1941 Zenith 8A02 Console found

[TUD1]

My beloved 1320 AM is back on the air! (For now.) I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to jam with the 1941 Philco 42-327.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

No. Those later designs were greatly improved and MUCH less prone to the type of failures the 6X5 was infamous for (they learned from their mistakes). Heck if only it would not look like a complete hack job the 6X4 or 6CA4 would probably be decent replacements (with proper socket adaptation) for the 6X5.

Some of the LAST 6X5s supposedly were 6X4s or 6CA4s in an octal envelope, and were as safe as the rest of the later types, but if someone like me who has been doing this for over a decade has a hard time telling the difference, then advising a novice to do so would be a bad move... I don't want to give him advice that could lead to an expensive component (the power transformer) being ruined.

THAT is why I told him to put FUSES in the chassis. I did so on my slivertone stereo chassis I recently acquired. a 1.25A. SB on the primary. I feel a 1A SB would work well on that radio chassis in the primary .


I DID have that exact chassis and maybe the speaker--it was GIVEN to me many years back. Think it was STOLEN a couple of years ago in the garage robbery though...

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by rca2000

THAT is why I told him to put FUSES in the chassis. I did so on my slivertone stereo chassis I recently acquired. a 1.25A. SB on the primary. I feel a 1A SB would work well on that radio chassis in the primary .


I DID have that exact chassis and maybe the speaker--it was GIVEN to me many years back. Think it was STOLEN a couple of years ago in the garage robbery though...

Fuses are fine and dandy, but when you take a NEW 6X5 that tests good and use it to replace a shorted one only to have the NEW GOOD one SHORT in a brilliant LIGHT SHOW the MOMENT it warms up you kind of loose confidence in all tubes of that type. There is a reason Zenith power transformers of that era are harder to find than those of other makes, and I think you can guess it.

You could possibly run that with all the original caps as a daily driver too with just a fuse, but would you REALLY want to do that?

[TUD1]

Now let's just calm down... My plan for this weekend is to 1) replace the cord, 2) check/replace all the tubes, 3) replace some capacitors, and 4) completely do away with the 6X5G. If someone can just explain how to physically install the diodes, that would be great. I don't have any desire to keep the old tube just for looks, even the socket will probably go. I am capable of all the rest of those things. Hopefully, I will get this radio working this weekend. Maybe.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Fuses are fine and dandy, but when you take a NEW 6X5 that tests good and use it to replace a shorted one only to have the NEW GOOD one SHORT in a brilliant LIGHT SHOW the MOMENT it warms up you kind of loose confidence in all tubes of that type. There is a reason Zenith power transformers of that era are harder to find than those of other makes, and I think you can guess it.

You could possibly run that with all the original caps as a daily driver too with just a fuse, but would you REALLY want to do that?

I meant to fuse it..>AFTER it it repaired. Duh !!! INCLUDING the wires--Zeniths of that era are known for VERY brittle insulation on chassis wiring.

[rca2000]

Originally Posted by TUD1

Now let's just calm down... My plan for this weekend is to 1) replace the cord, 2) check/replace all the tubes, 3) replace some capacitors, and 4) completely do away with the 6X5G. If someone can just explain how to physically install the diodes, that would be great. I don't have any desire to keep the old tube just for looks, even the socket will probably go. I am capable of all the rest of those things. Hopefully, I will get this radio working this weekend. Maybe.

Ok. In that case---there are a couple of ways to go. One--cut the 2 leads from the trans that feed the 6X5 socket plate pins ,solder the anode of a 1N4007 to them (one on each lead --under shrink wrap if possible,), tie the cathode ends together and solder them to the cathode lead of the socket. This totally eliminates the tube. You could still leave it in this way--since the plates will NOT be in ckt.

or. mount a terminal strip somewhere close to the tube and tie the diodes to it, and run the cathode ends to the cathode of the tube socket.

[TUD1]

Okay, that sounds easy!

Speaking of small AM transmitters, I found a system used for real estate called the Talking House. I wonder if I could hook up my i-Phone or something to it and broadcast to my radios? Sounds like it would be ideal to me. I just wanted to get y'all's opinion. Just Google "talking house radio transmitter."

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by rca2000

I meant to fuse it..>AFTER it it repaired. Duh !!! INCLUDING the wires--Zeniths of that era are known for VERY brittle insulation on chassis wiring.

I used, either the latest issue 6X5GT or the later JAN 6X5WGT. I'd like to see that baby short.
I'm rather against using silicon rectifiers in old equipment, unless it was original design. They're a little hard on the electrolytics because they get full or excessive voltage, instantly. You should replace the 'lytics with higher working voltage, than the originals.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by TUD1

Okay, that sounds easy!

Speaking of small AM transmitters, I found a system used for real estate called the Talking House. I wonder if I could hook up my i-Phone or something to it and broadcast to my radios? Sounds like it would be ideal to me. I just wanted to get y'all's opinion. Just Google "talking house radio transmitter."

I bought one of those "Junior DJ" units at a thrift. I works remarkably well. I stripped all the kiddie stuff off of it and mounted in a project box and equipped it with a whip antenna and an AC adaptor.

[TUD1]

The rectifier tube in that was in my Zenith when I got it was a GE Electronic 6X5GT. I'll be doing away with it altogether. I'll also be sure to replace the electrolytics with a higher working voltage.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by TUD1

The rectifier tube in that was in my Zenith when I got it was a GE Electronic 6X5GT. I'll be doing away with it altogether. I'll also be sure to replace the electrolytics with a higher working voltage.

My Zenith chairside has the same chassis. That chassis uses the direct coupled triode driver and 6AC5 triode output. Why????? most of the other Zeniths used penthodes.
Mine came with, probably the last 6X5GT's made. It has the small internal structure like the 6X4. I'll leave it!

[TUD1]

I cleared out a spot in my bedroom for the new Zenith. I will be putting the Philco on top of the Zenith. After I get the Zenith working reliably, of course.

[TUD1]

Should I put a three wire grounded cord on the Zenith or just use a two wire?

[TUD1]

It took all morning to get the chassis out if the cabinet. By the time we go it apart, it was time to go. One of the older gentlemen there said I could replace the 6X5 with a 5Y3. If I remember correctly.

[Kevin Kuehn]

The 5Y3 requires a 5V filament supply versus the 6X5 uses 6.3V. Also the current draw may be different? I was not aware that there is a known failure problem using the 6X5GT. Thought that was only with the original 6X5.