How to repair Vintage RCA 110K tube Console radio receiver D-lab electronics

A very rare radio came to my shop. I actually located it on Craigslist. The cabinet is in super condition. Operational condition unknown. It didn't take to much time to wake it up after all the years unused. I believe this will be a swift restoration. More videos to follow.

[@nigelwilliams4800]

I love the smell of vaules, just love the sound of old radios.. Will outlast most modern stuff

[@supercheekykiwi]

You clearly know what you are talking about. Would love a step by step series to help the technically challenged.

[@are2dee233]

In 1966 when I was 12 years old I was given an RCA 19K free from a gracious neighbor lady. The 19K is exactly like, and looks the same as, the 110K but uses two 6F6s in it's push-pull audio output stage. It was in mint condition with a beautiful wood exterior and a shiny bright silver painted interior. I spent many nights in the attic of the old farmhouse that we lived in "surfing" that Racetrack dial and listening to shortwave broadcasts from all over the world and amateur radio operators transmitting on AM in the ham bands. I used a 120 foot long wire antenna and at night, with the 19Ks front end 6SK7 RF amplifier, I could pull in AM broadcast stations every 10 Kilohertz all across the dial ! The 19K was what really got me started into electronics and in 1972 I joined the US Navy and went through its advanced electronics program at the US Naval Training Center and the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Center in San Diego. Looking foreword to part two of the 110k restoration. Joe - NA7MT

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Joe Magnan What ever happened to the old girl?

[@crzzymnn911]

My Dad gave me this exact radio! Trying to learn more about it. We used to be able to get broadcasts from around the world when it worked when I was a boy in the 90s.

[@user-qg8rd9ge7e]

I like listening to analog sw,mw radio stations from china,kora,rumania,usa,and several others... My name is igor belevich. I am 39. I am radio amateour from belarus.

[@CanadairCL44]

I am looking forward to the full restoration. These radio's are a work of art and have so much character they really are worth restoring. Thank you for taking the time to show us how it's done!

[@robertcarter3597]

Terry know he's stuff I like to watch when I can A1

[@MichaelLloyd]

I love it when the old radios still work with bad caps. It's a gorgeous radio. I restored a newer RCA console last year and man does that think have some output. It has a pair of 6L6's for drivers

[@earlmcgill5867]

Happy to find this video! I've got a 1940 RCA that is very similar to this one; same face and chassis but mine has a tuning eye and a slightly different cabinet.

[@StewartMarkley]

I liked this video especially because I had this same radio that I got at an auction back in the 70s and it was in even better shape. It didn't need anything but a cleanup and a few cap changes. I'm retired now and about to embark on my new pastime hobby fixing and restoring old tube radios.

[@roosterjones4247]

Same with me, if a vintage radio is worth repairing, do it right. Those filter caps, wax caps, and carbon resistors gotta go. Those multi-section filter caps may be hard to find and expensive if you find them. I've used single caps for each section and mounted them with octal tube sockets, or mounted plexiglass and bored small holes for the caps. Those old carbon resistors usually run high. Replace 'em with carbon film or metal film. Recently restored a 40s/50s Truetone for my cousin who's a WWII vet. He said the radio hadn't worked in over 30 years. It was a pleasure to see him listen to his radio again. Long live the oldies but goodies. (Vets and vintage radios)

[@commodoresixfour7478]

Those WWII vets are badass. My Dentist was a radio operator in China. What is even weirder is his parents immigrated to the US and while revisiting China his mom gave birth to him. So his is born of Chinese descent in China but is a full American Citizen.

[@johnmcdonald6660]

Great video. You give plenty of information and seem to enjoy it so much. I have had the same 110K RCA for about 30 years. It's a beauty. Look forward to your final video on the restoration.

[@billpowell5931]

I saw one of these beauties in an antique store today and even talked to the tech who said he recapped and refreshed the unit. It was beautiful. I did not hear what it sounded like, but the gentleman appeared knowledgeable about it. Cabinet was in pretty nice shape. Problem - he wanted $400 for it. Way out of my range, and I would like to do the work on my radios. In any case it was a nice find.

[@charleslauter5035]

I was in a technical high school in the 1950s. A local company donated a warehouse full of console radios to the school. The school had no place to put all these big radios, so we students were told to take the tubes and any usefull parts and to take the rest of the radios to the dump. Today it makes me sad when I think of all those beautiful radios that we destroyed like the RCA radio you are working on. CAL

[@johnmcdonald6660]

Nice RCA. I've enjoyed mine for many years. They called this model the "President."

[@act.13.41]

That is a nice acquisition. It's going to look great and sound great.

