RADIOLA IIIA Components
Colt
My first post..
I have recently acquired in nice shape a Radiola IIIA...I have a few
question about it and in hopes I may find the answers here..So I can
get it working again..So far I have Bill Turner's WD-11 tubes..great
job he does with them and he recommend I come here with these
questions....and I have a bad AF coupling X-former (5 terminal one)
and the new one is on order.
1. I would like to know the approx. value in (pf) or (mf) of the four
Antenna input capacitors ( I only have the 4 on this set)
and what is the value of the grid leak resistor that is parallel with
Capacitor #2 (green stripe)? and is there anyone here that can tell me
of a substitute or a way to hollow them out without destroying it, to
install a new cap?
2. On mine, there is a small metal rectangular shaped Cap (.0008mf ?)
connected to the Primary Terminal #2 of the RF interstage coupling X-
former and the cap is mounted to the transformer's frame (chassis
ground)...The schematic however, shows a cap across the primary
(terminals #1 and #2) and not connected to ground at all..Which way is
correct?....Can anyone help with these questions?
3. Does anyone here have a pair of WD-11 sockets?..My set has the
Modification for the 4 pin UX tubes..I want to convert it back to the
original WD-11 sockets.
Sorry if this is a repeat post, I'm sure over the years this is an old
topic and has been discussed at length.....I did a quick search, but
nothing came up.
Thanks a bunch..
Colt
dke...@hotmail.com
Hi
Most people break the capacitors by twisting the ends. They don't
take
nicely to this.
I have a note that has two values, I forget which locations were
which but these were measures I made from 3 units.
There were two values one was 60-80 pf and the other was
120-140 pf.. As I said, I don't recall which was which.
The unit that looks like a cap for the grid leak is a combination
cap and resistor. The resistances were 2 to 4 megs and the
capacitor measured 0.001 to 0.0005 uf. The original resistor
was carbon on a piece of cardboard.
There is enough room inside to put replacements inside.
I didthis t those ones that were already broken.
dwight
DumpsterDiver
> 3. Does anyone here have a pair of WD-11 sockets?..My set has the
> Modification for the 4 pin UX tubes..I want to convert it back to the
> original WD-11 sockets.
Think 2 or 3 times before you go back to the original sockets. First
off, they're tough to find: about the only source is to find somebody
who is partsing out an old Radiola 3 or 3A. Then, if you can find
'em, you also need to find the hardware and "rubber bands" to mount
them in your radio ... a real "fun" job, even if you do miraculously
find all the pieces you need.
Most of the folks way back when who switched out their WD-11's for
X-99's did so for good reasons. The 99's work better and consume MUCH
less battery juice. As for authentic looks, they're pretty much
indistinguishable.
Then, there are 864's, which are electrically similar to WD-11's, but
with the standard small UX base. They actually work much better than
WD-11's, so much so that there are folks selling re-based 864's and
WD-11 bases to people who have radios with the original WD-11 sockets
still in them. Military surplus 864's are common as dirt, but some
hoarders seem to be trying to corner the market and drive up prices.
Look for the equivalent numbers VT-24 or CV-2675 at dirt cheap prices,
though not every day.
Others use #30's or any of a half dozen or so other small UX based
tubes to get around the high cost and dismal performance of WD-11's.
In fact, WD-11's are such bitchy tubes that even way back times (mid
1920's or so) several manufacturers were selling adapters to permit
people to plug UX based tubes into their Radiolas and Aeriolas.
Nowadays, those adapters tend to go for pretty decent bucks ($15 or so
each) on Ebay.
DD
Bill Turner
WHICH IS A MEDIUM MU TRIODE. THE FILAMENT HAS A RESISTOR IN PARALLEL IN
ORDER FOR THE LOAD TO BE THE SAME AS A WD-II. ( THE RHEOSTAT WORKS
NORMALLY) I MAKE THE GLOBES IN SEVERAL TYPES AND THE BASE IN SEVERAL
TYPES TOO, THEY ARE AVAILABLE IN SILVER AND NON-SILVERED. I ALSO MAKE
THE ADAPTOR FOR 864'S AND 3D6"S. SEE MY WEBPAGE FOR PARTICULARS.
