Hello All,

I have just recently been given a valve radio and I am having difficulty working out what brand/model it is. I have taken a few pictures and was wondering if Brad would be able to upload them for me.

Also, to no suprise the radio is not working, there is 2 large valves and 3 smaller ones. When I turn it on only one of the large valves lights up and it is blue and flickers like lightening and makes lots of noise.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Shane, you can either post links to them if you have your own webspace to upload them to or you can e-mail them to Bradmail.vintage-radio.com.au and I will resize and display them here for you.


Brad.

Also, valves glow bluey purple when they are gassy - ie: when there are impurities in the vacuum left during manufacture. Not sure about the lightning as that can happen for a few reasons. Either way, I'd definitely replace it.

Hi Brad,

I have emailed the pictures to be added, I have been reading right into the forum and noted that alot of my paper capacitors seem discoloured/deteriorated and I look forward to replacing these. If I can track down a diagram that details exactly what valves the radio is meant to have it would be nice to try and replace them all too. As you might be able too see from the pictures I need to source some knobs and some kind of twins/rope to connect the tuner/needle/knob all together (i think this will be testing!!!). I don't expect this radio to end up being 100% original but it will definately be an enjoyable first vintage radio. Also my speaker has seen better days, I am not sure what to do about that yet.

I look forward to any advice.

Cheers

Shane

I would not plug that in again. Its always bad Karma to attempt to run any unknown valve radio until its been checked.

It may have the original plug or light up when it was turned on according to the sales blurb, rarely if ever does that reflect the true situation.

The fact that there is arcing in the valve suggests that the Monkey's may have been into it. The last time I saw the aftermath of that was, in the Radio currently in August Silicon Chip. Someone had replaced the Electrodynamic speaker, with a Permanent Magnet type and forgot, or was oblivious to the need for a choke.

This can also be the result of an open speaker transformer. The screen grid becomes the Plate & the valve is destroyed.

Marc

Hi Marc,
Cheers for that advice, I had only turned on the radio once since I got it and that was before I had done a lot of reading, most of it on this website. I certainly won't be switching it on again until I am sure I will not do any damage (or any more damage). I am not an electrician but I am a learner and I am one of those people that are passionate/stubborn about doing things myself and I am quite happy to receive advice such as yours and research things to achieve my goals. Another thing I did note when it was on was that the part that I determined to be the power supply got quite hot. Hopefully when Brad loads my pictures someone will be able to identify the radio and then I can track down a diagram and begin to test/replace parts as required.
I am really looking forward to it.
Shane

Now that I think of it, the last time I saw lightning in a valve was when I accidentally put a 5Y3G and a 6V6G in each other's socket. The display inside the 6V6 as it tried to rectify the high tension was impressive though it could have ended in disaster. Even after more than 20 years of collecting it is still easy to make mistakes if care is not taken.

The 6V6 survived the brief substitution which I am thankful for to say the least.

There is always an eagerness in some cases ( I have seen, some with more like an obsessive compulsion), when a new toy (radio) is bought to plug it in & see if it goes.

Having repaired several hundred valve radio's, I get to see plenty. Some of it outright scary. I repaired (virtually rebuilt) one recently where they said the valves lit but nothing happed. The mains cable was a series of 3 - 4 mm rubber beads, from plug to radio.

Recently my collector mate & I scored an STC on the way home from a Meeting ( Junk shop was too tempting for him). Looked reasonable, some damage dial pointer severely bent.

On arriving at my place (first) it was immediately dismantled. Electrical repairs (needed) & checking were carried out before it was fired up, without problem. Mechanical repairs, took a little longer.

Hi Guys, I created a photobucket thing so hopefully you can see my radio. Hopefully someone will know what type it is and has a diagram.

I hope it works.

Image Link

Image Link

Image Link

Would like to know valve compliment.

Looks like its early fifties, see if there's any numbers stamped on it.

