Vacuum Tube Radio Repair

Рет қаралды 91,284

11 жыл бұрын

In this week's video I explain how a vacuum tube works and how I repaired the old vacuum tube shop radio! Here's a link to teh project page on Hack A Week: hackaweek.com/hacks/?p=1078

Пікірлер: 117

@jsdhesmith2011 8 жыл бұрын

I was able to learn more from your first 3 minutes of presentation than hours of reading and pictures on this subject, thanks!

@daninnj8580 Жыл бұрын

JUST A QUICK HACK from someone who does a lot of these: cleaning the tube sockets is really easy with a very cheap tool: dental picks! Something like a "GUM - 6324A Soft-Picks" which cost a buck for a whole handful - a lifetime supply - work great. They're small, flexible, and have a nice flat spot to hold it, and dipped into a little contact cleaner (a can is great for cleaning the works inside, especially the "pots" many knobs are attached to which usually have a whole in the round case for that purpose) will make your tube sockets like new. In a pinch rubbing alcohol will work too: just dip the brush in a capful, make sure there's no drips, and have at it. Viola!

@HackaweekTV Жыл бұрын

Good idea! Thanks.

@terryblackman6217 3 жыл бұрын

One of the best explanations of how a valve works i have seen. Thank you.

@milmaxleo7268 8 жыл бұрын

Have the exact same radio.. found it in a bin :D the cord wasn't even cut off! man what some people call "trash"

@sausage4mash 7 жыл бұрын

very clear description of how tubes work,You've got me thinking about building a simple amplifier

@HNXMedia Жыл бұрын

Very helpful video. Got some tube radios I'm about to dig into and this taught me a lot in a very short time. Thanks.

@abeleballestri612 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the useful and nice demonstration of how an old tube radio can be put in working conditions again.

@orlandotech 10 жыл бұрын

I remember way back (late eighties or early nineties) when I first visited a place called Skycraft Surplus here in Orlando they had a large, upright type of tube tester (probably an old grocery store model) where you could test your tubes and/ or test the tubes you planned on buying from them before you went up to the counter to pay for them. The stuff inside that store changes so much that I'm sure it didn't last too long. I have been in there recently and it's no longer there. There is plenty of cool stuff in there though.

@WitheredAnge1 11 жыл бұрын

I love those videos. Good job Dean. =)

@HarleyPebley 11 жыл бұрын

Cool. I too remember my Dad taking all the tubes out of the ol' TV and going to Radio Shack to test them. Never really studied how they worked though. Thanks for the basic introductory theory. Good info.

@demolitionbarbiedoll 10 жыл бұрын

can I replace a momentary switch to a manual switch on a radio? So when the power outage happens the radio will come back home and power comes on

@DeanSegovis 11 жыл бұрын

Good advice. This is why I mentioned keeping one hand behind you in the video. :)

@boomyashocka7400 8 жыл бұрын

I have a old tubed radio and the stations don't come in clear as they should, what can I do to help it? it has the antenna on it and all, just not sure if the reception tube is weak or whatnot.

@sweetgyy 10 жыл бұрын

I just watched on a tiny computer kindle fire now writing u. Amazln how tech changed. I just got an old Philip 655 buzzin wish me luck

@lalukhetassociation1691 4 жыл бұрын

I Have a question, my old radio has some red liquid tube in it which i can't see in another radio what it does?

@brian777999 7 жыл бұрын

Would it not be a good idea to use a portable RCD when testing devices with live electricity ?

@damienlawrence7858 9 жыл бұрын

Kool video but can you help me with my last ? About that tda2005m op amp it is a Bridge amplifier on the data sheet but it does not have a way to put more gain with transistor can you give a drawing so I can understand what to do ....... Thanks for your help

@Artcurus 8 жыл бұрын

as a heads up, get rid of that selenium rectifier. They can go rather explosively with toxic smoke. The more they age, the more resistance produced, ultimately dropping the B plus

@darielbrantley5689 3 жыл бұрын

you probably dont give a shit but if you guys are bored like me atm then you can stream all of the latest movies and series on instaflixxer. Have been watching with my gf recently xD

@jadenjasper3471 3 жыл бұрын

@Dariel Brantley yea, I have been using InstaFlixxer for months myself =)

@jarofcoffee3169 3 жыл бұрын

This has been very helpful, but would this fix a radio that makes a popping noise?

