How to repair Vintage Tube Firestone AM FM radio hum distortion D-lab
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2018
- This radio came to D-lab via mail service for a cap job. As you can see some of them are real buggers to change. Normally I would not spend this much time on a radio like this due to value vrs time. However this was for a friend and a chance to show you some cool repair methods. Many of these old radios require rebuilding due to age. If you have one, that you love, here are a few Tech Tips to get it going again. I hope you enjoy my labor of love. TD
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This is a kind that my grandfather told me before that he specializes radio repairing on vaccum tubes types. Thank you for your video and I really hope that it will pass through generations to come.
one of my favorite things about D-LAB.
is that he always gets right to the point. none of that waste your time with blah blah blah.
I like that idea with the tube socket. This is the first time I've seen that.
The only way to learn something well is to learn from a smart person who has learned from smart people. So grateful that you take the time to share your decades of experience. I particularly enjoy watching the hands-on portions where you demonstrate techniques and point out things that only someone who has made all the mistakes in the past would ever know. It's a masterclass.
I've been watching a few of these D-Lab videos... and they're great!!! It's great to have such a nice friendly commentator with a real sense of humor. So many of these instructional videos are put on by arrogant showoff fatheads who mostly say "Look at me!"
I've learned so much! What a GREAT instructor!! Thank You, D-lab guy!
You are a great teacher,I no a lot of people would love it if you ever did a live show for question and answers.but in the mean time I will watch and rewatch your videos to learn from ,there are only a very few guys I watch.
I am so thankful for these videos, man. As a retirement project I'm learning how to repair guitar amps and radios (my basement is overflowing with dead soldiers). I am just beginning the learning curve and your videos, coupled with Jack Darr's book, I am preparing for my first amp build with Bruce Egnater. BTW, as a kid, there was a family in Ottawa named Dale, the father of whom was a major dude in Bell Tel.. He had a son named Terry who was a ham buff (not the meat) who had turned his bedroom overlooking the Rideau canal into an electronic work station. I think they, father and son, had better results rebuilding radios than they did trying to rebuild a Bug-Eyed Sprite that had suffered more than one too many Ottawa winters where they use copious amounts of salt on the roads. Again, thank you! You're wonderful and engaging teacher.
You do a great job. This is how i used to make money in high school in the day. Fixing these old radios for the neighbors. Can't remember how many old monster wood radios I used to get free because the just made noise and did not recieve any stations. Amazing what an antenna did on those old radios. Still have lots of old parts in the barn.
Very nice, clear, friendly presentation of vitally important basic practice
for a cautious learner like me. Tim from England.
What a pleasure to watch a real expert at work! Excellent quality video job, too. Many thanks!!
Thanks, Terry, you are 'The Maestro' !
The repair detail and explanation of what you were doing, was top self! The helpful hints and budget saving ideas are so important, especially for the new guys getting into repair. You are providing great info to keep the vintage electronics alive! More, more! Thankz
really enjoyed watching this - thanks for sharing your experience !
Greetings from Australia! I so love your channel! I was born in 1961 so you can imagine how many tube radios I had! Cheers! Andrew Peter Collins!
Surprising and great technique replacement of that old capacitor Thank you again for saving our world Greetings from Argentina
Very good video I like your style showing what to do and what not. I always look forward to your next videos thanks for sharing!👍
You are doing a great job,great knowledge
Thanks for doing a Radio repair! (I guess the sel. rectifier could have been replaced but what the heck). One time I replaced the filter caps and actually got them to fit into a small, black plastic, Fuji 35mm film canister! I fastened it down with the original bracket and it looked great, lol.
Thanks for your great work, Terry! I just managed to fix a Marshall VS230 by following the D-Lab's Tube Amp Theeta' way! I've learned so much from your videos, keep going!
I have come across the occasional cap that was impossible to get out because of other components on top or on either side. For whatever reason, I never thought of cutting the old cap in half !! Thanks for the great lesson!!
I love the introduction music to this video, then comes great knowledge from a professional electronics technician.
Another superb repair Terry. Great job!
I consider myself your student in a way that's why I am watching this video again ,much to learn.from.you techs I pretty much only watch the top five or six techs.thanks for the info
Very interesting, very instructive, very well solved. Thanks for sharing!.
its the finest plastic bin ive ever seen!!
Great video,thanks for sharing your expertise!
