Vintage Crosley Tube Radio Repair Capacitor replacement Final test Part 2

Wrap up video for the Crosley 655 Tombstone radio from 1935. What a great looking and performing radio for its 84 years of age! I had a lot of fun working on it, but of course spent too much time in the process. This old radio would be super cool in a mancave or family room, like the Waltons! You could add a MP3 input for your phone or player. I had many other high priority projects in the mix but wanted to share this relic with you. I do have a love for these old radios. Sure is a nice looking table unit. Here is the link to Crosley part 1 • How to replace Vintage...

[@ThePianoforever]

Very nice all around , but that dial is to die for.

[@sincerelyyours7538]

Looks great Terry! I'm working on a radio now that also has no pin numbers on the schematic, but worse, it has no voltages shown anywhere so I'll have to figure them out from the data sheets. To help with this I scanned the schematic into Photoshop and made a separate pin-out and voltages layer that I can lay over the schematic without "damaging" it in any way. Some extra work but well worth it for troubleshooting and future reference.

[@alanfryer5670]

What's your process for selecting a fuse value?

[@radioengineering8247]

My name for those crusty old caps is 'crapacitors' - because that's pretty much what they are.

[@daleburrell6273]

THAT'S A GOOD ONE!!!

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!!

[@mohammadjml5721]

good job , I have radio like this one if u sent me a schemetek u help me to make troubleshooting for it ,thanks .

[@douro20]

Many of those tubes are old enough that they have direct Soviet equivalents down to the letter (in Cyrillic of course).

[@danielthomas791]

...tell them you're into shapely blondes and see what they send you...….

[@mikemoyercell]

13:09 - Is that Desi Arnaz? Wow it sounds like him.

[@ronalddaub7965]

Have one just like it only the top is more curved same dial f@m

[@Elfnetdesigns]

Shortwave was fun back in the 80's with all the numbers stations and news stations. nowdays it's all religious BS and mexican carnival music.

[@BETTERWORLDSGT]

I used to listen too. It's been years, there must not be much now with all the internet. There were certain frequencies that would pick up in the day and others at night, also on AM Radio l used to listen to long distance stations that were 50,000 watts. Last time I tried I couldn't get any AM at night, I think they stopped the Big AM 50,000 Watt Stations.

[@Elfnetdesigns]

@@BETTERWORLDSGT The AM station here is 50 KW during the day but like most they went to a directional antenna system they switch over to at night and run like 10 - 25 KW or something.

[@f.k.burnham8491]

Terry, You might mention that when you replace a glass tube with a metal one, you should always verify that they didn't use pin 1` as a connection point. Pin 1 on a metal tube is grounded to the metal case. It was neat to see the 6A8 Coronet style tube in that radio. If you can find any Texaco Texclad 3 grease, it's great for detent balls. Originally designed for open gears. 33% graphite!

[@BruceNitroxpro]

F.K. Burnham , I would suggest any good lubricant which did NOT have graphite, as it is a good conductor and would cause problems if it dripped or spread between electrical connections.

[@reubensylvester8818]

I may be wrong but shouldnt the dial move in the same direction as the tuning knob (clockwise or anticlockwise together)? Fantastic job, its truly sounding like a million bucks 🙂

[@MrGigi-dz9cv]

That îs what i love about USA. If there îs request for a certain product, there will be a company to make it.

[@jimburns348]

I always recommend a re-alignment after replacing that many components, just in case. Some may not need it, but I still check it.

[@CanadairCL44]

Can you tell me what type of capacitor Terry is using to replace the old non-electrolytics please? Are they all polypropylene? I did ask Terry in an email but I guess he hasn't had time to reply yet and I really need to know!

[@danhorton6182]

colin rhenius, yes they all look to be polypropylene. The flat brown ones are generally Panasonic, at least the Panasonic that I ordered. Obviously the orange drop you know. The larger one that’s very dark in the bowl, as dark as his wine, looks like a silver mica. Silver micas generally don’t go bad unless they see a lot of heat, but I’ve had to replace them before. So that could be a silver mica.

[@jimburns348]

Dan Horton and, if you change any silver micas, I’d definitely do a re-alignment.

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@CanadairCL44 , did you see the video on caps put out by Paul Carlson? It is under Mr Carlson's Lab. He does himself proud in all of them. PS, he finds MOST old radios have been "screwdrivered" or some "repair" was attempted by "screwing the screws on the i.f. cans." They CAN be "hot" (or have B+ voltage on the screws). Watch out! Don't attempt a fix without special insulated tools (screwdrivers).

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@danhorton6182 , Many times the dial will not align if you replace hand selected mica caps which are good with others not exactly of the same value or type. Watch out that you don't outsmart yourself.

[@BruceNitroxpro]

You aren't going to align the i.f. amp and align the dial (oscillator)? Seems half finished....

[@komgko3322]

Big spirit box ~🙄

[@The0nionKnight]

Cap juice !