@accountoverdrawn 11 жыл бұрын

awesome vid. I got an old ocilloscope from 1967 that runs on vacuum tubes that i am trying to repair. So your vid was very helpful.

@PrinceofArabian 10 жыл бұрын

Very useful toturial about tube , Many thanks, but by the way wich Video Cam you used in this video? Best regards from Germany

@rustyrobinson8027 Жыл бұрын

new subscriber thanks for the upload

@nor4277 6 жыл бұрын

I hear it's a good idea to get rid of the selium rectifiyers,I like how you fixed the radio ,I working on a radio now ,learning the hard way I replaced the filter capicaitor ,that went great but the old wire to the speakers both shaped off so now I have to figure where they go fun huh .

@atrumluminarium 11 жыл бұрын

Do you know how to make a basic tube guitar amp (I'm talking like an easy DIY Marshall or Mesa Boogie)?

@adamlumpkins2000 11 жыл бұрын

That is a very clean radio!!!!

@williefleete 10 жыл бұрын

You will probably want to replace the cap that goes across the line with a modern line rated cap, some of those are just paper caps coated in a plastic shell which can explode also the main electro can dry out. And it may benefit from an alignment especially in the FM circuits

@sun622 2 жыл бұрын

I have a 1939 Telefunken Zeesen T875WK that does not work. I have been really frustrated trying to find some one to bring this beauty back to life. Suggestions....?

@bbmvid 9 жыл бұрын

I Like that tube radio and other stuffs using vintage tube....

@ChokriMensi-vo9dj Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your efforts I like to learn more about old radios I love them and I have many radios but I can’t repair them 😂 Plz can you recommend same video for a beginner like me? Thank you again for your knowledge and your kindness/Ben

@FXGreggan. 11 жыл бұрын

I've renovated at least two dussin valve radios... it's fun :) I do however recommend some light contact spray on the valve pins and socket...

@pinbret 11 жыл бұрын

tube substitution is an excellent way to go provided somebody you have access to someone with a great tube tester and make sure they were good it makes things go quicker in the field anyway. love these videos excellent project suggestion bench Isolation Transformer you still can't throw caution to the wind but you're 10 * safer as you were without it

@J.RRandallIllinois 5 жыл бұрын

Does anyone know how to match solid state electronics to its vacuum tube equivalent or vice versa. I can't find any charts or books. Thank you

@MrPatdeeee 4 жыл бұрын

That would be a trick. Vacuum tubes are voltage driven. Solid state devices are current driven. Now if you are talking about their "purposes", then they can be considered "equivalent". IE: RF amplifier, Converter, IF amplifier, Audio amplifier, Phase splitter, Power amplifier, Power rectifier, etc. Remember vacuum tubes require high voltages and low currents; and they are rugged. Solid state devices require low voltages and high currents; and are easily damaged. For what it's worth.

@dorotheaishere 7 жыл бұрын

I just posted a video of a 1964 Kuba/Telefunken console unit. I'd like to get some new fuses for it (original ones had corrosion & one in particular looks to be on its way out), but am leery of whether or not a more modern fuse would work well/better than the original. I originally took it apart to investigate the hum that comes once the tubes warm up & wonder if replacing them would resolve that, or if it's the nature of the beast. I think at least some of the hum comes from the tone arm pickups on the turntable. Let me know what you think, if you have the chance. I also have another radio the size of the one you've got that would need tubes for sure, but is AM only.

@wheredidileavemycell 11 жыл бұрын

also thanks for this video. it is very informative

@pcno2832 8 жыл бұрын

5:30 Is that the cap that connects right across the AC line to filter out high-frequency ripple? I've heard that those aren't that important and that some are unswitched, which can make them fire hazards. The big can to the left of the speaker magnet is the one I'd suspect for any 60Hz hum problems.

