For Beginners: The basics of recapping and restoring a typical AA5 radio

[@markswartz5660]

I really enjoy your videos. I also like seeing those old radios. I’ve got a couple of them. There’s nothing being sold today that will be serviceable or useable in 50 years.

[@LanceHall]

Thank you for doing a detailed back-to-basics video.

[@rayrussell6258]

This still interests me Seth, so keep teaching us. I worked around automotive engineering my whole career, but never in electrical engineering. That's been a "black box" to me, unfortunately. Again, I need to better understand how to identify what is the across-the-line-capacitor, the most critical one for safety. I will re-watch this video to see if I missed something, but maybe if you start pointing out the movement of current visually for us, beginning from the power cord to where the critical cap is, would help clarify it better more for me. I thought I was getting it in this video when you first started talking about grounding, but then something diverted my understanding.

[@michaelpetersonjr]

Thank you for the video, Seth. Keep doing what you are doing. The IF transformer for the auxiliary input you install on all the radios you work on makes it more useful for those who want to listen to music on their phones via BT rather than AM radio.

[@hestheMaster]

Tube radios should have their old power cord replaced with a polarized line cord. But you must check all your home's outlets to see if they are wired correctly for safety's sake. Found one in my apartment that had the hot and neutral reversed. Fixed that right away. This Hallicrafters 5R3x radio looks like it was repaired by one of those appliances repaired "while you wait" places from decades ago. Shoddy work at best. For learning about what is in the radio it is best to find a schematic on the web. The one found there ( Rider's ) in this particular radio's case has plenty of info on it. Do like your series on general radio restoration Seth.

[@setharp]

The problem with polarized plugs on hot chassis sets is that as soon as you turn the set off the set will go "hot" again. So its best to replace the to-chassis cap as that will ensure the current is lower regardless of how the set is plugged in, off or on.

[@Timothycan]

We do see these type of transformerless sets here in the UK. Basically the circuits are very similar, although of course different tubes (I expect you know we call them 'valves') are used, as the filament voltages have to add up to 240v or thereabouts. They tend to be called AC/DC sets, since they can be run on DC (not that anyone has DC supply!) So although we don't call them AA5 sets, that's what they basically are.

[@setharp]

I've seen a few euro sets like that. A 220 volt set that is a real, actual hot chassis is sort of scary!

[@Timothycan]

@@setharp I also have a Dansette record player, where one side of the pickup cartridge was directly connected to the 240v line. Could be hot or neutral, as the original lead was unmarked! (I made it safer by putting safety caps in the signal line and changing the cord.)

[@davidh5745]

Seth, I've watched a couple of your videos - very helpful! Can you say a bit about where you source your parts, such as caps?

[@andrewblack4100]

Thanks for this video, Seth. Could you please provide us with a source for those little transformers you use?

[@Manhattanman52]

Thanks, it helps. There's still a slight buzzing on the actual radio, though. Can that be corrected?

[@setharp]

Yes. If you increased the capacitance of the ground cap it would. That would then give you more of a tingle if you touched ground, which is unlikely on this set

[@user-mv5bu2kk8b]

Dp you do any private repair work?

[@user-mv5bu2kk8b]

Can you recommend a good place to buy those axial capacitors?thanks

[@ScottEvans-vk7hse]

LoL Don't ask me how the tuning capacitor works... Then goes on to explain how it works! 😊

[@dr.detroit1514]

Echophone?

[@TV-js5zg]

잘 보고 갑니다...

[@hugh007]

That may have bought Howard radio.

[@stevewilki7910]

Seth, it was Tesla who came up with AC not Westinghouse.

[@setharp]

Tesla worked for Westinghouse and he invented the AC motor. His work along with that of Westinghouse developed the AC power distribution system.

[@rayrussell6258]

some of you people trying to change history are so very wrong; Tesla was a lab tinkerer (with both Edison and Westinghouse at different times) who got a few patents, but could not make them useful without the rest of Westinghouse's resources and teamwork. Westinghouse bought the few patents that Tesla was granted, so that there would be no legal confusion surrounding the completed AC system. Tesla would not have sold the rights if he had been the true inventor of A/C. He knew he wasn't. Additionally, for the Nobel Prize related to A/C invention awarded back in those days, Tesla got zero votes. He made contributions within a very large circle of technicians around the world working on the same experimental testing, but Westinghouse led and directed the work.

[@setharp]

@@rayrussell6258 You guys hashing over semantics should cool it.