Works?
 

Was browsing on ebay this evening and found the following:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...264496727&rd=1


The item description says this Zenith armchair radio works. However, if you read a bit further, you will find the statement that the set works as far as the tubes lighting up, dial light works, etc., but the radio DOES NOT PICK UP EVEN LOCAL STATIONS! Why would the present owner of this even say it works, when it obviously does not? Just because the tubes light up in a radio or TV does not necessarily mean the set works, of course. I suggest that whomever bids on this set should e-mail the seller first, to ascertain the true condition of the radio. I would never (and have not, in over a year with them) bid on any radio, TV or anything else on ebay without knowing at least that much.

Yes, that is bending the truth on "works". I have bought some radios that are advertised as "works" but there is a lot of hum or some other problem. "Works" to me means "works properly".

Me, too. "Plugged it in the tubes lit up, & we gotta hum" is NOT working properly. -Sandy G.

Looks to be a worthwhile restoration project though but the price is already above what I would pay for it.

Pretty little thing nonetheless.

Yes, for some folks who sell on eBay, "works" means "something" happens, like the dial lights up, "some" of the tubes light up, it makes noise, etc.

I would rather NOT have them plug it in, since, if they don't know what they are doing, or don't bring the set up with a variac and a light bulb in series with it, they can burn up the rectifier or the power transformer if there is a short. I know that in any case I would have to totally recap the set and check for bad resistors, bad wiring (some of the sets of that era had wire insulation that would disintegrate and short) before ever thinking to plug it in. If the power transformer is good, the rest is usually cheap to restore to good working order. But most sellers probably don't know what a power transformer is, much less how to non-destructively test it. In this case, the transformer does work since the tubes light up, at least the heater windings work. I would think this would be a pretty easy restoration electronically, and the cabinet looks nice in the pictures.

Reece