Recapping Westinghouse Little Jewel 2 H126 Refrigerator Radio

radio 2 capacitor replacement

[@akdenyer]

Hi Shango, I really like you and Radiotvphononut so much more like it really is, I much prefer you two too Mr Carlson, living in a place full of every piece of test equipment you can imagine and pulling in 1000's from the patrons. I am an experienced electronics engineer but still learned some good tips from both you guys. Down to earth how its done. Try not to be so negative I think you are brilliant and what you do is brilliant a very informative with lots of good tips. So thankyou for all your efforts. I have done a few videos but reluctant to add to the plethora of people fixing old electronics gear. Take care and thanks, keep them coming.

[@zulumax1]

Both are very entertaining, and will speak their minds. I love the fact they don't sugar coat anything. Not afraid to rock the boat, I love it...

[@darkwinter6028]

That is actually the proper way to bend component leads. IIRC, there is actually a NASA spec for that...

[@ocotillo8291]

I saw the spider creeping around at 10:40 When the spider came out of the pot, I laughed when you said Its coming to get you!

[@andymouse]

" It looks cool and I like the way it smell's when it's burning" made me laugh out loud ...cheers

[@dougbrowning82]

@@michaeljackson5938 I saw one there from Brazil.

[@Funwithhighnotes]

Haha same here. My wife asked me what I was laughing about, so I let her watch. She also laughed. Good times.

[@jedblow]

Thanks you helped me on capacitor replacement on my 1937 Marconi model 75. The wiring is breaking down and disintegrating and the chassis weighs about 30 lbs. You didn't replace those rectangular plastic caps with the color dots so I will leave mine in as well. You called them electrolytic . They dont look like electrolytic caps. Although I have the schematic it looks like it was created with a Sharpie and hand drawn. It also is inaccurately layed out. Anyone who could remove , paint the chassis and rewire this thing , well I doubt it's possible . But you're right all the power to them.

[@shango066]

postage stamp capacitors, most are mica and are usually fine some are paper and need to go

[@dh-_1011]

Shango066, I simply want to thank you a whole bunch for doing these radio videos. I took in a 1946 AA5 that didn’t work. Diagnosed the problem, replaced the caps that needed it and tuned it up! Following your videos, I fixed it. You helped me out a bunch. Thanks again. -dh

[@_-_Michael_-_]

Thank you, I learned a lot from binge watching all of your catalog you made over last years. And you pretty decent with comedy also.

[@guyonearth]

Each spider equals 1pf additional capacitance when they're inside the IF transformers.

[@richgriffith5541]

I like the way you bend the leads on the new caps. I'm going to start doing that.

[@1959Berre]

It is a legit method. Solid, stable, easy, reliable in the long run and, most of all, it does not put stress on the surrounding parts..

[@rEdf196]

I remember in the 1980's seeing a vintage 1950's era electric 4 element cooking stove and oven with a built in AM tube radio which, at the time didn't work and made a loud 60Hz buzzing noise.

[@charleswillsonpeale5739]

Oh, geez, the way you re-capped that point to point has me running for the shelter, of mama's lil helper, Shango. *(sniff, sniff)*

[@tarstarkusz]

George Westinghouse was a pretty amazing guy. There's a good documentary of his life on YT. Well worth the watch for any fans of Westinghouse or really anyone likely to be involved in vintage radios.

[@old64goat]

Hook & pinch "J hook" is the BEST way to replace caps, that is the way I do it, less damage to tube socket pins, etc. Cutting the leads very close to the old cap, yes. I like the way you re-cap radios.

[@randomsteve4288]

6:42 very valuable tip about bending capacitor leads there. But the problem with bending the leads right at the case is not only about breaking any moisture seal. Especially on these caps with the thin epoxy coating you run the risk of exerting mechanical stress on the schoopage (the metal layer that bonds the lead to side of the foil roll). Schoopage failure is one of the hardest to track down intermittent fault since at early stage it will only show under a high pulse current load like in TV deflections but not on your average cap testers.

[@MichaelRusso]

Nice work and thanks for the insight on how to evaluate vintage tube/electronic devices.

[@Madness832]

"...Illinois capacitors, made in China..." Gotta love it!

[@tonyp7779]

ILLINOIS Capacitor. A CDE company. All made in China.

[@geoffquickfall8424]

Excellent work as usual, love getting tips from your method. Did one of these and left exactly the same two caps. The metal grill i stripped then nickle plated and polished. The clam shells got a light turquoise high gloss finish because ‘she who must be obeyed’ wanted it to match the toaster, kettle and other accessories in the kitchen. Cheers!