[@youtuuba]

Referring to your Luxo magnifying lamp, you said "5x Doppler"....I think you meant 'diopter'.

[@d-labelectronics]

Michiganier

[@marktiger4613]

I was also told that crosley had the biggest wattage station back in the day and they passed a law to limit power output .I was told that his station would walk over the stations in Europe

[@CDJF1]

Yes...WLW with 500kw...ran from 1934 to 1939

[@mikemcpherson5550]

Ir was always told to me that a 50,000 watt clear channel was the largest allowable by law, even seen back in the day. KDKA the first commercial broadcast channel was one. No?

[@Defconfx]

I have a friend who has a Sparton 1268 "38 model year, I got it working just by fiddling with the dials. Does have a bit of hum, wasn't used in over 30 years. Pretty sure the caps probably need testing and work but sounded great. Unfortunately, some kids from her daycare tore off the tuning dial. So just gotta play with it to get a station. Have the vid on my channel. Would love to bring it back to 100%.

[@marknash7113]

Terry, that Crosley has the coolest dial graphics and still looks fantastic especially in the dark. It sounds great too! Whats the status update on the property next door? Keep em glowing!

[@d-labelectronics]

Thanks man, The price has dropped, we are laying low, watching

[@marknash7113]

Check my comment on your post on the property for my thoughts on how to expedite things. good luck!@@d-labelectronics

[@LarryDeSilva64]

Making that chart to show the pin numbers was a great idea.

[@mikemoyercell]

IMO that replacement filter can was perfect for the radio. Who cares if it doesnt look original. I'd rather it look like that then have a bunch of new caps underneath crowding the chassis. You did it the right way by replacing the whole can - your less likely to have hum if you do it like that. Sometimes when you crowd them under the chassis you can get weird issues, then when you move them somewhere else the issue goes away. Nice work as always. Your granddaughter definetly has a great mentor to teach her, just like I did with my elderly neighbor when I was a kid growing up! RIP Mark Frederick Jr.

[@derkdiggler4995]

What do you think about magnepans I’ve never heard any yet

[@K7MD]

Hey Terry, At 4:13 in, just after you remove the end plate there is an interesting component I wonder about. Directly above the .02mfd 200vdc wax cap is what appears to be a wire, light red with a couple darker markings, with unusual end caps and leads perhaps jumpered across the cap. Is this some kind of resistive wire? What is its purpose? Thanks.

[@michaelsorenson3887]

Someones going to make the joke that all wire is resistive... that person will be me today :)

[@stephenwilliams5201]

Had a Sears silver tone console I think I counted 20 tubes in there I was at the hardware shop so much. that the owner gave me a tube tester. To keep at home. (Circa 1964) then found fair radio In LIma ohio. And pestered that clerk to death. They sent me a flyer and it said "god is just a prayer away. Tks De kv4li. Ps Got my ticket at w8ft. Findlay Ohio as n8odn. Retired that number for kv4li 73.

[@johnclayton1026]

WWV

[@marktiger4613]

Great video my dad has about 15 or 20 crosley radios he also has 6 crosley cars he started collecting crosley radios after he got into the cars the radios never been plugged in mostly just wanted to display them but I think I will have to crack one open and get to learning more thanks for your video hope everyone subscribes and gives you a thumbs up

[@ragbearebikegoodlife6693]

What happened to the 110K? Did you finish it? Always finish what you start, huh?

[@atlantic1952]

Thats a nice radio...well done!

[@n8nkqrp595]

I see what kind of restorations and repairs you do. Where are the yellow caps pray tell? With all due respect, Sir - you don't know what you're doing apparently. If you did, the radio would be filled with ugly, disgusting, crap quality, short-lived, crap yellow caps. Boy is that a nice radio! Great and really entertaining video as always Terry. Thanks OM and 73

[@daleburrell6273]

...well, "ya can't please EVERYBODY!!"

[@johntmcguirejr8526]

As always Terry, great job!. That radio sounds great.

[@danielthomas3057]

Glad you did not turn it into a dumb guitar amplifier.

[@boxwoodgreen]

Just wondered if you could gut the old "torpedo" capacitor, and just fit the metal tube over the new one just for original looks sake ?

[@daleburrell6273]

...if he wanted to go to all the trouble- CERTAINLY!!!

[@daveogarf]

How COOL! A fer' real CROSLEY radio! And it sounded great. Wonderful job!

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

Great Job Terry. Really Professional. Keep up the good work.

[@ojjenkins7110]

NUMBA ONE.

[@hestheMaster]

At 9:20 that is a great diagram you have created. Too bad they didn't do that in the first place. Great fix.

[@billbaxter2914]

About what year was this radio made?

[@billbaxter2914]

Opps should have read the description. Wow 1935

[@karanjadhav]

Nice sir

[@envisionelectronics]

8:03 Doppler? Diopter.

[@michaelellard4664]

What great skills.

[@bmh67wa]

Beautiful radio and great job getting it working again.

