Thanks for reply Marcc, I guess what I was getting at is how would you test a 32v radio before purchase?
(assuming a large percentage had been plugged into a 240v socket!) a general question to cover vibrator powered or tubes wired in series types. Again low tech/simple tests? any ideas?

Reading between the lines, what I am saying is that if it has not been run for a considerable time, then it should not be.

Electrolytic caps dry out and most of the paper caps will also be passed their use by date.

There is no guarantee that it has been plugged into the mains; Many of them then, were clearly labelled 32V.

You cannot plug it in without checking it physical to assess if it is complete, not butchered and actually safe to fire up.. I would confidently predict that it won't go without pre-work.

Marc

Thanks Marc,
look I will be in Wang next week so I will bring it along for you to have a look at ! Nah just kidding ! But thankyou for the comments...i have a few 32v radios and the last thing a novice like me should do is apply any form of electricity.

A wise choice. I get really annoyed at having to replace things that should never have failed or were destroyed by peoples doings, when they should have kept there fingers out.

I have a post on a AX 190 comms. The reason the RF cannot get to the mixer is that a coupling transformer has been substituted with a can that has only one winding? How the hell that was supposed to work I know not.

There is a write up recently in Silicon Chip on a really clean Airzone Battery set. That is another classic where the 1K7 was destroyed by mis-wiring the back bias and wiring positive onto its grid. I really need a fault like that. Fortunately I spotted it was wrong on sight (wrong era resistor).

If your set has not been hacked about, restoration should not be that difficult. Watch the vibrator... They have a Formaldehyde foam inside them which turns to powder. I have repaired a couple of them, before they shorted.

The only thing of concern (rare failure) is the transformer. The secondary is easily checked, but one would perhaps need to lift primary leads to check there? Model & circuit needed for clarity.

Marc