[@Atomshamradio]

No OCD here love your work great job👍

[@quantumleap359]

Ha ha ha ha @ 10:41, there's still a bug in the radio! Creepy crawler. Just love these videos, and completely agree about not stressing the new components. You do great work Shango!

[@orionwarren4244]

Sweet little radio. I bet it spent a lot of hours entertaining a typical 40s/50s housewife in the kitchen. On top of the refrigerator of course!

[@KameraShy]

Excellent tip about how to bend those cap leads. Learned something today. Can go back to sleep now.

[@fanofoldfans9238]

Cool little mini frige. It needs a recharge with R-152a and a new condenser fan.

[@johnnytacokleinschmidt515]

R-12

[@dstoll7958]

Three Video's in last 3 days? There goes Monday morning meetings ! Dang it Shango, but YES thanks- looking forward to them all for sure .

[@probnotstech]

Neat, I do the exact same when replacing caps. Bend the lead with the pliers and j-hook. I must have gotten this from one of your old videos, because my work is damn near identical!

[@frankowalker4662]

I like your style.Throw in the new caps and bang it together. Nice.

[@n8nkqrp595]

Spectacular lesson in innate troubleshooting skills and a thorough understanding of the circuitry. I'm a retired biomed engineer, and I agree with everything said about lead dress. I take only one exception: altho those yellow axial lead caps may be expensive, 99.9% of 'em are 0.01 cent ChinoCrapCaps with a service life meaasured in years. Not decades before the poisonous recycled bottom quality materials degrade. In my restos I don't give one little sh** about lead length. In the real world it almost never makes any diff.. and if it does on one particular component then fine- I'll move the damn part right next to the high Z point and let the ground lead go where it may. lol. Those yellow caps are HIDDEOUS and they remind me of bottom-dwelling cap swappers who don't know the difference on a schematic between an FET and an NPN transistor. Or from a diode probably. Thank you Sir! Excellent series by the best. 73 OM

[@ianallen2]

Looks a lot neater and cleaner with the new caps.

[@FoxintoshPlus]

Damn I love Shango repair 101 tips it's still surprising tho how some people don't know some of the basics like J-hooking and such great vid bud!

[@joeblow8593]

If possible, can you do a followup video or have pictures of these after he does the external restoration work?

[@k4vms]

Sure would like to see the finished product after the radio enclosure has been restored. Ricky from IBM, Ret in Englewood Florida formally from Simi Valley, Ca

[@colt45peacemaker]

Do you miss the 118fwy and 405

[@k4vms]

@@colt45peacemaker Nope !!! For awhile I had to commute to Culver City. That was a real bummer. A bad traffic day here on the Gulf Coast of Florida is when I have to slow down to 40 MPH. I was luck, I had a position at IBM where it made no difference where I lived just as long as I was in the area of an airport. Ricky from IBM, Ret in Englewood Florida

[@Rfk1966]

Pretty elegant way to bend the leads.Thx

[@bigsky1970]

I dunno, looked like that spider enjoyed doing a little huffing.

[@volvo09]

Hard to imagine new bedford MA used to make capacitors. Actually lots of electric stuff was made in MA. Not anymore....

[@sonsofthunder915]

New Bedford ? Isn't that where George Baily and, that evil Mr Potter used to live ?

[@TheRadiogeek]

@@sonsofthunder915 that was Bedford falls.

[@sonsofthunder915]

@@TheRadiogeek Oh, I guess they don't build capacitors in Bedford Falls then ?

[@erikj.2066]

Yup, all the Telechron/GE clock movements lots of clock radios had made right down the street from where I usta work in Ashland MA. Raytheon tubes made in Newton. Hy-tron/Sylvania tubes made in Salem, and the Danvers plant where my grandfather worked as a tube tester. National radio, Automatic radio, etc etc...

[@bitrexgm]

neighbor Rhode Island was the most industrialized state in America until at least the mid 1950s, with more manufactured goods exported per capita than any other state. Most of that was textiles, though. Much of the microelectronics industry moved out west to CA in the late 70s and 80s because (arguably) the minicomputer industry in New England, which was very profitable for a time companies like Digital Equipment, Wang, and Data General, really slipped up on judging the market demand for home computers. There are many electronics manufacturers still in MA though but not for commodity stuff like capacitors or computers, it's more niche markets like medical equipment/healthcare, power electronics, robotics/automation, and aerospace and defense industry stuff...there are jobs for assembly technicians regularly available problem is there don't seem to be enough skilled people to fill them.

