Show us your portable AC/DC multiband radios!

[Vintv49]

This is my Sony CRF-5100. It was perfect until a few days ago, when I fried it, thinking I could use a non-standard cord (shown in photos). I already punished myself enough for doing this most stupid thing, but I thought(here we go…)that I used this electric cord before. But it has been months since I fired it up. Now, it's dead. It was perfect. What to do - thinking of just buying another as I can't repair it, and the cost to repair is probably as much or more as buying another. Older here didn't yield wiser. Anyways - nice to see all the other radios here.

Mine is at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/413857...7648929352304/

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by Vintv49

This is my Sony CRF-5100. It was perfect until a few days ago, when I fried it, thinking I could use a non-standard cord (shown in photos). I already punished myself enough for doing this most stupid thing, but I thought(here we go…)that I used this electric cord before. But it has been months since I fired it up. Now, it's dead. It was perfect. What to do - thinking of just buying another as I can't repair it, and the cost to repair is probably as much or more as buying another. Older here didn't yield wiser. Anyways - nice to see all the other radios here.

Mine is at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/413857...7648929352304/

OUCH! Sorry to hear of your bad experience with your CRF-5100. However, I wonder. Are you sure the radio is permanently damaged? How would the use of an incorrect power cord "fry" the set? I would look inside the radio, at the chassis, to see if there isn't a fuse in there that blew when you connected the non-standard AC cord. I would think the CRF-5100, like most AC/DC transistor multiband portables, would be designed to use literally any type of power cord, as long as that cord would fit the AC input socket on the back of the radio. (I have a Zenith R-70 AM/FM portable with an AC input socket on the back of the cabinet that will accept the coiled cord from my electric razor; said cord is a perfect fit, and of course it works, every bit as well as the stock AC cord would.)

I looked at the photos of your CRF-5100 and saw the type of power cord the radio is designed to use. I didn't see anything special about it, unless the stock AC cord had fuses or special circuitry to protect the radio from power surges, etc. I cannot otherwise imagine how using a so-called "non-standard" AC cord could damage the radio beyond repair.

Your Sony CRF-5100 looks very similar in appearance to Zenith's model 3000-1 Trans-Oceanic; same rotating drum dial linked to the band switch and all. The only difference between the two sets that I could see, aside from the volume, squelch, etc. controls located below the tuning dial, was the tuning meter, which the Zenith TO doesn't have, and of course the brand. Was the design of the CRF-5100 a deliberate take-off on the Zenith 3000-1? Doesn't seem likely, as I am sure Zenith had no affiliation, association, etc. with Sony at any time during the former company's existence (Zenith closed its Chicago factories and transferred its remaining operations to Korea some time in the 1990s, leaving only its business offices in Lincolnshire, Illinois, outside Chicago).

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

OUCH! Sorry to hear of your bad experience with your CRF-5100. However, I wonder. Are you sure the radio is permanently damaged? How would the use of an incorrect power cord "fry" the set? I would look inside the radio, at the chassis, to see if there isn't a fuse in there that blew when you connected the non-standard AC cord. I would think the CRF-5100, like most AC/DC transistor multiband portables, would be designed to use literally any type of power cord, as long as that cord would fit the AC input socket on the back of the radio. (I have a Zenith R-70 AM/FM portable with an AC input socket on the back of the cabinet that will accept the coiled cord from my electric razor; said cord is a perfect fit, and of course it works, every bit as well as the stock AC cord would.)

I looked at the photos of your CRF-5100 and saw the type of power cord the radio is designed to use. I didn't see anything special about it, unless the stock AC cord had fuses or special circuitry to protect the radio from power surges, etc. I cannot otherwise imagine how using a so-called "non-standard" AC cord could damage the radio beyond repair.

Your Sony CRF-5100 looks very similar in appearance to Zenith's model 3000-1 Trans-Oceanic; same rotating drum dial linked to the band switch and all. The only difference between the two sets that I could see, aside from the volume, squelch, etc. controls located below the tuning dial, was the tuning meter, which the Zenith TO doesn't have, and of course the brand. Was the design of the CRF-5100 a deliberate take-off on the Zenith 3000-1? Doesn't seem likely, as I am sure Zenith had no affiliation, association, etc. with Sony at any time during the former company's existence (Zenith closed its Chicago factories and transferred its remaining operations to Korea some time in the 1990s, leaving only its business offices in Lincolnshire, Illinois, outside Chicago).

AFAIK, the only affiliation Zenith had with Sony was when Zenith started selling VCR's, they were re-badged Sony Betas.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

AFAIK, the only affiliation Zenith had with Sony was when Zenith started selling VCR's, they were re-badged Sony Betas.

Zenith also sold rebadged sony portable TVs with that unique lollipop CRT, and possibly other Sony made products.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

How would the use of an incorrect power cord "fry" the set? I would look inside the radio, at the chassis, to see if there isn't a fuse in there that blew when you connected the non-standard AC cord.

I looked at the photos of your CRF-5100 and saw the type of power cord the radio is designed to use. I didn't see anything special about it, unless the stock AC cord had fuses or special circuitry to protect the radio from power surges, etc. I cannot otherwise imagine how using a so-called "non-standard" AC cord could damage the radio beyond repair.

The receptacle on the back of the Sony radio has 4 pins, 2 for AC power and 2 for 12 volt power from a car cord. The pins have different spacing and the plug on the Sony cord is "keyed" so that it can't be plugged in incorrectly. If a common 2 connector cord was used, it would be possible to apply full AC line voltage to the 12 volt input (which is usually not fused), with disastrous results.

jr