@RuneTheFirst 5 жыл бұрын

That plastic cap is the line bypass cap. It is not THE filter cap. The real filter is the can in back. That is an electrolytic capacitor - a high value type that filters the pulses coming from the rectifier. The line cap is usually in the range of .047 to .1 micro farad (mfd or ufd on diagrams) whereas the filter caps will be 50 full micro-farads or more. The across the line cap is now often called the "death cap" as their failure can cause a short across the line, put line voltage on the chassis and/or explode. Most service people today remove them on sight. If they replace them (some don't) they replace them with a safety cap (type Y2) of the same value as the original. These caps are designed to just open their internal circuit if they fail. (do not use X2 type caps across the line!)

@ritchiepitchie8839 8 жыл бұрын

Do you fix these for people?

@ab.3800 11 жыл бұрын

I love the magic eye tubes.

@OfficialDPTheRealDeal 7 жыл бұрын

I have a zenith 6C21 the Pentode tube is bad. so I'll have to switch it out and see if it will work! should be fun!

@albertcarpentercats 6 жыл бұрын

I use to buy vacuum tubes at garage sales some had a lot of darkness from the getter.I kept some tubes but bought submini tubes but have a lot of darkness of the getter.

@DeanSegovis 11 жыл бұрын

There are some kits available out there.

@WitheredAnge1 11 жыл бұрын

A triode is a diode with a "grid" between the cathode and anode. Applying voltage to the grid creates an electric field that influences the flow of electrons going from the cathode to the anode. Triodes are kinda like transistors.

@Gagesvids1 10 жыл бұрын

There is an old tube tester at the electronics store by me and I have tested a few tubes on it before

@HackaweekTV 11 жыл бұрын

I've worked in many trades but right now I'm a European Auto Tech by day.

@Indrajit111 3 жыл бұрын

Hi sir i am From india I need YOUR number and email Please...

@DeanSegovis 11 жыл бұрын

Maybe the 6N7 dual triode, but the 12AX7 I showed in the video is used as a class A amp.

@ghsgtnayhmd4792 4 жыл бұрын

How can you fix a broken sleep timer?

@marks5816 5 жыл бұрын

death cap filter cap?

@ms.bukhari8620 5 жыл бұрын

goooooooooooooooooooooood job

@rossgardiner7280 11 жыл бұрын

Do a video on the psp 360 chatpad mod, i think you'd really enjoy it!

@nostalgisong 11 жыл бұрын

My old oscilloscope tektronix (535), had the same problem in all vacuum tubes, the solution was to use a spray cleaner, and never, ever, a piece of sandpaper, this procedure removes the pin surface treatment, and not clean the socket, so the problem may return.

@frankroper5488 7 жыл бұрын

You didn't show us how you fixed it? Did you send it off to be repaired?

@AlgoJerViA 7 жыл бұрын

"There are PROBABLY not any capacitors in here that can potentially kill me. Sooo I reach in here..." :)

@nor4277 5 жыл бұрын

Me I would for future safety is get rid of the sillium rectifier,because if they go bad not only will it stink up your house it might take out other stuff,and any old caps by now it's time to change them.Just a thought. Your tube cleaning idea came in helpful I found some dirty sockets ,and some.dirty pins.now I check.all the tube radios I working on.I spray some.deposit 5 into the tube sockets,if needed I use a tooth pick to dig out anything that's in the socket holes too.our thrift drugs had a tube testers both our gone.

@kenvorland 7 жыл бұрын

Cool video i just fixed my grandmas radio to an guitar amp...

@radioboyintj 4 жыл бұрын

I would unplug it again Before doing any tube tapping With a metal screwdriver. Regardless of whether I'm holding it by the insulated plastic handle or not

@skycarl 11 жыл бұрын

Dino, Dino,,, where is the isolation transformer? Be careful friend. Good stuff.

@dougbolinsky1779 10 жыл бұрын

I got that radio !

@mikeg4972 4 жыл бұрын

The old electrolytic caps are dried, the wax and paper caps are crap. The selenium rectifiers were not great. If they have them, should be replaced with modern silicon rectifiers.

@brettsalling 5 жыл бұрын

The capacitor you called the filter capacitor, isn't the filter cap. It's just a bypass cap across the AC line. The filter cap is the big can near the speaker. Also, be careful handling the chassis while it's plugged in, being a transformerless set, the chassis is more than likely (50/50 chance) at mains potential. Good job finding the corroded tube and socket though!

