Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal 3000-1 restore, part 1. A new challenge for me, and it sure needs help.

[@rkmklz7562]

I had this radio years ago...that power pack is added...that spot was for the Batteries!!!....

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@hestheMaster]

Ah the royalty of radios. Has a positive chassis ground which may confuse many people as to why that is so. Geranium transistors are mostly worn out. Stock up Manuel. The battery pack has been replaced as you have guess by an AC power supply. Good luck with this puzzle, you'll need it.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

thanks 😊

[@rkmklz7562]

That radio was the first Zenith transistor portable to include the FM band....it was made in 1963.....we are lucky to have them work in this day and age!!!...The reception is fair.... since it doesn't have SSB mode

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Exactly my age, and works better than I do 😊

[@MrHmg55]

I had this radio as a teenager in the sixties.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@lisagardner5157]

My dad had one. Took it camping.

[@ne2i]

I collect these. They are awesome.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

I agree 😊

[@helenandhermaninlawrence7983]

Your comments upon the apparition of seeing an American built radio of the late 1960s or early 1970s reminded my of the first time I took on Grundig radio about 30 years ago. I was the chief engineer of a FM station and the listener of the station brought in the radio to be fixed because none of the local TV Radio repair shops in my area would touch it with a ten foot pole. The radio was fixed and I learned a lot about very fine wires and delicate soldering points. I am the owner of a Zenith Transoceanic R-7000 radio which is slightly newer than the 3000. Its great advantage is it uses silicon transistors with the 12 volts supply wired to be positive. Mechanically the two radios are very similar. Good luck. If I can help you with this feel free to ask.

[@tiagomadeira838]

I was very honored by being mentioned on the video. Be sure that I will be waiting forward for the next chapter. Thank you 👍

[@electronicsoldandnew]

my pleasure 👍

[@greggaieck4808]

What a cool Zenith trans oceanic Royal 30001 is cool

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@heavyearly2232]

My grandfather bought one very similar, maybe the same one. As a kid in the 70's, it was fun listening to London stations(I live in Pennsylvania). Wish I still had it.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

They were really top of the range back then.

[@heavyearly2232]

@@electronicsoldandnew It definitely was battery powered; 6 "D" cells, if i remember correctly...

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@bernhardm9475]

Yes, my Dad had one of these too. It came a battery holder and with a wall wart 12v to power it. Very good radio for the retail US market.

[@davidward9935]

I am truly looking forward to this one. I have looked at chroming plastic and found that there are model paints that can create a mirror finish if applied to a clean surface. I remember Zenith being a premiere brand in its heyday. Thank you so much for providing so much entertaining and educational content.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

My pleasure

[@tomj4506]

I worked for a Zenith dealer 40 yrs. Most common problem was dirty transistor sockets. Now a days its open electrolytics. Added PS was a much later addition. Date codes show it was built early 1965. Next big surprise for you is its 100% hand wired. Like there TV's almost immortal. Good luck LFOD !

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Thanks

[@sincerelyyours7538]

Looks like a challenge, but I'm sure you'll make it brand new again, as always. You're right about the positive ground, and not just in American Zenith radios. I ran into that problem with a similar looking 1971 Sony multiband AM/FM cassette/radio sold only in the Japanese domestic market. Wouldn't power up until I reversed the DC power plug.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

I actually just remembered that the Supersonic, made in old Rhodesia, used the same system.

[@davidvermaa]

I have two of these, Royal 3000-1 and two Royal 1000s. Am quite familiar with the circuits and find them interesting to repair. Just recap if not done earlier and check the resistors. Carry out a good physical examination of all components for damage. Germaniums are quite prone to malfunction. Be following you. Good luck.

[@vcv6560]

I'm working on an 1000-D currently; I found the of the 9 transistors tested hfe was between 34-150 (3 above 100, one shorted to the can and no gain at all). Modern replacements from NTE do exist and available through DigiKey. When I was building circuits in lab (college early 80s) HFE of 150 (for 2n2222, 2n3907s was expected). The technology of semiconductor processing has come a long way. Also tin-whisker effect and not being well sealed causes most of those failures. A real benefit Zenith installed them in sockets.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Yes, the sockets are absolutely great.

