I bought this wonderful AWA Radiola mains and battery radio on Ebay, after a full re-cap, it works great on AC, but the real reason I wanted it is to have a battery powered valve radio to take camping and fishing etc. No problem getting batteries I thought, WRONG! Couldn't find anybody selling the 90 & 7.5 volt batteries I need, however I found the following site with an abundance of them...

http://www.classicradioshop.info/valve-and-transistor-radio-batteries/

No problem (I thought) so ordered my batteries, only to get an email saying "We don't ship to Australia". When I enquired as to why, I was told there there is some strange law in place and when they try and ship batteries here. they simply get returned! How bloody ridiculous!

Well I have heard 10 x 9V batteries in series works fine and I can use 5 x D cells to get my 7.5 volt heater supply, I found a supplier in Germany from whom I purchased connectors and have my home made 90 volt battery all ready and I am now waiting for delivery of a couple of D cell battery holders, 1x2 and 1x3, to join in series.

Whilst this will work I m sure I have two issues, the original battery connectors in the radio, each have identical plugs, with two pins, one fat and one skinny and I am unsure of the polarity Ie. which one is the positive and which one is negative and as I do not wish to modify these original connections, being part of the radio, as I am hoping at some stage to source the original batteries, does anybody know where I can get hold of female sockets for these connectors so that I can leave the existing plugs as is and connect to my home made batteries, keeping connections as tidy as possible? Without changing anything...

What do other people with battery valve radio's do without compromising originality?

I have a couple of Tony Maher's B battery eliminator, one is 67.5V and uses 4 AA cells. The other is 90V and uses 6 AA cells. I have fitted them with small alligator clips that connect to the flylead in the radio, you can slide the boot down to insulate them somewhat, Result no mods to radio.
I use C or D cells for the filament supply as required.

Top it off with a reprinted cardboard case. I have so far found no RFI issues with Tony's kits.

There is, on ebay, a couple of different boost supplies that go from 9V to 130V, adjustable. Some are kits, some are pre-built. I have a few but as yet, have not tried them on a radio.

I do tend to grab dud batteries when I see them. Good source material in the cardboard casing. And connectors to plug the radios into.

Yep, I love my portables.

Ben

Does anybody have any "female" sockets to suit the A and B Battery connector plugs?

Hi

Valve Portables are a big part of my collection. I would start with the Batt Eliminator from Tony as described above. He uses PCB to re create the Sockets with some copper soldered on to it to make the contacts. when you see how its done in the kit (That's not too far removed from the original) you will be able to recreate it.

http://www.portabletubes.co.uk/sitefiles/ptbattelim.htm

Don't use Stacked 9V Batteries, It has been discussed here before, Its not safe. Youtube it,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hwLHdBTQ7s

For the A supply then use the 1.5v D Cells in series as you have done.

Hope this helps, I know I seem Negative but have learnt over time what not to do.....

Dan

I have already purchased my batteries and the appropriate connectors, and constructed my 90 volt battery, with two parallel stacks of five connected and all taped tightly together with electrical tape, I'm surprised to be advised against this as all of the research I've done up until now has been affirming that this is the best solution. What I really want is the correct battery, but I plan on using a socket which will accommodate the original plug, with the battery connectors soldered to the socket, all neatly insulated. I want to make a small hard cardboard box as close as possible to the original battery size, to which I can place the original stickers in order to have a re-useable battery box which looks identical to the original battery. Printed circuit board or similar may do the job... I'll need to try in any case.
I can understand that stacking batteries may be dangerous, but I'm not stacking a ridiculous amount, just 10, akin to the cells in the original battery, should be safe once ensconced in a proper case and soldered to a socket.

I think ten is safe though I wouldn't be tempted to touch the terminals with wet fingers or do the classic 9 volt taste test. Like the bloke on the video though, I wouldn't recommend cascading the number of batteries that he did. His battery clearly produces a lethal voltage and the current flow, even in those half-dead batteries is enough to kill. 50mA over one second is all that is required.

The problem is the Punch through voltage on the cells. 9V were never designed to be put in series. 10x the cell value is pushing it a bit, but ill leave it there....

Yeah, that video was an exercise in stupidity, the bloke wasn't even wearing gloves, talk about a death wish! I have a very deep respect for electricity having had a nasty shock once! I'd rather don a bear suit and eat wild honey from a beehive than do what that bloke was doing... Plus it would be more entertaining!

One must be somewhat cautious with a few legends in their own lunchtime on the WEB. Its a bit like the "fake news": It exists.

9V batteries lock into one another one up one down very nicely. Ten & a dead one is good. Now really, this is no different than putting caps in series (only it pays to parallel a resistor with them). No matter how many batteries, they are all going to have 9V across them and they are only going to bite you if you are careless & put your fingers on both terminals at the same time.

With flat battery Nr 11; You take the terminal plate off, cut it in half & there are your battery connectors, which you attach whilst you are not connected to the other terminal...... Simples Huh!

You treat electricity with understanding (not a lot of that about) and respect, not paranoia: Paranoia & a lack of understanding can cause accidents.

Marc

One must be somewhat cautious with a few legends in their own lunchtime on the WEB.

It is amusing, isn't it - watching someone take absolutely no precautions when doing something silly yet saying over and over again, "don't try this at home kiddies". High voltage electric shocks are not fun, especially when the volts go through your heart. I still remember the time I took an ignition lead off a spark plug on my 1994 Holden Commodore. With most cars of the time it wouldn't have been a problem but the Commodore was still one of only a handful of cars at the time with a distributorless ignition system. These things pump out volts according to need, to allow for variations in the load on the engine and gradual decay of the ignition leads. Pull a lead off and whack, the mechanic cops over 100,000 volts because you can bet he'll have the other hand leaned on the metal that supports the grille, which will adequately complete the circuit.

800 revs at idle divided by a four stroke engine is 200 shocks a minute. Even for a second or two, it hurts.

Where one has their other hand is usually a factor in most electric shocks and there were times when this bloke had both hands on the apparatus.

Photos uploaded.

email saying "We don't ship to Australia". When I enquired as to why, I was told there there is some strange law in place and when they try and ship batteries here. they simply get returned!

I'm not aware of any issue with Australian Customs regarding batteries.

The air carriers and postal services have issues relating to lithium batteries and their potential (no pun intended) to cause fires if improperly packaged.

If this UK-based seller can ship his batteries to the USA and Canada without a problem, then he ought to be able to do so to Oz as well.

Maybe he had one instance of a return for whatever reason and decided it was all too hard.

Batteries cannot be sent by plane . Maybe its the shipping costs.

Batteries cannot be sent by plane

Not aware of any such Australian prohibition on batteries in general.

Link please.

It's the same as perfume. Because of explosive possibilities they can not be sent by plane. Ask anyone at a post office.