[@Musicradio77Network]

And speaking of “Radio Disney”, I heard that KRDC 1110 AM one of the last AM stations in the LA Area has finally pulled the plug on “Radio Disney”. The last day was April 14th of this year. I missed recording the final moments of KRDC’s “Radio Disney” at 1110 AM. It flipped to sports as ESPN Radio on 1110 where it is now simulcasting on 710 AM. No more “Radio Disney” for now. You should do a video about it this weekend while you doing a vintage radio repair video.

[@ronaldspencer547]

Nice work. Soon there will be two shiny art-deco radios!

[@craigstaggs8597]

Please do a whole video on the Spam phone calls ..... I'm not very well at this time and they proper cheer me up !!

[@Andrewausfa]

You left us hanging at the end there :)

[@kiteman357]

I also learned to shape the leads like that. I learned in 8th grade electronics class, 1980

[@huwkelvinmorgan3575]

just a nice radio at the end of the video the audio way v good

[@hugoromeyn4582]

Nice work Shango066!!! :)

[@drtidrow]

Mouser is my first choice when buying components, but I often check Digi-Key and Newark as well, sometimes their prices are better.

[@TrakThora]

Great project.

[@Decap1956]

tyx for the capacitor tip this will help me a lot

[@SpeakerFreak95]

A lot of times the spider comes loose from the frame. That can be a little challenging to remedy on these speakers.

[@hestheMaster]

Must of had a sale on 1/4" diameter spaghetti tubing. I don't know if it actually heat shrink or not but I got a shoe box full of cloth wiring where if need to just pull off some of the cloth from the wire and wha-la instant insulation that looks almost original!

[@Atomshamradio]

That's how I bend my caps 👍

[@monkeyboy4746]

It must have been a real spectacle to see someone carrying one of these things by the handle down the street.

[@Babysqid]

Imagine somebody strutting down the street with one of these on his shoulder as a boombox

[@mountainhawk9802]

i have a question if you don't mind........is it necessary to identify the outside foil of the new capacitor before replacing the old one....thanks

[@colt45peacemaker]

Wondering same too.

[@hestheMaster]

Maybe because back in the day they did not have polarized line cords and they almost had to do the outside foil thing. If it was noisy you had to switch the plug in the opposite direction to the power outlet which also wasn't polarized, but you'd probably did not notice a change . As long as B+ and B- are just that then the relativity of the capacitor to outside foil is quite negligible to ground, in general.

[@mountainhawk9802]

@@hestheMaster thanks

[@colt45peacemaker]

@@hestheMaster the outside foil made a difference in internal noise generated. The end with the outside foil is marked with a radial line at one end of the capacitor cylinder. Using a polarized power cord prevented the chassis of the radio becoming line voltage. Those small size radios didn't have a power transformer to save money. The tube filaments of all tubes added up to 110volts.

[@hestheMaster]

@@colt45peacemaker So when you recap a radio why does it not matter so much when you follow all the electrical precautions ( fuse on a transformer powered radio, "death" capacitor being X1Y2, polarized line cord,switching the "hot" side,or what is know as wire dressing)? Internally generated noise is very much lessened by all those things. I'm sure a small radio chassis size loaded with components would be the main culprit in noise being a problem however!

[@lsreparosautomotivosemgeral]

thank you to all who visit and subscribe to the channel, to know our work here in Brazil, thank you very much to everyone.👏

[@vextenoch]

I always found it fascinating that in the US you don't use nanofarads. Much easier to say 4.5nF than 0.0045uF

[@michaelyancey3021]

I don’t think nano- and pico-farads were a standard in the U.S. until the mid-1960s. So many, many schematics back to the ‘30s show uF (for nano)and uuf (for pico). Still, it’s sort of a lazy preference to use ‘0.1 uF’ instead of 100 nF.

[@hestheMaster]

We only use picofarads or microfarads because two values is easier to know than three. Less confusing and easier to read schematic wise for sure.

[@vextenoch]

@@hestheMaster yup. Just as easier as the imperial maesures 👍

[@colt45peacemaker]

ALL ELECTRONICS Oxnard street & Kester. Van Nuys, California.

[@ingussilins6330]

Very clear sound! This is a TRF receiver?

[@aerotro]

@shango066 Glad someone knows the right way to bend component leads your spot on their :)

[@vicmabus1532]

Itsy-bitsy spider went up the brass standoff.

[@William103f]

Great video 👍, more fear please 🙏.