[@MrSteveod21]

Hi Manuel. I really enjoyed your video, and learnt a lot watching it. I've just completed repairs on a 3000-1 (from Fleabay where else!). I was amazed it was point to point wiring too. I found 2x 470R in the FM section had gone high and a couple of electrolytics playing up, leakage on one and very high esr on a second. Neither stopped the radio playing, but a dry joint in the FM IF section shut down the FM sensitivity to a low level. That sorted, the AM alignment was still good though the MW osc needed a small tweak for the dial setting. But the really big issue was getting the bugger back in its case! My god what a struggle, I'm still not sure how to do it now if I had the job again! Absolutely beautiful radio though, another I meant to pass on and can't bear to part with it! Oh well!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@tcschell]

How exciting! Thank you for doing another transistor set. Its a beautiful radio. Or, I should say, will be beautiful after your done.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@mrshankj5101]

I have a Zenith Transoceanic 3000-1 and it's an awesome radio!

[@chrisclark6192]

Hello again. That is a very interesting radio. The quality of the components in a lot of the Zenith products was of a high standard. If a transistor fault is suspected you can often find this by using a freeze spray or a soldering iron to warm the transistors while the unit is powered up,as a lot of the American transistors were heat sensitive back in the day . I'm almost certain that the mains power supply is an afterthought. Again I can't wait to see how you get on. Cheers Chris.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Should be fun :)

[@DerekHerbst747]

That's a nice new challenge. My tip: When checking voltages just connect the positive lead to ground and probe with the negative. Then just think in normal terms. I do this when I'm working on germanium equipment.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Yes, that makes it less confusing.

[@Radiocruncher]

These are lovely radios Manuel. I have a similar one here which works very well. I haven’t done anything to it yet so I will follow this series with great interest. Thanks also for the shoutout. All the best Graham

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Always a pleasure, Graham.

[@ChadQuick270W]

Great video. I have a Royal 3000-1 and a Royal 7000 Transoceanic and they both perform quite well. I wish there was more on SW to listen to but sometimes you can find a station playing oldies. They’re also great AM DXing radios. 👍

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@PatrickKrolickoff]

Greetings from Russia! Thank you for your videos! Mostly you have European radios and I study them . But American radio is like a different world. Especially pre-War2 radios. Hope you'll get some of them someday...Best regards,Mike

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Greetings Mike. I’m more into radios from the 50s onwards, but who knows :)

[@DUKKHOBILSH]

Yes you r right the power supply is added on later.

[@loricastro3772]

Ótimo vídeo! Tenho um Zenith Royal 1000 BT40 que estou tomando coragem para restaurar; um belo aparelho muito bem conservado! Estou ansioso para ver a continuação desta sua restauração. Com certeza, aprenderei muito, Obrigado por compartilhar!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Meu prayer.

[@Neraxia]

Yep, internal power supply is an add on, these came with a rather tight fitting battery box.Sound volume and quality will impress you.Original transistors will be hard to find , Zenith had their own numbering system, but i've read you can get equivelant Russian ones dirt cheap. I'll be waiting for the rest of this series , so i can restore mine aterwards :)

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Yes, I’ve done quite a bit of research and the Russian transistors could come in handy.

[@MrShobar]

The terminals above the transistors that you pointed to are test points. Real handy. It did NOT come with an AC supply built in. That one looks home built. The battery box is missing. The upside-down chassis is the FM chassis.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@ianide2480]

Just scored a Montgomery Ward model no. 1814A AM/FM with a clock for US 35$. Inside looks vaguely similar to an All American 5. One small twist though, everything is mounted to a PCB. The exterior is excellent with hardly any blemishes. He told me that it works but it has some wax caps inside that look kind of rough, will have to test them for sure and I want to put a polarized plug on it. I may very well be referencing a few of your videos to help me along =)

[@electronicsoldandnew]

hope they help. Good luck 🤞

[@ianide2480]

@@electronicsoldandnew as luck would have I am having a heck of a time locating a service manual. Model GEN1814A or GEN-1814A, been looking for like 2 hours straight so for. The GEN-1710A is also the same exact service manual as well. Still no luck.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

That’s a tough one. I’m quite handy at finding European radio service manuals, but not MW’s unfortunately.

[@ianide2480]

@@electronicsoldandnew I found one, but it was $10, still pretty cheap though

[@ianide2480]

@@EngineeringVignettes Nope its a GEN1814A, the 25GSL is older

[@pisotones2348]

This poor thing sure needs some help and now it's in the best hands I can think of. These are really well made radios, very sensitive and selective, the LF circuit sounds wonderful, much like a valve output stage and it surely deserves the effort. I know because I have restored one and is now placed proudly in my sitting room working like a charm. One word of advice: don't waste your time with external or internal DIY power supplies like the one it has... the circuit draws a few mA and a set of AA batteries will last A LOT. Think that due to modern technology today's AA cells are more powerful than 60's D cells it originally had. By the way, the ninth battery in the batt-pack is solely for the dial lamps but I bet you know that already :-) Buy an 8-pack AA cell container and another 1-cell from china for merely peanuts and then place it securely where the original battery pack was. Get 9 1.5V AA Lithium cells to prevent leakage and then forget about power for this radio for years!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Thanks for that. This radio belongs to a friend of a friend of a friend 😊 so I’ll see what he wants to do. The current draw is in fact very low.