Nice afternoon project replacing all of the papers & electrolytics. I would be fairly confident that it could be sorted without a circuit.

Hopefully no one has messed with the IF's

Marc

The Valves in it are 5Y3GT, 6V6GT, 6BD7, 6N8 AND 6AN7. I am unsure whether they are the correct ones for the radio or if they are in the correct spots.

On the back of the chassis there is a number TG2887 I am not sure what it means. Their is also a date printed on the side of one of the components (7 APR 1954).

I think my first job will be to replace the capacitors, I am not quite sure what ones to buy yet, I made a list of all of them.
.1 MFD 200 DCVW X 2
.05 MFD 200DCVW X 2
.01 MFD 600 DCVW X 2
.004 MFD 600 DCVW X 1
.1 MFD 400 DCVW X 2
.1 MFD 600 DCVW X 1
8 MFD 525 P.V X 2
16 MFD 525 P.V X 1
25 MFD 40 V.P X 2
.01 MFD 600V X 1
I was hoping I could get some pointers before I buy them.

Not sure what an IF is, I am guessing they are the adjustable things.

Shane

IF = intermediate frequency transformers - the tall silver tin cans with the adjustment screws on top and usually under the chassis too. Sometimes people screw them up tight thinking they are loose screws but they are meant to wound back a bit as their purpose is for receiver alignment.

Are you sure the 25 MFD condensers are only a 40 WV? 25s are usually for mains filtering (they help absorb the 50Hz hum) and are more likely to be 400 WV. I may be wrong but it would be worth double-checking that the label on the condenser isn't damaged.


Brad.

Whilst I am here I apologise for not publishing your photos sooner. I've been getting home from work quite late in the last week or so and my little amount of spare time was used for catching up on some sleep.

I am glad to see you got Photobucket working though.

Cheers Brad, that is perfectly understandable, I am a very patient man.

The 25 MFD ones are definately 40 V.P, they are the smaller metal ones with a plactic sheath on them, are you aware what brand of radio this is and whether there might be a diagram available anywhere?

I have also noted that there has been a capacitor replaced previously and there is a broken wire right next to it.

Also the power cord is a 2 core cable with a 3 prong plug, if I were to install a 3 core cable and attach the earth to the chassis would this be satisfactory.

I hope you don't mind all the questions, you guys are the most knowledgable I have found so far.

Shane

One purveyor of parts and there are others:

http://www.evatco.com.au/webcat1p12.htm#Metallised_Poly

There are 630V Red greencaps which tend to be shorter in length causing hassles, and not always availiable in the range needed.

I tend to use the yellow metallised polyester, as they are axial, the same as what is in there. Just buy 630V.

0.1 mfd (104); 0.01 (103); 0.05 (0.047.. 473) nearest to 0.004 is ) 0.0039 (392) You may have to settle for 0.0047 (472) That's probably the plate bypass (pin 3) of the 6V6 Avobe will also have new 6V6 & transformer as will others. If you are in the Metropolitan area, you are at an advantage.

The nearest to 8 mfd can be 10 mfd 450V. If you wish to invest the money you can get 8mfd at 500V. Same applies with 16 mfd; 22 mfd is ok, these things had plus or minus 40% variation.

25 mfd can be aquired from some otherwise use 22mfd do not wander too far away from the voltage as too big will cause the cap to loose form & fail. Its probably on pin 8 of the 6V6, meaning that it is the cathode bypass and will normally have about 15V max.

The cheapest mains cable is the pre-fabricated one (Electrical wholesaler Middendorp, Lawrence & Hanson.......). While you are at it Consider a 12mm gland. You can mount that pointy end in if there is room at the side for a 3 wire cable to exit? Back is still possible.

There are other types, but you may need a bigger hole. You are no longer permitted to put knots in the cable & glands hold well. add wire tie to help reduce risk of "pulling damage" & leave the earth wire longer than the others.

Would need more info on the area around the break mentioned.

Marc