I really don't understand my fascination with these old radios, perhaps it goes back to the mid 1950's watching over my fathers shoulder as he replaced tubes in our old battery pack farm radio, the magic to a child of those tubes lighting up in a home with no electrical power or running water. Of course I love music and those old radio drama's still spark my interest, man I can remember being scared to death from listening to SUSPENSE on that old tube set. She was a great little table radio, full size AM only of course, full wooden cabinet and with battery powering it, there was no dial light however when you turned it on, a small red flag appeared in the lower middle of the tuning glass. It was about the size of a pencils eraser but it sure got your attention and, I guess it was put there to stop you from turning the set down and allowing it to play and flatten your expensive battery pack while getting nothing from the set. When we moved to town, the old radio was left on the farm. One day some rampant youth found our old place and wrecked the whole interior of the house. That old radio was found penetrating the living room window, half indoors and half outside. I wish that I had pulled it out and took it home, but I figured I could never find a battery for it anyhow. The house was later burned to the ground. The vandals were found and sentenced to pay my dad back for the wrecked furniture, some of which came over from Sweden with my Great Grandfather. Sad really, a couple of them turned out to be my cousin's.
This is why I have a tube filament tester. It makes very simple work of weeding out tubes with bad filaments. Ico-Rally manufactures sleeving just for the purpose of insulating component leads. It comes in a package of several different sizes.
Great video, thanks. I also know of the technique to check that filament string: Pull the chassis and measure the voltages at each filament to find where the break is.
The case reminds me of those old gasoline stations with the modular metal cladding that looked like shiny blocks (or the very similar "Lustron" houses).
I love the fact that you are unafraid the "evil widow-maker death radio"!...I work on these for fun, I used to add 3 prong plugs and a neutral buss....Then I got smart and put black sharpy on the hot side of the plug, after verifing that the receptical is indeed correct. I've been on forums where everyone acts like a huge pussy at the mention of a line operated radio/amp!...hey dumbass this radio is no more dangerouse than a toaster or even a soldering Iron! Awsome job on the video!!
Strange how some have a 50B5 and MOST have a 50C5 output tube...my zenith has the 50B5....and you cannot swap them out...at least without changing the wiring.
Seems like you always seem to find the easy and straight forward ones, I somehow manage to find the difficult ones. I have a Truetone auto radio I can't figure out.
I have a Emerson table top from 60s it has a 25 MFD 25 wv capacitor can I replace it with same kind or should I go to higher or different voltage than original. Also it has a 3uf 35wv capacitor also what do you recommend replace it with? In general what do you recommend I replace 2 capacitors with?
Radio Rescue I have a old 1941 zenith wave magnet radio only one tube lights up others do not could it be similar issue like radio in this video has? What could be causing only 1 tube to light up?
Man you do good work ,if you have a eBay site or somewhere I can buy any radios you decide to sell ,please let me no .I rather buy a restored radio that I no will be safe.
Radio Rescue I the guy who is interested in buying some tube radios from ,ron61551@gmail.com,if you have a list of radios and prices for radio and shipping ,the eBay radio ,I bought on line I paid 29.00 for radio and about 19.00 for the shipping ,this will show you the price range I am in .
This video was meant for a transformer less set. With a transformer set you'll need to check your tube sockets for heater voltage. (filament voltage) Most sets that run a transformer run 6.3 volt tubes. You'll need the schematic or a tube chart to find the correct pin.Transformer powered sets are run in parallel not in a series string like a radio without a transformer. Normally if one burns out the others will still light. Some sets have a separate winding from the transformer for one or more tubes. So one of those may not be producing voltage.