My Beckman meter broke in the 80's,see yours is still working.
Many thanks for this video. 👍 I'm restoring a 1953 Firestone 4-A-113 AM radio-phonograph. I restored the mahogany cabinet and the VM record changer and actually the radio works great, but since you & all the radio repair sources suggest, I am replacing the capacitors and the filter capacitor and checking the resistors. I gather some purists do not want to change the appearance of the original components, but since the radio chassis is hidden from view seems like the most important thing is to get the radio working and not worry about whether it looks 100% original. No one better be poking inside of my Firestone to see if the filter cap is original. Ha ha. Doesn't look like you ever respond to any of the questions in the comments, so I'll close without any questions.
Hope you are well. 🙂
Nice!! You really breathed some life into that "tired" old Firestone!! Great vid!!
See, the caveman had it going on making fire in stone pits!
Real interesting video, thanks so much!
Nice job as always... greetings from Brazil!
Great vid and excellent tips. Thank you Terry I know the CE cap cans are expensive even with the wholesale prices.
Thanks so much for the video and tips Terry. I know the purpose was how to bring an old radio back from the dead....nice. I'm guessing the time and parts required would add up to more than the radio would be worth but sometimes that is not the concern or objective. I really enjoy watching and learning. Keep them coming D-Lab....another satisfied viewer.....👍
Sleepy… worth is subjective with respect to collectibles and family heirlooms.
Very interesting video D-lab Electronics, I appreciate taking your time up this video sharing your knowledge with people who continue to love this technology, you are a professional and very didactic, many people stop studying some profession why the teacher does not have the ability of knowing how to teach, and that discourages the student, also thanks for not being selfish and transmit all your experience, greetings from Rico.
Great instructions! Thank you.
Brilliant and interesting video.
Another great tutorial video.
Great tutorial, thanks for posting.
I like your BACKMAN!.! I had one for years.
Damm this horrible circuit radio sound very good. You are expert repairman... thumb up
Labour of love it may be, but still a good job and an excellent tutorial! Big thumbs up
Great teacher
Excellent I learned a lot
Veeeery good made.
Cheerio from Germany.
Could you do a video on how to properly replace a selenium rectifier with a modern silicon diode and how to compensate for the voltage difference?
ruff hardin check out the allamericanfiveradio channel or radiotvphononut. Both of them go into that process.
Buen trabajo Maestro !!!!!!
Nice work, brother.
Thanks man, Love this stuff
Excellent.
I like the way you put J hooks on the parts leads.
The Carlson videos do the opposite and I don't agree with him.
It's not only the risk of damage to the IF coils it's also the risk
of damaging anything - including tag strips, resistors and other caps.
You have to make the least disturbance possible.
Wow, this old cap with bubbles looks like he has purulent pox or something like that. Never seen such one before. Thanks you for sharing this and Btw: Your Intro Music is a great bonus and I'm always excited what kind of music comes next. This time I repeated the Intro several times, really good stuff :D
genius idea with the yellow tray. I am expecting some new caps in the post this week, to replace paper caps in my old record player. wish me luck! another great video, most enjoyable. I love the tube socket and caps idea too.
Cool deal man, Glad you like + good luck on the project. What kind of record player? I have worked on many VM's, Newcomb, etc, school house type.
Its a Garrard RC120 4Ha changer, which I have stripped cleaned and re assembled. The amp is a one valve wonder generic no name. The part one video is at the top of my channel now. I mentioned you in the credits at 9'40
I getting ready to do a bunch of these,Kester is the best solder,I have used .31 60/40 .
Nice nice work
Very nice video. I'm going to put those tips to use.
Roger that Sir, Glad you like
FIRST thx for the vids terry!! love the long one's!!
You are always my 1st. Glad you like!
Did you put a 1N4007 across the selenium? I always do because those aren't as reliable after all these years. Even on amps like the Mc240, I put a silicon diode in place of selenium. I do have to put a 4.7k in series with the input otherwise the bias voltage is too high. Love your videos and your granddaughter is a charmer. I live in Michigan and I hope to see you at one of the old radio extravaganzas to say hi. Mike N8TPI
Terry you are the coolest tech. on the tube,no wine today?.Get some.
