[quaddriver]

Im starting in on the target radio: 1963ish Truetone (Western Auto) DC-1454 - AMFM, wood case, 6 tube, SE rect blah blah blah

Its booked as a 50W radio. Why?

Welllllll, It draws the expected 35-ish watts for the heaters and whatever is needed across some plates. But it has a pilot light. (not the gas kind, the electric kind ;-) )

The light is a 6v-ish bulb connected right across the mains/switch

But but but, you say, you cannot run a 6v bulb on 117 or so volts. Well not for long. so, it has what measures out as an 870ish ohm 20W resistor. So this dang thing consumes 15w to light a dial, and boy does it get hot. Nu-cu-lah hot.

Unacceptable. 'Specially seeing as I am about to s&%tcan the SE rect for a diode and a new inrush thingy.

So....which way would yinz proceed?

My thoughts are to a) rectify the leads to this bulb and either zener it or LM317 it to 6v (gotta look up the specs to make sure that they can handle 150ish volts of supply voltage)

b) Tap the already rectified voltage at the first section of the can and do the same (the diodes I use can supply 2.5amp and typically the plates take a quarter amp)

and perhaps drop all this to 3.2v and use one of my super LEDs instead

c) I dont really wanna use a 60hz transformer inside this thing and deal with hum

d) there are 2 other voltage sections after the diode, one after a 56ohm and then the third after a 750ohm, however... the current limitation inherent due to being behind a 56 ohm and later 750 ohm resistor might make the 15-20ma the LED needs or eighth amp the bulb needs....well, taxing.

What say ye?

And while we are at it - is there a source for the schematic around somewhere?

thanks in advance and merry stuff with happy things