CHECK MY WEBSITE: www.dialcover.com
Bill Turner, excuse caps, short answers, stroke.
Bill Turner
Alan Douglas
Antenna input capacitors ( I only have the 4 on this set)
and what is the value of the grid leak resistor that is parallel with
Capacitor #2 (green stripe)? and is there anyone here that can tell me
of a substitute or a way to hollow them out without destroying it, to
install a new cap?
These don't usually go bad; have you measured them? The Rider
schematic for the Radiola III calls out 500, 250 and 10. I measured
mine at 80, 200, 100 and 18 (terminals 1,2,3,4) for what that's
worth. Somewhere on the net is a redrawn schematic with parts values
but I couldn't tell you where. The grid capacitor is not critical but
would be around 250pF. Some of these are wound in a cylinder with a
hollow core where the resistor goes. The metal cap makes pressure
contact to the projecting tin foil.
2. On mine, there is a small metal rectangular shaped Cap (.0008mf ?)
connected to the Primary Terminal #2 of the RF interstage coupling X-
former and the cap is mounted to the transformer's frame (chassis
ground)...The schematic however, shows a cap across the primary
(terminals #1 and #2) and not connected to ground at all..Which way is
correct?.
Whatever you have is correct. Designs changed with time and are not
necessarily reflected in the published schematics.
Alan
dke...@hotmail.com
> 1. I would like to know the approx. value in (pf) or (mf) of the four
> Antenna input capacitors ( I only have the 4 on this set)
>
> and what is the value of the grid leak resistor that is parallel with
> Capacitor #2 (green stripe)? and is there anyone here that can tell me
> of a substitute or a way to hollow them out without destroying it, to
> install a new cap?
>
> These don't usually go bad; have you measured them? The Rider
> schematic for the Radiola III calls out 500, 250 and 10. I measured
> mine at 80, 200, 100 and 18 (terminals 1,2,3,4) for what that's
> worth.
Hi Alan
The value of 500 to 80 is quite a jump. Could it be that one of
the terminals is broken on yours?
Also, when looking at the ones in my strait III, I only see
2 diifferent bands for identifiers. This would indicate only two
actual values and not four. I have a IIIA but I've not looked
at the values it has.
Dwight
Alan Douglas
production life of the III and IIIA. I wouldn't worry about it; they
only affect the tuning range, assuming a particular form and size of
antenna which very few present-day users have anyhow (an inverted-L to
the peak of a two-story house, running horizontally to the nearest
suitable support).
Alan
Colt
Colt
> Thanks for the replies..very helpful.
Just to sum it up....
I just bought 4 of Bill Turner's WD-11 style tubes (Yes Bill, I should
have said, with 5676's inside) for $120.00..So I'm stuck with looking
for a set of original sockets now and I don't want any base adapters
either ( I didn't know the radio was set up for the UX tubes before I
ordered the WD-11's from Bill). ..Besides, I want the radio just as it
was before the modification of the UX type socket were installed.
I was able to get some cap information from an old RCA replacement
parts publication a friend had..he told me; Antenna #1 should have a
100 pf cap, #2 should have a 250pf with a 3 meg grid leak in parallel
with it, #3 is a 100pf and #4 is a 10pf.
and the one hanging from terminal #2 of the RF/dectector coupling
transformer is a 800pf cap.
I think I will try a Dremel tool with a cutting blade to open up a 1/4
inch slit in the back side of the caps in order to stick in the new
caps, then glue the flap to the opening. should be less obvious.
Again, thanks for all the help..
Colt
dke...@hotmail.com
Hi
I've not had any real trouble twisting the end caps off. I needed
to fix my gridleak that way. No need to make a hole in the
paper part. That is great that you found a document that actually
states what the values are.
Dwight
Dwight
Alan Douglas
through it.
Alan
Colt
Hi Alan,
How would you suggest getting into those old tubular style caps to
replace the inards?..Some say here that twisting the ends off will
destroy the whole thing, and Dwight just said that's how he did his
with no problems...I'm not concerend about preserving what is inside,
as it's bad anyhow.