I watch some sort radio related RUclips video just about every day- that's lots of 'em. I think this video is the best I've seen on how to restore the electronics on a tube radio. You take it down step by step. There isn't a lot of "lagtime" or silence in this video. You offered a few great hints: The plastic bin for a chassis stand- never thought of that, cutting that pesky cap in half to remove it- amazing; never thought of that either; and the cap replacement with a tube socket. I am going to recommend this video to anyone new to the hobby of antique radio restoration. A fine job, sir! Two questions: What size chassis punch did you use, and what size screws to mount them? Thank you so much, D-Lab!
FIRESTONE Radio!!! Makes me think of the AC Delco 1965 air handler which was in my attic for house AC until 2015.
Muito bom trabalho....Parabéns colega....!!!!
Gerst video about cap replacement. When I do a re-cap, I usually turn on the radio after I install 2 caps to make sure I am still getting a reception. It's a good saftey rule I use. Would hate to re-cap 6 caps and turn on the set and got a surprise.
Keep the old filter cap in place, but replace with the new electrolytics in the chassis. This keeps the appearance.
nice,Good Job!!!
Your funny Terry
Get all those ugly old crusty cigar buts outa
There. Vary interesting
Many years ago back when I was in high school I'm 63 years old now I replaced the electrolytic in the power supply of an old 1940s 50s wooden cabinet table top a.m. shortwave receiver bought from a wino and that helped the radio I should have replaced all those old crusty cigar butts cuz it probably would have worked better then just replacing the electrolytic what about 10 years later one of the i f Transformers Let the Smoke Out and that was it for the radio no parts could be found it was fun repairing it with the teachers help it was a hot chassis radio just like the Firestone radio you are repairing in this video but you have some funny terminologies so Terry keep getting those old crusty cigar butts out of there hahaha it's always fun repairing old electronics and seeing them work again.
There was plenty of room under that chassis for separate electrolytic caps. Just clip the terminals off at the filter can and add the new caps. No need to remove the old can or drill out the chassis. If the owner looks inside, it will still look untouched. Just my 2¢
There may have been enough room, I agree. Some people open the cans and re-stuff them with modern caps to keep the original "look". Though some people put too much emphasis on "resale value" and "originality" as if it is something "special". As soon as you even change one tube, resistor, diode, light bulb, or cap, it is no longer "original" anyways. Even if you use the same "NOS" tube (or part), it is not original to that unit. To me, and many of my clients, the true value is in it's functionality. If it doesn't work, there is no "value" no matter what it "looks" like. 99% of people who get something like this repaired will never even look inside it. They just want it to work.
You can replace the power caps by this process also... Take out the power cap can.... Open it... Take out all old filling in the can... Connect new suitable capacitors as previous capacitor was on the base... close up the can... Place it at it's place.. that's it, all done. This method keeps the old look also of the radio....
i am with you . waste of time checking old caps ,,getting ready to recap a rca x551 that is cheery off ebay it plays but caps have to go great vid keep it up
I would really like to request a video where you just identify components in the older vintage radios.
Hopefully, even though radio restores are more of a hobbyist project than a business, this may inspire the next hobbyist to jump in and go for it. I have little interest in radios, but these principles can work with most older electronic things.
always enjoy your videos ! 73 W2MAZ
TERRY, great VIDEOS, I JUST STARTED WORKING ON OLD RADIOS ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO AND YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME A LOT. I AM DISABLED AND TRYING TO KEEP MY MIND WORKING. I WAS WANDERING IF YOU COULD ADVISE ME ON A PROBLEM I HAVE. I HAVE A ZENITH MOD. 5-D-611 THE VOLUME IS LOW AND NO RECEPTION ON THE LOWER FREQENCIES, I HAVE REPAIRED 5 RADIOS SO FAR..... THANKS TO YOU! THANK YOU
Hello, have you checked the HV supply? Sounds like low voltage. Do you have hum from the speaker with the volume at minimum?
D-lab Electronics Terry, no I have not checked the hv yet but I will, and there is no hum what I receive very clear. I will let you know what I find. Thank you so much for a quick replay and all your knowledge.
thanks Terry
Damn good video.
I recently purchased an old rca t4-8a. I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction to restoring it
Can you, or someone, let me know what is the ohm value of the small resistor on the top of the tuner?
It only has one stripe.
I have one with only one red stripe on a brown body and it measures completely open.
I never knew Firestone made radios.
Looks like this one needs a new set of recaps. lol.
