It's nice to see someone who is starting right from the beginning. And as I am a beginner I have found part one really informative. Many thanks. Will catch up on the others. 👍😆

Thanks. Most people talking about this stuff seem to assume the one watching has an electrical engineering degree.

I am an avid watcher of these electronics repair channels. And I'm so glad someone else has said the word bastardised! I use it infrequently, only when I see someone else's work to "fix" our equipment here in the quarry.

When I was a kid my neighbors would give me old radios like that one. I am pretty sure I had that exact radio at one point. Most worked ok, but people were buying stereo consoles with turntables for records and with FM reception in those days.

"Don't be afraid to move stuff around" Thanks, that's what i needed to hear. I'm gonna dive into a 1947 Olympic shortwave set. It looks like it should just need some paper caps replaced, plus any bad resistors. I was feeling overwhelmed but this video helped! You better believe i put warning tape over the plug: "do not plug in!"

I'm watching this for the 2nd time. I've already watched some of the series 2wice but I'm going to go from begonning to end again. Ron, you are a natural teacher. Thank you.

You mentioned in the beginning about never turning on a radio without the speaker attached. I must have missed the answer to that.

Best explanation I've seen to date. Calm and collected with great technique. Thanks

Good warning at the start. My instructor many years ago always said " Keep one hand in your pocket and play with your change. Or something along those lines"😉

Hi Ron, Love those mid to late1930s RCA radios. I’m quite sure you will agree, the majority of American radios not only look far better than British Vintage Radios; they generally incorporate less complex circuitry, and are usually easier to work on - that is the chief reason I love American Vintage Radios as much as I do. Cheers my friend, Phil.

That’s a real nice looking radio!

The 6F6 tube, the filiments are on 2 and 7. The line at the botom of the picture in the chart shows the hey, and if you count clockwise, you will see it is 2 and 7, and besides it is also printed on the drawing that it is 2 and 7. If you had a tube substitution chart , you can usually find a tube that is in your tube tester, and use those settings.

This is a great video. I have learned a lot from this.

Very very interesting and informative !

I feel like I should not have jumped into the deep end with a Philco 610 that has not been touched since 1945, but you live and learn. The worst part is I did multimeter tests on all of the tubes, and they all worked so something with the internals is wrong.

All right Ron,,, looks like #39 is off to a good start. Great info for all to take in.

You CAN turn on any valve amp without a speaker attached IF the volume knob is turned down or the audio output section is disconnected from the rest of the circuit (when testing for example) e.g. when no output tubes are inserted, as the problem is having current flowing through the output tubes and so the primary winding of the audio output transformer without a speaker load attached to the audio secondary winding, as there is nowhere for the output signal energy to go. This energy gets reflected back into the output tubes, so can damage them. But, if there is no amplification in the output stage tubes (i.e. when the volume is down), so no signal or current flows through to the output tubes or the output transformer's primary winding. Also, it is always best practice to turn the volume down on ANY amp before turning it on to stop pop surges through the output stage and speakers, potentially blowing something with any power-up surges.

The 5Z4 is fine as a replacement for the 5Y3. Only thing to check is Pin8, the cathode should to go to B+. To test the 6F6, the settings for a 6V6 should work ok, the 6V6 has a slightly higher gm than the earlier 6F6, otherwise pretty similar. I guess this comment is now somewhat out of date Thanks for the video. Steve.

Great video!! You should test for shorts before you apply the test. You should go through all of the numbers not just the filament (the "7" you showed in the video). The light came on for that setting, because you had a good filament, but you already knew that, because you ran the test first. Running through all of the numbers will test for shorts between grid and cathode, plate, screens etc. You shouldn't have lights on any of those. The chart you were using tells you the only number you should have a light on (in the case of the one you showed 7 give a light, because it is across the filament, it should have continuity there.)

thanks, good video. some good information.

Very nice video with a lot of clearly enumerated helpful restoration facts. Thanks for sharing.

hi Ron : Great work , You are really talented , I envy you guy because i am an audiophil but I don't possess such talent. I would like to say something that many people can repair and refurbishe and varnish the old devices, but very very little technicians who can clean it before and after repair of these devices and turn it to zero - like the China plates after being washed - to be worked again as a brand new product , I will be happy to know your opinion , thanks.

I understand about wanting one with an eye tube. I got my 1940 rca k80 for the same reason, lol.

The 5z4 heaters are pin number 2 and 8. 8 is also cathode.

I'm just now learning about tube radios so this is SUPER helpful. If you have any contacts in the Houston, TX area, I sure would be happy to know... I've got a radio I'd like restored... or, can I ship this to you? Thank you!