@andygozzo72 5 жыл бұрын

where i am in the uk, we call what you call 'filter' caps, 'smoother' and 'reservoir' caps, reservoir being the one directly after the rectifier, the smoother(s), next one(s) down the line after any resistors, ..and the cap across the ac line we call the 'filter' , and you can get 'filtered' iec panel sockets and multiway extension leads

@MrPatdeeee 4 жыл бұрын

@@andygozzo72 And you call tubes "valves"; chassis "shasees"; antennae "aerials"; set screws "grubbers", my "me"; schedule "Shedual", etc. No disrespect. For I believe that Americans murder the english language. Oh indeed and I was born in the US and lived her all life.

@gtb81. 10 жыл бұрын

mine is getting a station but it has some scratchey sound with it😕 so can u tell me how to fix it i think its a filter cap so plez help oh and btw im 13😃 so plez help!!!!!!! i already tried the micro phonics test and I cleaned the prongs and I tried to fix the wires on the antana sooo plez help me!!!!!!!!!!!

@dass0137 9 жыл бұрын

Just dont electrocute yourself. Capacitors can hold lethal voltages even when the radio is unplugged.

@gtb81. 7 жыл бұрын

im 15 now btw, i know how to fix them, and i unloaded one on my finger once, knocked me back a few feet. ive learned a whole lot since i posted this😂

@gtb81. 7 жыл бұрын

lol i understand, ive been shocked a lot, atleast 7 times

@johnsimms3957 9 жыл бұрын

Wouldn't contact cleaner be better than sandpaper?

@carlrudd1858 9 жыл бұрын

John Simms I tend to agree...judging from the sound, that might be 100 grit, which is way to ruff for this kind of thing. I've sanded tube pins with like 800 grit, and never had a problem, but 100 grit or similar will leave microscopic scratches and pits in the pin, which eventually will cause arcing. Bye now.

@The_Studioworkshop 6 жыл бұрын

Why are you tapping the valves? Wiggling then might be better.

@NoCPU 11 жыл бұрын

Next weeks project-- a tube tester!

@MobyDave1583 11 жыл бұрын

I rtemember a long time ago when I was around 10 or 12 years old I fixed an ole tube radio by bracing something inside with a clothoin. Then was so excited I ran to my grandmothers house and asked nher if she had an old radio I could fix and she laughed her ass of at me That ended that career.

@nor4277 6 жыл бұрын

To bad we didn't grow up with the metric system thanks for the info

@MrUbiquitousTech 5 жыл бұрын

I'm sure glad we didn't!

@wheredidileavemycell 11 жыл бұрын

you remind me of jimmy o'phelan from sons of anarchy season 3

@ARAR148 7 жыл бұрын

im watching on the same laptop on your bench

@smgri 11 жыл бұрын

dude,,I have to ask you...I watch your videos and i am like how does this guy know all this stuff !!!!???? i am curious..what do you do for a job !?

@skullheadwater9839 4 жыл бұрын

i didnt realize you could test a cap in circuit? i was always taught that yields incorrect results? maybe your tester is special?

@skullheadwater9839 4 жыл бұрын

also i think that isnt the filter cap, thats the big silver can toward the front of the chassis

@carlrudd1858 9 жыл бұрын

I like the later Zenith tube chassis design.... easy to work on. BUT, at 12:25 you indicate you fixed it by replacing the 12BA6 , but later at 13:45 you admit that you still haven't tested reception and only detected static. Then, disappointingly, you conclude the 'repair' video with an un-repaired radio. A fun watch, but ultimately a fail. Sorry.

@carlrudd1858 9 жыл бұрын

LOL... you have a great sense of humor. Totally. :)

@HackaweekTV 8 жыл бұрын

+Carl Rudd Ha! I love guys like you that fail to pay attention. At the end of the video an FM station is playing on the radio. It does indeed work just fine so, untrue comment. Sorry.

@carlrudd1858 8 жыл бұрын

Not to worry..... I just go 'off' sometimes. Actually you do pretty good work, but I'd urge you to use heat sinks while soldering small components...or switch to a 15W iron, which of course takes much longer. BTW... you have excellent taste in gear.