[@ikarosalpha8783]

hey when he gets the cosmetics restored can you post the pictures on the community post page? i'd love to see it

[@_Ramen-Vac_]

cool, i missed this 2nd one. now i got it.

[@DG-zp2wz]

Shango, Radio Disney is gone from AM 1110, KRDC, in your area. The station is now broadcasting ESPN radio, the same as AM 710. Maybe KRDC is going to be sold soon.

[@shango066]

And I'm sure it will be foreign language

[@keithlogan6641]

Cool radio you should take it out of town and test how strong the signal is on both of them to see which one is strong er then the other

[@pallsmortion4750]

Life before pcbs looks like hell

[@erikj.2066]

Whole lot easier tracing a circuit when you don’t have to flip a board back and forth to follow traces.

[@pallsmortion4750]

I see your points, but to me it’s simpler to fix when it’s all at one level, it seems like 4d chess with the components all over the place

[@entity9742]

You know if a screw gets stuck like that you could get a drill and drill slightly into the screw then get a allen wrench and slip it snugly in the hole to torque it out

[@danmackintosh6325]

Here to watch, as promised lol

[@moshezaharia4666]

Hi Shango, the capacitor on the antenna board, is it for an external antenna? should it be replaced with a safety X or Y rated capacitor?

[@mechtrician1]

I read the other day that radio Disney will stay on the air until the station is sold.

[@colt45peacemaker]

710am Los Angeles

[@terryvaughn8466]

Thankyou. Good tips.

[@mrjason9382]

Thanks for shareing

[@davidharrison4881]

Jumping Spiders are my fav.

[@mosesbrowning8055]

So I know enough to get by fixing stuff, and mostly fix tape decks and reel to reel players. When I replace capacitors, I figure replace them with the same type. So why do they make different types and in what scenario would you use one type over the other? ( ex. electrolytic, Mylar film,ceramic disc etc.) And can you replace them with a different type than the original assuming they have the same +\- or non polarized

[@chetpomeroy1399]

I don't see any problem with leaving the old capacitors in certain low/no voltage parts of the radio's circuit, provided they don't adversely affect the quality of the sound and/or sensitivity of the receiver. (The "news" departments of radio and TV stations feed into these "manufactured crises" because they need to boost ratings to pay their bills and stay on the air in the face of declining ad revenues in recent years.)

[@chezsnailez]

Oh, to have tuned in Carlin's 'Ice Box Man' sketch on that...

[@Telewaifus]

I start using your way to replace caps in the last Zenith TV that I restored. After all, who will watch under the chassis?

[@ollisTubes]

And i always hear a voice saying :' The internet does not need another recapping video' (((-;

[@KAFKUBA]

Right?

[@keithlogan6641]

I would like to see how good they really are

[@expgretaillegacy]

I have a weird problem with a zenith system 3 space command tv from 1987. Upon powering it on, the crt fires up immediately. The tv will not shut off unless power is cut from it. What happened to my tv and is it fixable??

[@TrevorsBench]

Is radio disney still up?

[@Highpoint211]

13:40 Boris The Spider creepy crawly LOL .

[@johnmoyer2849]

Ive restored all 4 of the colored ones.Sold 3 am keeping one.

[@tedbell4416]

Get some free all for screws like that

[@johnnoland4249]

Is that a Brown Recluse spider????

[@nefariumxxx]

No, that was a friendly little jumping spider. They are not aggressive.

[@alphabeets]

...I have always wondered why the industry went from the old round numbers to more complicated numbers. Such as .04 uf is now .047 uf etc... anyone know?

[@eDoc2020]

Look up "E series of preferred numbers". The new numbers have a nicer logarithmic relationship,so the percentage difference going from one value to the next is fairly constant.

[@mortwin6054]

Hi nice one as all ways :) buy the way does anyone know what the best valves are for they glow i like to make a display of them glowing odd i know but just love the warm glow of old valves LOL

[@hugoromeyn4582]

What is a charzenarzleblarvle quincotorcuilate refridgeranium radio???

[@tomcarlson3913]

.039 is also a modern standard value and is closer to .04 than the modern .047 value....It don't make much difference in a radio*, but in a TV it can make a difference. *Heck in the average radio you could probably replace every paper cap with .047 and not have excessive changes in performance.

[@siskokidd]

If no targeted minority problem exists, we will make one. - The 1984 handbook of Democrat politics.

[@coondogtheman]

14:20 I'm more of a Red Eye Radio type of listener. They are a a radio show aimed at truckers and are of a conservative type of show like Rush Limbaugh. I'm not a trucker but I like the political talk of that station and I like how they basically are against the left. That spider better not walk on the wrong parts or you'll be smelling burning spider. I've fried them on those electric bug rackets and it smells horrible.