Thank you for this! I have a motorola radio I want to restore and try to duplicate somehow . the date around the tubes say 1941

I was 2 in 1939. 1939 was the real start of WWII on September 1 when Germany invaded Poland.

Good Morning, whrer did you get your tube tester? did you have to do some work to it? Thanks Brendan

Ron, thanks a million for taking the time to get down to our beginner's level and explain all the info in such a great way. I have a question for you, I am about to dig into my first radio restoration project for a 1949 Dodge car, and I would like to know if all the basic components for those antique console radios are similar than those in classic cars.. Obviously voltage is completely different, but other than that, the basic principles of restoration, parts etc would be similar?

Good video Ron thanks- Do you support repairs to vintage radios like in the video? I have an RCA that was my Grandfathers that I would like to get operational.

Hi, Ron You know that the the commercial electronic websites such as amazon and eBay are full of floods of adv.s about the vintage audio sets without telling the truth for its, customers that the spare parts of those sets are finished. no more production since decades. so what to do then. before buying these dead devices 🤔

Hi Ron, Great video. I liked to get into vintage electronics but it was always kind of an expensive hobby. Any suggestions as to how to approach it with a beginner in mind? Thanks.

I'm restoring an old Sparton Tube radio circa 1946 and ran across something on the schematic that I have never seen before. The last resistor listed says R18 2700 ohms 5. w. w. w.. All the other resistors show the ohm value and watt value as an example R4 100 ohms .5w etc. My question is what does it mean when there are 3 "w" s like that? I went ahead and replaced the R18 with a 2700 ohm 5 watt resistor. The radio works and I have the proper voltages but the resistor is getting extremely hot. Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi Ron. My 8 year old son is really into learning about electronics, and lately especially has an interest in vintage radios. Can you tell me what to look for if we were to purchase a tube tester? Like what measurement parameters to look for, brand, etc, what not to buy, etc.? Is there a way to message you directly by chance? Thanks!

What is the fancy tool you are using at around 10 min mark to test the tubes???

Cool video! My language is Portuguese so, sorry for my doubt, but around 26:54 you said "dog bone"... what do you mean by that?

Really enjoyed the videos.Do you have any other information on the Signal Tracer tried the email no response.

Transformers can be repaired.

Wait, if a transformer has leaked? I have a super super old radionette radio I bought at a second hand shop, and I was hoping to get the components from it (not really interested in radio, nor in the memorabilia value of it), but I was really caught off guard by the components on the top side. So I was really wondering what all the glass things etc were, and I was worried they might have some toxic chemicals or similar, so I decided to look up a video of someone restoring a similar radio in hopes of learning more about the components, but now I'm just MORE confused. Any chance for a more detailed explanation of what each specific thing on the top-side is? Or somewhere I can look to learn about them in general?

What does happen if you power up a radio without the speaker attached?

So I would assume it can't work without all the tubes, I found an old tube radio and it is missing 2 tubes and I'm not sure which order to put them in or which tubes to buy.

I would suggest you find a tube substitution manual.

I have a RCA with a missing model number I'd like to restore. Chassis number is 12874. Unable to locate schematics so far. Any idea's??

Hey Ron, you know I'm not an electronics guy. Other than the transformer, is there anything else that is dangerous?

The most discouraging thing I often hear when I am looking at a radio with the seller. And they say, "Oh, I plugged it in and it doesn't play". I get so mad but I can't fault them because most people have no knowledge about antique radios. And they will never tell you that it popped and smoked when they turned it on.

Get an *RCA Tube Substitution Book.*

Please adjust the camera straight to your face, it more clear and logic !

nightmare i think most people ran into a brick wall because they don't have a tube tester i'm blind. i have no tube tester. can't go further.

6F6 heaters are 2 and 7 not 1 and 4.

I was gonna zip you a bit for NOT TURNING OFF the tube tester between tubes, but I started Part 2 where you admit to that right off. I really have to say though the end of this video is HUGELY ironic: you tell us to be careful, and then misspell careful. Caereful?? Unreal. In P2 you first spell "schematic" correctly in your graphic but whiff on the second try. I bet you aced electronics but failed spelling ;-) I DO love how you start Part 2 with "lets recap" - knowing that's what you will be doing! Also want to thank you for the info about Frank's tube list; while other sites have the same info Frank has it really well organized! Well done.

joolery

Sus

Why are you in our bare feet?

Don’t waste your time fixing someones junk!

A great way to get zapped