@AlgoJerViA 7 жыл бұрын

For all you young players out there, if you find yourself doing cold joints only melting the solder it might be that you need more flux. The amount of flux in solder is often exactly the amount you need when soldering small clean components, to properly remelt an old joint you almost always need to add extra flux.

@MisterTalkingMachine 7 жыл бұрын

I use a 60 watt iron in this kind of stuff. I had never seen anyone do a repair without pulling the chassis out. Luckily you didn't have worse problems like open coils or bad mica caps in the IF transformers.

@Chrismettal 11 жыл бұрын

You should never put your fingers right inside an tube amp, cause the filter capacitors can have enourmous charges that can kill you easily! ALWAYS mesure all the caps to find out if they are discharged. Most of the amps have bleeder resistors to discharge emself, but never trust this, ALWAYS mesure! If they are still charged you can discharge them via an ca 100k Ohm (5w+) Resistor.

@justsumguy2u 11 жыл бұрын

Just some notes; 1) the best way to troubleshoot intermittents like that is to wiggle the tube in it's socket. Zenith of that era were known for having crappy tube sockets, and they usually need to be retensioned at the very least. 2) the cap behind the power outlet isn't a filter cap, it's a line bypass cap...most likely a paper one encased in plastic. They were actually worse than the regular wax caps; their failure mode was to explode. 3) The selenium rectifier should be replaced for safety

@nasirabidshah8626 5 жыл бұрын

Thiis ridio is my home

@WitheredAnge1 11 жыл бұрын

You described a circuit where 50% of the circuit goes trough one triode and the other 50% goes trough the other triode. Isn't this the definition of a class B push-pull amplifier? A class A amplifier would have 100% of the signal going trough a single triode.

@DeanSegovis 11 жыл бұрын

Hmm guess you have a point there.

@nor4277 6 жыл бұрын

Mfd and uf means the same thing right,anyone

@MrBillmcminn 6 жыл бұрын

Ron Thompson yes both mfd and uf both mean microfarad. In older schematics use mfd with a lower case m to show the micro prefix not to be confused with mega which uses the capital letter M. Newer usage of microfarad uses the stylized u to avoid any confusion between micro and mega. Just got to love the metric system!

@mokus8643 8 жыл бұрын

sure wished you had exploited the knightkit cap checker in the vid ..cheers

@mattrichards1017 10 жыл бұрын

use chopsticks!!!

@petermay1219 9 жыл бұрын

Ther mi onic = Thermionic.

@WitheredAnge1 11 жыл бұрын

You mean a dual triode is a class B amp.

@tarstarkusz 5 жыл бұрын

That radio can kill you. It doesn't have a step-down transformer. There is 120v across all 5 of the tubes.. Still, it has high voltage and only needs very little current to kill you in the right circumstances. Nevertheless, I think you went a bit heavy on the safety aspect. Most people should not be inside a vintage radio.

@HackaweekTV 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah it's a really tiny space for a person to fit into. ;)

@MrPatdeeee 4 жыл бұрын

@@HackaweekTV LOL!

@lancebutterworth5954 10 жыл бұрын

when i tried to fix an old raido like that it exploded in my face and i was in a coma for 3 days...lol

@damienlawrence7858 9 жыл бұрын

Tube amplifiers I will not be using sorry

@MrPatdeeee 4 жыл бұрын

No disrespect, but voltage never flows. Current flows.

@johnbellas490 7 жыл бұрын

Yup its a Humer, that's because it forgot the words :-) Ha Ha nope, sounds like a bad filter !!! Just had to say that ! Couldn'thelp myself !!!

@RuneTheFirst 5 жыл бұрын

Tube-caused hum is almost always a failed output tube (usually the tallest tube in a set). It happens when the ceramic or mica (depending on the age or desiign of the tube type) insulation on the heater/filament develops a break. It can then touch the cathode and inject the AC voltage into the cathode. It may hum just a tiny bit or "motorboat" loudly. Replacing the tube will fix it in those cases. Of course, a failed, under-value, dried-out filter capacitor will give the same symptom. Capacitor failure is actually more common now.