I really don't understand my fascination with these old radios, perhaps it goes back to the mid 1950's watching over my fathers shoulder as he replaced tubes in our old battery pack farm radio, the magic to a child of those tubes lighting up in a home with no electrical power or running water. Of course I love music and those old radio drama's still spark my interest, man I can remember being scared to death from listening to SUSPENSE on that old tube set. She was a great little table radio, full size AM only of course, full wooden cabinet and with battery powering it, there was no dial light however when you turned it on, a small red flag appeared in the lower middle of the tuning glass. It was about the size of a pencils eraser but it sure got your attention and, I guess it was put there to stop you from turning the set down and allowing it to play and flatten your expensive battery pack while getting nothing from the set. When we moved to town, the old radio was left on the farm. One day some rampant youth found our old place and wrecked the whole interior of the house. That old radio was found penetrating the living room window, half indoors and half outside. I wish that I had pulled it out and took it home, but I figured I could never find a battery for it anyhow. The house was later burned to the ground. The vandals were found and sentenced to pay my dad back for the wrecked furniture, some of which came over from Sweden with my Great Grandfather. Sad really, a couple of them turned out to be my cousin's.
This is why I have a tube filament tester. It makes very simple work of weeding out tubes with bad filaments.
Ico-Rally manufactures sleeving just for the purpose of insulating component leads. It comes in a package of several different sizes.
9:00 Good point to catch in soldering!
I've got a 58GI I listen to all of the time. Not pretty, but great sound considering it's 70+ age! This radio is pretty!
Great video, thanks. I also know of the technique to check that filament string: Pull the chassis and measure the voltages at each filament to find where the break is.
The point to point circuits in those old radios are crazy. But for AM radios they sound really nice.
Oh my goodness... that buzz sounds like torment on that speaker... .
The case reminds me of those old gasoline stations with the modular metal cladding that looked like shiny blocks (or the very similar "Lustron" houses).
I like that little radio!
I love the fact that you are unafraid the "evil widow-maker death radio"!...I work on these for fun, I used to add 3 prong plugs and a neutral buss....Then I got smart and put black sharpy on the hot side of the plug, after verifing that the receptical is indeed correct. I've been on forums where everyone acts like a huge pussy at the mention of a line operated radio/amp!...hey dumbass this radio is no more dangerouse than a toaster or even a soldering Iron! Awsome job on the video!!
Wow amazing I used to do that with my Dad sixty years ago.
Strange how some have a 50B5 and MOST have a 50C5 output tube...my zenith has the 50B5....and you cannot swap them out...at least without changing the wiring.
cool old radio.way to go and thanks for sharing your knowledge,
Thanks for checking it out.
Nice radio to restore. Thanks!
Seems like you always seem to find the easy and straight forward ones, I somehow manage to find the difficult ones. I have a Truetone auto radio I can't figure out.
Not always.
I have a Emerson table top from 60s it has a 25 MFD 25 wv capacitor can I replace it with same kind or should I go to higher or different voltage than original. Also it has a 3uf 35wv capacitor also what do you recommend replace it with? In general what do you recommend I replace 2 capacitors with?
Motorola products quality are the best.
man you have super great videos
Thanks! Glad you enjoy them!
Radio Rescue
I have a old 1941 zenith wave magnet radio only one tube lights up others do not could it be similar issue like radio in this video has? What could be causing only 1 tube to light up?
Is your Zenith ran by a power transformer?
Where do you find tube radio's,anyone please
Did you recap the whole radio or just some
Man you do good work ,if you have a eBay site or somewhere I can buy any radios you decide to sell ,please let me no .I rather buy a restored radio that I no will be safe.
email me dustytubes@gmail.com I need to clean out the shop of stuff sitting around.
Radio Rescue I the guy who is interested in buying some tube radios from ,ron61551@gmail.com,if you have a list of radios and prices for radio and shipping ,the eBay radio ,I bought on line I paid 29.00 for radio and about 19.00 for the shipping ,this will show you the price range I am in .
yes it has that
This video was meant for a transformer less set. With a transformer set you'll need to check your tube sockets for heater voltage. (filament voltage) Most sets that run a transformer run 6.3 volt tubes. You'll need the schematic or a tube chart to find the correct pin.Transformer powered sets are run in parallel not in a series string like a radio without a transformer. Normally if one burns out the others will still light. Some sets have a separate winding from the transformer for one or more tubes. So one of those may not be producing voltage.
Could you send me a email so we can talk radios apparently I forgot how to send out ,out going gmail