[@edwardevans7219]

OH NO, I SAW AN E.F. JOHNSON COVER, I AM GLAD THAT THEIR TWO WAY DIVISION GOT BOUGHT UP BY KENWOOD!!!!!!!!

[@derkdiggler4995]

What a cluster Fudge!

[@eetechtom]

That chart is a thing of beauty!

[@derkdiggler4995]

Hey Terry have a chance to check out the 7700 yet? 😀🍷🍷

[@d-labelectronics]

Wrapping up a house repair, been eating my time, always something

[@jake2213b]

Crosley build those radio to last. He wanted everyone in the Nation to hear his radio station. The story I was told his station at night turned up his transmitter up to 500,000 watts. Today that station only has a 50,000 watt transmitter but I been told they still have the 500,000 watts that is kept in working order that if it is ever needed it ready.

[@mfbfreak]

No, the 500.000w transmitter is still there and pretty much complete, but it is very far from being operational unless they restored it in the last 5 years or so. It hasn't been used since the USA law decided that 50kw is the maximum. Restoration wouldn't make sense because they could never put it on air anymore because of its high power output. This strikes me as odd, because even in the tiniest countries in Europe, you were allowed to have a several hundred kw transmitter, as long as you reduce power at nighttime. Quite a few of those >100kw stations are still operating. Especially the longwave stations are impressive. Their smaller fully tubed backup transmitter, however, is in operational state. It is used on special historic occasions.

[@abbabb8641]

WLW was 500,000 watts during WWII. It was called the Nation Station. It now uses a Harris transmitter that is ready to go digital. There are lots of stories here about bed springs that talked and lights wouldn't turn off during the war years. I live here and worked for Harris. Been to WLW many times.

[@terrymarshall2613]

Crosley thing

[@abbabb8641]

Don't use DeOxIt. Use Blue Stuff instead.

[@daleburrell6273]

...DO THEY EVEN MAKE THAT STUFF ANYMORE?

[@ErickPaquin]

Very cool!

[@NebukedNezzer]

tiny bubbles in the wine.

[@daleburrell6273]

8:06...NO! NO! NO!!! THE WORD IS "DIOPTER"- NOT "DOPPLER"!!!

[@SDS-1]

Awesome

[@faultlessguitarsandamps1116]

Terry . My gift ti you is the word ........ incapacitator

[@d-labelectronics]

Love it, will add to the list!

[@daleburrell6273]

...how about this one: "incapacitatedtor"(?)

[@dancraver3815]

Terry how could I contact you?

[@d-labelectronics]

Goto d-labelectronics.com contact info is there

[@derkdiggler4995]

I like the way they take you back in time. To a better time.🤠

[@daleburrell6273]

...I FEEL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WAY!!!

[@daleburrell6273]

...LET'S REMEMBER THAT "THE OLD DAYS" WERE NOT ALL GOOD- AND "THE PRESENT DAYS" ARE NOT ALL BAD, EITHER!!!

[@waynethompson8416]

That is quite an interesting radio! Thanks for sharing it with us. I am curious...when you have an old tube set like that one, that is covered in dust and crud, how do you go about cleaning the tuning capacitor?

[@sincerelyyours7538]

I recently bought a cheap Chinese 2-qt ultrasonic cleaner on Amazon for my crusty tuning caps. Has worked well so far with a few drops of dish soap in tap water. Just don't over-run the things. My house current is 100 V 50 Hz which probably helps keep the 120 V device from burning itself out as well but that might require longer cleaning times. Removing the cap can be a pain but you get to replace the rubber grommets underneath which are usually pretty crusty as well.

[@BruceNitroxpro]

Wayne Thompson , You can use small particles of nut shells in a blaster to clean tuning caps. It can also clean chassis and such. See Paul Carlson's work using one in Mr Carlson's Lab restoration videos.

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@sincerelyyours7538 , Not a great idea to use a low frequency and different voltage unit on a US version. The transformer would be OK at a lower frequency, but NOT at a lower voltage. I am guessing you are in Japan?

[@waynethompson8416]

@@BruceNitroxpro , can you provide a url for one in which he mentions that?

[@BruceNitroxpro]

@@waynethompson8416 , The one on the Echophone EC-1 did, as well as one other I remember... not sure about the URL... using the Search command on Firefox (mine defaults to the KZbin Search while here) works. Hope that helps!

[@jesseyasaitis9036]

Is a 6F6 output tube related to a 6L6?

[@scottmeacham937]

6F6 was replaced by the 6V6 I believe, or it is the preceding equivalent

[@DeadKoby]

There's some similarity between 6v6, 6f6, 6k6, etc. 6V6 is a beam tetrode that runs at higher voltages. The first champ amps used a 6K6 Pentode.

[@richgriffith5541]

I really like the tube chart you made with the voltages and key ways all lined up just like in the radio. I'd like to make charts on my pc. What kind of software (hopefully a freebie) can I use to do this?

[@d-labelectronics]

Hello, I made the diagram in Visio