Hello, I have 2 Radiola radios which use the old style 9 volt dry cell battery. If I want to convert them to use the new 9 volt battery, do I have to do anything more than change the battery connection? Any information you could give me would be very helpful.

G'day,

I am assuming they are transistor radios. If so then changing the old battery connector for a new one should work provising you ensure that you get the polarity right.

Be prepared for the fact that the modern transistor batteries don't have the capacity to drive radios with large speakers for a long time and thus won't last as long as the older batteries which were a plastic frame holding six C cells, then enclosed in the cardboard wrapper.

I don't know the dimensions of the early style 9 volt batteries, but as a follow-up to Brad's point about power capacity, a 6 x C cell battery holder might be an option:

http://shop.willyselectronics.com/browse.cfm/philmore-battery-holder-%286%29-c-cells/4,107.html.

There should be some old literature about. There were quite a few shapes & sizes . eg 276P rectangular & sligtly more squat than 250g of wrapped butter.

You can also use / try 12V & put a string of diodes in series with one lead (4-5) as they will drop the same voltage irrespective of the current through them.

Marc

I remove the top from an expelled 9V battery, and solder it to the existing connection in the radio observing polarity. You can plug in a 9V battery or buy a holder that holds six 1.5V cells and has a 9V connection on the end. If you need more amps or longevity, use 2 or 3 of these.