[@petercornell2002]

Lovely, lovely. Nice find.

[@countryside8122]

To think in the 70's I used to get these kind of radios by the hundreds. The people in the neighborhood knew i worked on electronics. They said the radios did not work. I haul them home and add an antenna and it worked great.Well make a long story short, I had so many I had to get rid of most of them. Nobody was interested in these radios. So i scraped them for the copper and aluminum. Still have some parts from them..lol

[@waltschannel7465]

Great!! I just picked up an RCA console from, I believe, the late 1930's judging by the grid caps on some of the tubes. I have not had time to test it yet, but it's complete, and for $15 it's low risk.

[@susanfrombflo8368]

You are amazing! So glad I found your channel. Thank you!

[@Zelleram55]

Nice find Terry! Looking forward to this series. I also will be watching for that MP3 player modification. I plan to add jack for MP3 on my Philco 46-1226 that I just finished recapping. Mine runs two 6k6's into one 12" speaker. Four 6k6's will be loud, on yours.

[@mrquick1937]

Great find 👍

[@skycarl]

The unexpected radio sound coming through. How cool is that? Yeah Terry, you got a great project here. Will be fun to follow. Have fun my friend.

[@champagnefinley]

skycarl what the difference between AM and MW?

[@Alpha1545]

Got one just like it. Only difference is I have 8 pre set push buttons. Great radio.

[@wadehicks9270]

Vacuum tubes are some of the most amazing devices that I think has ever been made. While they require some really high voltage to operate they produce the best quality sound I think you'll hear. I know I prefer a tube guitar amp over solid state cause I've played through both and there's no comparison at all that I can actually hear in the two the tube out perfoms solid state in my opinion.

[@arsnb9m907]

The old gal wants to live. She's in good hands.

[@umajunkcollector]

very impressive old klunker!

[@johnbellas490]

Terry; Nice find there!!! I guess that even though you powered it up partially and received a station momentarily is a testament to the initial build quality of RCA, but yes I would immediately replace electrolytics and those wax paper caps that if their not leaky now WILL get leaky shortly!!! Have fun my friend, cant wait to see the follow up videos!! John Bellas KC2UVN

[@dancraver3815]

Hi Terry Dan here I share your excitement I just found a magnavox 134h shortwave am fm I think it's 6l6 push pull and it has the optional fm stereo amp I hope I'm as lucky as you lol

[@fabinhoosmar]

Belo Rádio.....uma limpeza , troca de capacitores e eventual troca de alguma válvula, ele fica novo......muito bom !!!!!

[@michaeloleary1867]

Great radio!

[@johnelam2375]

I have a rca shf-8 sterio purchased in 1958. The sterio plays wonderful for about 10 minutes then quits. What are the steps in restoring this beautiful srerio

[@DeadKoby]

This is the "Good" kind of surprise.

[@MrArfisher]

nice change in the lab,Terry! Maybe you could mod that power amp and phono input to be more useful. Thanks.

[@d-labelectronics]

I plan to make the phono input for a MP3 player

[@marmaly]

Its very similar to my 19K. Exact same dial and basic shape

[@user-tc5nk6oq7u]

Thankyou for thes video Abdul iraq bagdhad 🌹

[@davidswetland2469]

Good day, I have a 110k-2 my is number 103938. I bought it at an antiques store in Cranford, NJ in 2002. About 15 years ago a friend of my daughter turned the tuning too hard and broke the string (?) I was so upset I not touched it until I came across this video. I dusted it out and have the radio out of the cabinet. All starts up without issue . Is there a part 2 as I would like to get the string fixed. Thanks for posting your videos!

[@notyetsilenced9746]

I just acquired one and am in the midst of restoration.

[@nor4277]

I just ordered some of those fuse holders and a box of assorted fuses ,what fuse did you put in your fuse holder ,and could you tell us where you put it.you have a great radio ,a lot of people would love to have one like it.

[@Defconfx]

I've fired old sets like this before and they just worked. Doubt anything made today will work after 80 years...

[@annie8591]

I enjoy watching your videos, although I'm not savvy enough in this field to try any of this on my own. I have an RCA Stereo Console 'Skagen' that I'm looking for new speakers for. 9 x 15" (Oval Shape). If anyone on here can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it! A techy I hired replaced the capacitors and transistor, but one of the speakers wasn't measuring right on this meter thing he had. Thank you!

[@patricktoussaint1981]

We just got one of these restored and are looking to change the speaker. How would you recommend going about that?

