less than $10. The resistors and capacitors almost always read high, the electrolytics are always dangerously degraded, and all paper caps are leaky. About all I leave untouched are the controls (after cleaning) and wirewould resistors.
Good luck on your project!
And it is good practice to try to have replacement components face "up" so you or the next person who works on the set can read them.
One more thing, a mica with the "dreaded mica disease" may check out ok on digital multimeters, but applying a little voltage, like my treasured Eico 950B RC Bridge does will reveal the truth. The eye will not remain open after a few volts. This test is help in the diagnosis of the set, (the crackeling and fading caused by these little monsters.)
Of course you have to remove one end from the circuit to perform the test, and at that point I usually toss it anyway and put in a new one. So most little sets can get a whole new population of caps and resistors for less than $10. The resistors and capacitors almost always read high, the electrolytics are always dangerously degraded, and all paper caps are leaky. About all I leave untouched are the controls (after cleaning) and wirewould resistors.
Good luck on your project!
