Hello fellow radio lovers, I bought a Kriesler Beehive from Ebay, I have just pulled it apart for a looksee.

It seems to work okay, but get's crackly if I turn up to loud and after a period of time if left on it get's scratchy sounding, but over all, I'm very happy with it.

I'm unsure f the exact Model, only that the seller listed it as 1946, it has the big valves, 5Y3 rectifier and there is a 6J8 and 6V6G and I'm not sure of the other as I haven't removed them yet, just having a sticky beak, noticing no paper caps at first, they appear to be Mustard types, Ceramics and the two Electrolytics, which appear way newer than the radio, as if it were perhaps, re-capped in the sixties, however I did at length spy one cap, almost dead centre in one of the under-chassis shots, mounted vertically next to the choke and two vertical coils, which appears to be an old paper one, which I intend to replace, maybe the electrolytic's too as there is some "mains hum" Also a cloth mains 3 wire cord, earthed to the chassis might be a good idea. There is a tone but it is just a switch and a short wave which I can't get a peep out of at the moment but it's a lovely radio, oh and electrostatic speaker!

If anybody can identify the model and knows of a schematic, that would be great as I can't find anything in or on it to give me a clue!

Cheers.

Probably a Model 11-4.

Unfortunately there's about 40 variants internally.

Mine (a bakelite brown one) works fine on both bands.

Indeed and 11-4 of 1947.

The valves in mine are: 6X5GT, ECH35, 6G8G and 6V6GT.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

Yes I'd be replacing that horrible-looking brown capacitor in amongst the coils, next to the choke.

If it hums, sure, replace the electros as well.

There's a green & yellow resistor that appears cracked by the edge of the chassis.

The rest looks not too bad. I'd clean out the dust, it's usually the very first thing I do.

Not sure what you mean about "electrostatic speaker", it's just an ordinary speaker with a transformer mounted upon it, same as mine.

The mains cord is illegally tied and not earthed, so some cloth-covered cord (such as you can find on an iron) will do nicely.

Wow, yes thanks Brad for uploading my photo's so quickly, whatever it is I think a good clean will do it the world of good,
Very tidy design.

Yes, definitely losing the cord, it's rubber and has one or two cracks, you spotted the yucky black capacitor I think I'm seeing the cracked resistor. The speaker seems to be one with an electromagnet, like a scaled down version of the console radio speakers. Getting all of the dust off is a priority, I'll do another post with "after" pics, once I' have cleaned her up and replaced the bad bits!

The speaker looks like a common or garden Rola permanent magnet one of the era, with an output transformer mounted on it.

A common flaw with 'beehives' is cracked louvres. This usually comes about by over tightening the threaded rods that hold the louvres together. Also, there should be felt spacers between louvres to act as cushions.

Another common flaw is a broken or missing Kriesler badge.

Some of these 'beehives' were painted by the factory. Removing the coat of paint usually reveals why they were painted in the first place: because the louvres are not colour matched.

Schematics are here:

https://vintage-radio.com.au/docs/Kriesler-11-4.pdf

As you see there are umteen versions. Hopefully you will find the version stamped on the back of the chassis.

Kev has it as well:
http://www.kevinchant.com/uploads/7/1/0/8/7108231/Kriesler11-4_with_revisions-ver2.pdf

Seen a few of those. We had three at a radio fixit day, none the same. Check the speaker transformer by cracking a 9V battery across the primary (pins 3 & 4 of the 6V6) and while you're at it check the 6V6 control grid resistors. (rarely good). Most of the 50K & 100K won't be any better.

Those electrolytics look odd. If they are bigger than spec they are liable to strip the cathode of the rectifier. That is a permag speaker the thing has a choke. There is a mud cap on a coil... that has to go irrespective of it looking like a swine to get out. Cut the wire off as it continues.

Put a gland in the mains wire hole, pointy end in & use a three wire cable. You cannot tie a knot in the cable these days.

I do not know what they were thinking when they made the cabinet? 3/16" rods in a 1/4+" hole. Ok that stopped that vibrating on the wall, but using a washer with a 1/4" hole, saw many fall down the hole. I re-tapped the threads in the holes & ran dies over the rods threads to ensure they were clean and would not bind. But I replace the washers with ones with a 3/16" hole (some normally missing in toto) and a bigger diameter, so they can't fall down the 1/4"+ hole.

Do not over tighten, that's going to break things. I think that has calibration marks on the top of the dial, which are covered by the cabinet, you need them to re-calibrate.

Marc

Ok, I've replaced the bad caps, will do the cord as soon as I can get some cotton covered 3 wire stuff, I'm after 20 or so metres, hopefully can get some for a good price! I'm a bit disappointed that it sounds distorted, like through a kazoo, but I haven't tackled those resistors yet, however that hopefully will yield some good results as I have a big bag of resistors now, just waiting for spare time to be able to undertake the task, focused and unrushed so I'm less likely to make any clangers!

If its distorted & the tone is not working c74 would be on the hit list for checking. however, as said check the resistors. Nothing unusual to toss every 50K in one and the plate resistors on the det audio valve are notorious for going high.

Also check the back bias resistor. Those often get damaged if there is an overload,or there is a heater cathode short. Don't put a bigger wattage one in there, better to have it burn than the transformer.

Everything in its order.... If voltage is not right nothing else will be. As someone else has got at it, find out what you have and check that the right value components are in there.

6J8 loves voltage, high resistors will kill it on SW as can those paper caps. Mica caps like that has rarely fail: Not never fail & det audio area is the most common area.