Hi all, as a total novice collector can people please advise me of a simple test to tell if a radio has been cooked?
ie/ a 32v chassis plugged into 240v ! I have a multimeter which I could use with basic instructions.
Which components are the most difficult to replace (expense/availability/difficulty) on for example an early 50's vibrator powered "Operatic" radio ? Am forming the opinion that blown valves would be the least of my problems...... thanks for any comments. M.

Multimeter may be of no use. We really need to know the model to get an idea on repair.

As the set is old, it is highly likely that no one has looked at it in years and the paper and electrolytic capacitors will need replacing, irrespective of what happened.

One would nearly have to look at the thing to make an accurate assesment but one would hope that any damage is confined to the Vibrator inverter area.

Depending on design the mains may have tripped or the vibrator unit itself may have been damaged. Hopefully not the transformer.

If there is obvious damage, a photo of the area may help to a minor extent?

Marc

If all of the tube heaters show continuous connection, odds are the radio hasn't seen 240V. If the radio did see 240V, one or more tube heaters would be blown out, and would show as an open circuit.

With the set's power switch turned on, you should see something like 25 ohms across the set's power leads with an ohmmeter. That would be due to the cold resistance of the tube heaters.

It is a good chance that any valves in the set,
would now have open circuit filaments.
If the set has a vibrator in it,
Then it could also have an open circuit coil.
Not to mention what would have happened to
the capacitors.
A close inspection is needed.
And a model or circuit.