Hellooo,

Wondering if any smart cookie's could help me with Briton radio, I pick it up for $70 however it has not power plug and a tube (Philips KL4) is crack.

I am not sure what I should do to attempt to get this running. can some help point a newbie in the right direction?

Love this old radio but feel lost as the steps need. Recommendations? ideas? info on the radio would all be very welcome.

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Best
Mark

Hi Mark and welcome to the Forum.

There is a good reason why your Briton doesn't have a power-cord. These radios run off batteries, not mains-power. It uses 2 batteries - 1 for the valve filaments and the other for the HT (high tension). Whilst I dont know the model number of your Briton, I do know the KL4, output valve, is a battery type.
Any attempts to hook this set to the mains power will destroy the valves and quite possibly the radio too. Please include a model number and/or a valve line-up and someone here may be able to give you some idea as to how you can get your radio running again.

Cheers

KL4 was used in model 7/7A ( Dual Wave 6 valve), model 5 (Broadcast only ) & model 6 (dual wave)
5 & 6 are 5 valve radios.
All are battery operated.
Shouldnt be too hard to work out model it is off that info.

Ben

edit: Found circuits and battery info here

http://www.thebakeliteradio.com/Circuits/Briton/.

Apart from models 5, 6 & 7A, the KL4 is also used in these Briton models as well:
15, 16, 17, B349, B440 & B540.

Some further information shown on the back. Have added some images.

Model 15
Briton Electrical & Radio


https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7590993_1308753_7425597.
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7590993_1308753_7425599.
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7590993_1308753_7425526.

Wires have some voltage numbers on them. May have been modified.

90v to 135v.

The Briton Model 15 dates from around 1938. It is a battery powered set. The valve line-up is as follows:

KK2, KF3, 1K6 & KL4.

All valves, except the 1K6, are P-base or side contact types and all have 2 volt filaments. These valves were originally powered by a 2 volt, 145 amp hour accumulator.
The B+ (HT) voltage can be between 90 & 135 volts and is powered by two or three 45 volt batteries. These batteries are no longer available, but there are power supplies that can be bought or made to suit these types of radios.

http://www.vintage-radio.com/projects/battery-set-psu.html.

Your radio would need to be electrically checked & restored before attempting to power up.