How cool these are now, because just like today-when this became "old-Fashioned". Dad bought a little table model to replace it.Big deal, a 4 inch speaker. But that made Mom very happy-because as you see it was a dust magnet and dangerous to put the Electrolux in there.How many housewives and husbands vacuumed in there with those metal wands and saw cool sparks? This is how America found out about Hitler and Pearl Harbor.Also it really was a party machine, because if you were a genius you could even plug your guitar into that high-gain RCA input.What is that a 12" speaker -about 10 watts? I can see when Terry knows he really got a prize he digs right in.Great video,don't know how I missed it.On to the dial cord ! Thumb up,T Hope I can find the series

[@gusshadleythelunaticfromar7125]

Old man Edd had one like this

[@briansmith2363]

I have a Emerson table top from 60s it has a 25 MFD 25 wv capacitor can I replace it with same kind or should I go to higher or different voltage than original. Also it has a 3uf 35wv capacitor also what do you recommend replace it with? In general what do you recommend I replace 2 capacitors with?

[@clydehood]

Iv got a question I have this same radio it has power could I install a record player & get sound from the speakers with the radio & how would you hook up a record player to the one plug you showed in the video is it just one speaker hookup

[@johnmoyer2849]

I restored a 110k about a year ago for a friend.It even had the original back.

[@davidswetland2469]

Hi John, would appreciate any advice you can offer on a broken tuning string! Thanks

[@johnmoyer2849]

@@davidswetland2469 nostalgiaair has schematics and diagrams.Should be able to find your radio there.They should show how to restring your dial.

[@davidswetland2469]

@@johnmoyer2849 many thanks

[@watcher818]

I just go one of these to repair for a lady. Was in her family since new. First impressions is the trans is fine, HV and filament voltage. Thing is, someone has a 5Y3 installed instead of a 5U4. Pinouts are the same as you know. Her set is a 110K-2. I cannot find out what the -2 designation means. I don't have the RCA Redbooks if the -2 description is in there. The tube layout tag in the cabinet shows the 5U4 as spec. I have yet to pull the chassis, because I have 2 other chassis going as it is. If you have any data on the 110K-2, please message me I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

[@randylearmonth4047]

Love your videos what size 3 section filter capacitor did you use,in the rca 110k, might have a chance to pick one up,can you bypass electrolytic can with regular electrolytic capacitors

[@EdWatts]

I would have installed a three-wire line cord, with the ground attached to the radio's chassis. And the speaker.

[@neildale50]

hi what do you think is the best , most powerfull old radio ? and same for a old portable radio ? i hear most of the short wave stations no longer broadcast anything so are old SW radios still usable and relevant ?

[@medhawk4885]

Another fun video. Ain't workin' on old stuff great ?

[@richardbrobeck2384]

sweet

[@pistolwip]

The Human Antenna!

[@clydehood]

So it powers up my problem is when I plug the speaker in it don’t have any sound if I unplug the speaker half way it has sound but it zaps around like it’s shortened out what could be the problem why when it’s plugged in all the way, it don’t do nothing but halfway unplugged it has sound and picks up a station for a second

[@jimbeedle679]

i own a 1923 radiola rca floor model tha still plays the last time it was plugged in--interested?

[@susannakilner2415]

I have a 1938 RCA radio, but in the UK it's called a hmv. i would like to know where I can get the help to restore the radio, it's still in beautiful condition, and I hate the thought of just dumping it.

[@waltschannel7465]

Susanna Kilner Try the Videokarma site. Lots of smart people there to either help you figure it out yourself, or point you to resources in your locale.

[@susannakilner2415]

Thank-you for the tip. Will do .

[@patmadix172]

Where can I buy electronic components I need a varistor

[@jimrick6632]

so did you ever do a follow up video on this radio????????

[@Delta62onhalo]

Was there any asbestos under the chassis?

[@d-labelectronics]

Nope, not on this one

[@dhpbear2]

That looks like a rather puny output transformer for a 4-tube output stage!

[@michaelkirby2445]

Could you restore mine?

[@tarstarkusz]

What could have possibly been wrong with this that it wouldn't be worth restoring electrically? That is a fine specimen and there is no reason that would preclude restoration.

[@d-labelectronics]

Still working on it. All new tubes, caps, etc, almost complete

[@tarstarkusz]

The reason I posted that was some time in the video you said something along the line of 'it's good enough to restore' (meaning electrically) and I just cannot imagine to what extent it would have to be broken in order to not restore it. Even if you had to find a replacement chassis, it would probably still be worth doing.

[@davebeam1]

would it be possible for me to ship you my RCA Victor Antique Console Radio, Model K50, 1939 -- and pay for you to repair and ship it back to me?

[@scharkalvin]

Strange that they used 4 6K6's instead of 6V6's or two 6L6's. Guess by this time the 6F6 was long in the tooth.