[@MateusSostmeier]

I didn't even know that Brazil made capacitors 2:46

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

If only they had used the micro miniature Space Charge vacuum tubes the capacitors would not be as bad as they are as there would not be as much heat buildup as with standard vacuum tubes.

[@spectermotors4248]

Hey Shango, I’ve tried a couple of times to reach out to you see if there was any possibility on you working on a few things for me. I live in DTLA so I can drop off my 1951 Meissnger tube stereo and a Dodgers themed transistor radio I would love to pay you to fix up for me. The stereo works but I like it gone through because I have my concerns. The radio seems like it needs a realignment or more. Let me know if your interested I can give you my info so you don’t put yours up on the web. Been watching your channel for years now, long time follower. Thank you.

[@shango066]

later in the year, have a backlog of repairs

[@shango066]

My contact info is available if you look, don't post yours in a public forum like this

[@spectermotors4248]

@@shango066 I’ll look for it. Thank you. Also not to worried it’s a business email anyone can find online. I’ll get in contact. Talk soon.

[@rickjohnson1632]

👍

[@Veso266]

Why would a refridgerator need a radio, I know that shower does but s fridge, you take food out of it, you dont go in it and listen to radio

[@colt45peacemaker]

😝 the radio looks like a fridge

[@KameraShy]

If a refrigerator needs a connection to the internet, it sure needs a radio.

[@Veso266]

@@KameraShy haha good one 😀 Mine does not have internet (dont want someone knowing what I eat)

[@stridermt2k]

I don't know if I should be happy to this stuff to watch at 2am... I'll gonna lean toward cool and edgy as opposed to tragic..."These the capacitors I ordered..." LOL

[@hadireg]

👍👍

[@captaingreenbush]

Hey shango066, I’m not sure how to contact you, I have a heathkit tcr-1 that I’ve been working on, I recapped it, and it worked for a while, I think I screwed up the alignment and now it seems dead, I’d really like to get this set working well, it’s in excellent cosmetic condition and very clean inside as well, I’m close enough to come drop it off, if you’d be willing to work your magic on it. Please message me.

[@siemenstraffic]

10:39 Bug in the radio at 3 o clock!

[@Megabyte4747]

I like the sound of those old radios, they are clear on AM stations. New radios, AM is like an after thought. Most new radios sound like crap on AM. I listen to AM lots to get news from Conservative talk shows, most news media are lies and pure propaganda. Even Fox News on the radio is crap. Rush Limbaugh's death was a great loss, he was about finding the truth from all the nonsense. What I really liked about Limbaugh is he exposed even the RINO Republicans, he did not support them. His views was based on the US Constitution.

[@theannoyedmrfloyd3998]

Why are new capacitor values the way they are compared to old capacitors?

[@randomsteve4288]

The new capacitor and resistor values are standardized, based on a mix of (slightly altered) traditional values and equations that are trying to space the values evenly apart, but on a logarithmic scale. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_series_of_preferred_numbers

[@theannoyedmrfloyd3998]

That's kind of dumb. Like I need 750 ohms of resistance in series with an LED to show the power is on in a 9 volt circuit. In one case, the manufacturer was able to get a single 750 ohm resistor. In my case, I had to use 3 - 470, 270, and 10 ohms.

[@jrs0007]

@@theannoyedmrfloyd3998 Or maybe two 1.5k in parallel...

[@justsumguy2u]

That came out well, and it's been a fun series. Electrolytics---I'll reuse them in a series-string set if they're working ok, because the most that can happen is that if it shorts, it takes out the rectifier tube (which I've never had happen)

[@officialcanadianshackster]

You should Try Listening To VORW Radio International On WRMI 5850 MHz At 0700 PST 0200

[@randynelson2265]

Isn't this the bathroom ratio?

[@MrHeem94]

Dear Sir. I represent the united guild for the advancement of the enlightenment of arachnid rights. We will be in touch with you about your horrendous treatment of what is not only a being that has the same rights as you, but has also been the victim(s) of a campaign of violence and eradication throughout its existence. This arachnid holocaust will not stand and we will not stand idly by while these wonderful living beings are subjugate by people like you bent on their destruction. Please be advised. P.S. We would appreciate it if you could please practice social distancing when in proximity of these beloved creatures along with wearing your mask properly, per LAW of not only the state, but the federal government. We love to watch you fix radios, but not at the expense of their lives!