BTW; are you the same Alan Douglas that has a instruction booklet out
on how to restore an AK-40?...I started my first AK-40 restoration
back in 1985, using that information.
ecc...@idiot.gov
408338...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>:
I carefully cut through the cardboard tube at the base of one of the end
caps to separate it from the tube. Then I took out anything I found in the
tube and inserted the modern caps or resistor inside. In order to solder
the new components into the end caps, I drilled holes just big enough for
the component leads in the end caps ans threaded the leads through at both
ends. I then reattached the cut off end cap with hot glue and soldered the
component leads to the end caps. I carefully filed the solder down until
it was almost flush with the surface of the end cap. Once it is installed,
you can position the soldered place under the strap connecting the tubes
together so it is not seen. Just be careful not to get the solder onthe
sides of the end caps where it will show. Mine is working well with about
a 25' long wire antenna.
--
So long and thanks for all the fish.
dke...@hotmail.com
> johnson366-...@yahoo.com (Colt) wrote in <cf5aba93-08ec-4bc3-9e1f-
> 408338726...@m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>:
Hi
As I said, I remove the ends. It does completely trash the original
capacitor ( as does simply twisting them a little while unscrewing
them).
It removes a little of the paper under the caps.
I then cut a groove in the cardboard, that would be under the caps,
to run the new capacitors leads. When I put things back together,
I run some solder into the lead and cap before assembling them
and reflow once the pieces are together.
To my knowledge, there is no way to recover the original capacitor
after
the end has been rotated, even a little bit. The outer layer is quite
thick
and is just cardboard. On those that I repaired, the foil was not
damaged
by removing the caps but I saw no way to repair the torn foil at the
ends of the tubes.
One might try something like the conductive paint used to repair rear
window heater lines but much of the original foil is most likely
oxidized
away and it will be low in value anyway.
Dwight
Alan Douglas
could only suggest following the advice already given. I do recall a
similar grid leak combination in an Aeriola Sr, whose end caps were
threaded on to the tube. I cleaned off the wax that was preventing
contact to the foil, and simply threaded the caps back on.
Yes, I wrote that booklet on restoring an AK 40, which Jim Fred
published and distributed for some years in connection with his
newsletter "Antique Radio Topics".
Alan
Colt
A person named Jeff contacted me via Email and gave me this
information..Thought I'd share...Thanks to Jeff.
RADIOLA III CAP REBUILDS
A few years back, I had 3 Radiola III's. Determining that the
performance could be better with the tubular "Fuse" type caps
replaced, I sent 1 set to the gent listed below. The results were so
good that I soon had the other 2 sets of caps done. When returned, the
caps look original, but definetly perked up the sets I had. Joe is not
really quite on the net yet, so I am posting this ad for him. Please
inquire directly to his e-mail address...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUR RADIOLA III/IIIA TUBULAR TUNING CAPACITORS EXPERTLY RESTORED
TO LOOK LIKE OLD AND WORK LIKE NEW. $30.00 FOR THE SET OF FIVE
RETURNED POSTPAID.
Joseph Mente
20880 Thornwood Cir.
Olympia Fields, Il 60461
questions? email kf...@sbcglobal.net
Bill Turner
Colt
Yes..Thanks Bill..things are starting to come together..I will send
you a picture of my IIIA when it's all back together and working.
Colt
To add...I got a clunker IIIA off of Ebay last night and it had the
WD-11 sockets and all good x-formers too..
Colt
Well, I have the Radiola IIIA all back together, with Three good X-
formers and WD-11 sockets I got out of a clunker I bought from Ebay
and so now it is looking like new again..She sure shined up purty...It
was a real test of dextaertity and patience to reinstall the
Amplifaction and Station selector shafts back into the
variometer..thank God for needle nose pliers..LOL
Anyways..all that I'm lacking is the Antenna Caps which are with;
Joseph Mente
20880 Thornwood Cir.
Olympia Fields, Il 60461
being rebuilt..
So soon as I get them, I should be able to hook up th UZ-1325 speaker
that I've had for many years waiting for this reunion..
Normally I am an avid Atwater Kent collector, But this Westinghouse/
RCA RIII/A had always facinating to me as to it's simplicity and
rustic first radio looks..so it will be my only odd ball in my radio
collection.
I'd like to post pictures of it here somewhere when it's all done..can
I just post a photobucket url ?..or How does one post pictures?