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 Help with sourcing of viabrators
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 1 · Written at 5:44:46 PM on 2 December 2012.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Gents,
Put this down as a noob question, am trying to source replacement V4012 viabrator for my Ferris car radio.

Searched Ebay Aust and USA with no success.

Would someone mind steering me in the right direction.

Thanks


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 2 · Written at 10:06:26 PM on 2 December 2012.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5239

You may have to source new. Ebay is not neccesarily the right move.

You may have to settle for an electronic type which will come in either positive or negative earth, whereas the mechnical type are not polarity critical

There are the odd vintage radio parts supplier one would often find them in the Historical Radio Society Mag "Radio Waves" check their Website.

Otherwise you may find some via Antique Radio's Forums USA http://antiqueradios.com, or someone in the US like Radiodaze: Mouser & several others.

Marc


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 3 · Written at 11:17:40 PM on 2 December 2012.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

I have a couple of Ferris car radios that I want to get rid of. These may have the vibrator you are looking for. I will check tomorrow and post my findings here tomorrow night.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 4 · Written at 6:33:45 AM on 3 December 2012.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Hi Marcc,
Thanks for all your tips and will do a search of those sites.

There seems to be a few about, it's just a matter of tracking them down.

Cheers, Nick


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 5 · Written at 6:35:25 AM on 3 December 2012.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Hi Brad,
Thanks for your time in looking and shall wait.

Cheers, Nick


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 6 · Written at 2:30:57 PM on 5 December 2012.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

Follow up to last comment:-

I've had a look at the two Ferris radios I have and one runs directly from a 6 volt car or AC mains and thus has a 6 volt vibrator.

The other is AC or a built in battery - no vibrator.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 7 · Written at 3:54:33 PM on 5 December 2012.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Hi Brad,
Thanks for your time in having a look at those radios, it appears 6 volt powered valve radios are quite common.

I have a few new 6 volt viabrators here and it occurred to me that they are pretty much the same OAK's as the 12 v ones.

More likely than not can pull out the contacts from one and put them in the other if something bad happens.

I believe in days past there were tech's whom rebuilt viabrators.

That apart will keep searching about.

Cheers, Nick


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 8 · Written at 5:38:06 PM on 5 December 2012.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5239

I can recall posting that, albeit that it makes the vibrator polarised. A few diodes in series (400V, or more) with the the coil, will drop the voltage too 6V and is not current sensitive.

The foam inside the unit turns to powder, that is one thing that often stops them.

Marc


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 9 · Written at 9:09:53 PM on 5 December 2012.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

There's no real reason why a vibrator could not be made from scratch - I suppose apart from having the time and skills to do it. I've never opened one up to see what they are like but perhaps there is a market for such a device, given the modifications that have to be made to radios when solid-state inverters are using in lieu.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 10 · Written at 9:56:09 PM on 5 December 2012.
Gandhn's Gravatar
 Location: Cameron Park, NSW
 Member since 5 November 2010
 Member #: 770
 Postcount: 385

Hi

If you have a dud vibrator, you can simply put a solid state module inside the old can and use the existing pins for connection.
I have done this and it works brilliantly, while keeping the original appearance of the original.
Such a module is advertised in the HRSA Radio Waves.

Harold


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 11 · Written at 10:28:08 PM on 5 December 2012.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5239

I would wonder if it is worthwhile messing about. Drop in replacement SS vibrators are an off the shelf item.

The thing is that you have to order the one that is correct for the polarity of the vehicle. ie Positive or Negative to Earth / Masse/ Chassis.

Most early British vehicles were positive earth, as were some US Dodge. Most US were negative earth.

Marc


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 12 · Written at 6:45:11 AM on 7 December 2012.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Thanks for all the suggestions made and have decided to purchase a plug in solid state replacement as they are not that expensive.

Mainly to preserve the good one I have and whilst I source some genuine units.

Hope it is the correct one so will see when it turns up.

There is a good website cool386 (sorry don't know how to paste links) which has a lot of useful info on vibrators.

From the listings gained found a few of my vibrators on hand are 12v models and could be adapted for the Ferris radio if needed.

Tend to think in this day and age it would not be to difficult for a skilled person with a small press and a spot welder to make up replacement leaves with contacts.

From what I've seen of vibrator construction they are not to complicated a device.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 13 · Written at 8:40:03 AM on 7 December 2012.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5239

Basically they are esentially a buzzer , mechanical car horn circuit.

They are designed to work around 150Hz. That is why their transformers are smaller & do not take kindly to mains.

The higher the frequency, the more efficient the transfer and the smaller is the transformer needed, compared to mains transformers. They already knew that in the vintage days.

Marc


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 14 · Written at 5:29:58 PM on 7 December 2012.
Simplex's Gravatar
 Location: Bathurst, NSW
 Member since 7 August 2008
 Member #: 336
 Postcount: 391

Correct Marcc, 100 to 150 hz was their operating frequency.

Essentially a rather simple device.

Have a friend whom does a lot of engineering and metal fabrication work.

Aware he is very busy at the moment with rush pre Xmas jobs so will wait for the new year and see whether he can make up new leaves with contacts.

Dimly recollect a old wireless fellow (sadly long departed) telling me there was replacement sets of leaves available.

The idea being the vibrator could be rebuilt as they tended to become noisy when worn with regular use.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 15 · Written at 10:04:17 PM on 7 December 2012.
Marcc's avatar
 Location: Wangaratta, VIC
 Member since 21 February 2009
 Member #: 438
 Postcount: 5239

One of the traps with vibrators was that they have a capacitor across the contact, like the one in the Kettering ignition.

The attrittion rate of that padder cap (O.5mfd) was quite high. It should be replaced with a cap having a Kilovolt rating otherwise it to will punch through. This cap shorted will stop B+.

Marc


 
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