Hey Terry, another great video - thank you. Do you have any designs for AM broadcast tube transmitters - a 2 or 3 tube unit for feeding sound to all the AM receivers in the house. I know there's a few designs on the net but I'm guessing you might have a great circuit or even built a few. Maybe something that will meet the regs over there but can also crank out 5 - 10 watts as I can legally use that here in New Zealand (I have the appropriate license). 73.
Graymark used to make that item. They pop up on ebay. A good way to get started.
Lots of good tips Terry, thanks! Curious if you do any sort of foil-side test before installing the new caps?
Hello, not on these caps, They have no low side band.
I'm restoring an old Sparton Tube radio circa 1946 and run 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.
How about the "polarity", is there any in these capacitors? Nice work👍
On the ones removed. the line indicates the outer foil I believe, which would go towards ground.
Whats the little white device on top with a lead coming out the side?
After all the work I put into fixing 2 antique SW radios, I was so let down that there are so few broadcasters left worldwide to hear.
I recently acquired a Zenith Long Distance Radio, But the tuning mechanism has a belt between the knob and the tuner, that slips, which makes it hard to tune, I've made a make shift antenna and was able to get three stations... Question, any idea how to repair or replace the belt and what type of antenna would work on this radio? Thanks Ralph
Where do you buy your caps and do you simply buy a wide variety of them? (values)
Thanks
One other question. I noticed you didn't mess with the selenium rectifier. I'm guessing you verified it was performing properly? I have been told that they invariably fail with age just like the filter caps. True, or no? Thanks!
How can you tell if a tube radio has a hot chais ,I just bought a 1953 Silverton e radio I don't no what it has ,I bought to see if I can recap if anyone that can help me to no what to look for
I have a 10s160 zenith in Great condition missing the big tunning needle and I think there's a glass cover that goes over the main display but I'm looking to sell it do you know of where I could do that?
Hi Terry, I saw something on the schematic that I didn't expect nor entirely understand - the small value caps across the filament series string. That is, C16, C18, C22, etc. I've seen those in parallell with filter caps in hifi designs; but, not across AC filaments. What's their purpose?
Noise/Rf surpression filtering.
@@olradguy Awesome - I never did figure that one out. Many thanks for passing on the info!
Really nice job Terry. Question : Why do you prefer the hook method vs. the coil method when replacing components? I live that tube socket idea and will use that for sure. Where did you get that chassis punch ? I have to look around for that... Great job as always Ron
Hi Ron, I do not know what the coil method is. The J hook method was instilled to me while going thru USAF training. Always done it that way. The Chassis punch is 1-1/8" Greenlee. They are very pricey. Best to look on ebay for a good used one.
Thanks for the top my friend.... BTW - I am just starting a project to build your dual rectification 6AQ5 amp... very cool.... thanks much
I have a question. In service manuals of these old radios, there are always instructions for alignment, by injecting a certain frequency here, measuring something there, then turning the top of a coil and so forth. I have not heard those mentioned in your videos...is that not needed? Do these things never fall out of alignment? All the best
Very good job Terry. ea5bii
Firestone! I have an Airchief combo phono/radio console chassis 1947's 'Rhapsody'. looks like a real mess.. really would like to guitar amp it. . . doubt it would be worth restoring as no cabinet.
You need to listen to The Villagers - Cool It (1967) right here on RUclips. Rare psych rock and African Psych Rock music that no one's ever heard before and that you could incorporate into your cool as heck video styles!
Can you tell me what type of solder you use
I use 63 37 as it is a eutectic type that has no plastic range. It goes from liquid to solid, no cold solder joints
Most solder might be 60 40
Did I hear you say that you replaced all the paper caps with the 400v orange drops? Are they all the same uf value?
Do you recommend red or white wine for this job? Asking for a friend
I'm a red (Merlot) guy
Creature feature cutting.. haha
Would you also recommend a ground power supply?
Hello, Not on this type radio. It is a "HOT CHASSIS", no power transformer. A grounded cord would Shock you or damage the radio.
1:30 Selenium Rectumfier. haha.
YES I LOVED IT TOOOOOO
Hello, I'm a novice,thanks for taking the time to teach. Where do you get your caps etc?
As you probably already know, Firestone didn't build any of their radios---I wonder what company built that particular set? It sort of looks like Stromberg-Carlson