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

That radio seems to use a Turret band select and the biscuits can be quite brittle, Germanium transistors from the CCCP can make good replacements.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

thanks

[@alexisautube]

Let me clarify. The transistors in the IF sections in the middle of the chassis which are plugged in vertically and the two in the FM section by the tuning dial cord. Cheers!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@alexisautube]

I have two of these on hand and have worked with others in the past. Word of caution, the external power supply is center negative! Also I have had seldom any bad transistors in these radios. Almost never. What they suffer from is leakage between the case (ground) and the other terminals (C,B,E). Before you start "chasing your tail", unplug each of the socketed transistors and identify the ground lead. Then fold it (or cut it) over so the transistor will still plug in with the ground lead sticking out in the air. So, if you happen to have a band or two which is not working, when others appear to be OK, this is the first fix. You will simply be amazed. Ask me how I know. Cheers!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Thanks. All tips are welcome especially as I’ve never done one of these specifically.

[@piwex69]

btw, I spent two week vacations on Porto-Santo few years ago, with "compulsory" one day trip to Madeira. Of course riding down the streets in sledges was a must. I did not know such interesting collections of gems were hidden on those islands... The radio looks like measuring instrument inside, all canned and clean. I would have expected this from old Japanese gear...

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Yep. Gems , sunshine and ,... this week a massive storm.

[@chairuser4]

i had one, it worked great

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@EsotericArctos]

Zenith was rather iconic in the USA. The early ones were US made, so inspired a form of patriotism. They generally worked well when they were working, but I never found them anything that exciting. Just me though :). I am looking forward to seeing this one running though.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

As I said, this was a first for me and my friend had hyped me up, so expectations are high 😊

[@EsotericArctos]

@@electronicsoldandnew Shango066 does a lot of Zeniths and he always loves them too, but he is from the USA :). Apparently the Electrolytic caps often give problems and cause the low volume levels. They seem to be what other channels replace a lot

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Those are the first likely suspects in a radio of this age.

[@robtitheridge9708]

should be a very interesting restore i have never worked on a ZENITH.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

This is also my first.

[@mackfisher4487]

Your transoceanic series, looks interesting particularly on what silicon transistors you use to replace the geranium ones. I have a newer transoceanic sitting in storage that hasn't work in 40 years and it does have a built-in power supply (110/220) and chassis mount socket for the detachable cord. but doesn't look anything like that home brew ac supply.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Russian germanium replacements are available, if needed.

[@mackfisher4487]

@@electronicsoldandnewI was raised during the Cold War, and so was indoctrinated with an anti-communism perspective. Now I find China supplying all of our electronics, and Russia supplying all of our old 50s electronic replacement parts. Sometimes It's hard to be open-minded.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

The world changes faster than we do :)

[@jdmccorful]

Contact Shango066. He seems to have tons of them.

[@cbiz8]

Hola, vengo siguiendo tus videos hace más de 1 año, son muy prolijos. Sólo me permito hacer notar 1 detalle: en todos los KZbinvideos y también en streaming de videos de cadenas alemanas (ZDF, p.ej) tengo el volumen en 10 (valor relativo) pero con tus videos tengo que elevar el control a 15. Obviamente no me representa ningún problema, sólo lo quería comentar. Cordial saludo desde Buenos Aires.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Gracias.

[@jcurnutte2007]

The home brew power supply is most likely for 220V/240V the external jack was used for 120V AC power or 12V DC car battery (the owner wanted to preserve the ability to operate on 120V AC (US) and 12V DC (car/boat cigarette lighter plug)

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Nope. The side jack is 12VDC, regardless of where that comes from.

[@jcurnutte2007]

@@electronicsoldandnew 12V DC from a 120V AC power supply (120V AC in to 12V DC out) or a cigarette lighter cord (12 V DC) that is the proper way to power it from an external source, I bet the home brew power supply is for 220/240V because the owner couldn't get a proper AC power supply that requires 220/240 volts AC in and 12 volts DC out because Zenith only made the external power supply for the US market (car cords are pretty much standard worldwide the only issue there is if the car uses 6V DC then there would be an issue) but a Wallwart is the proper way to power it from AC power (now getting a battery holder for it good luck idk if it uses 8 or 9 D cell batteries (allowing for the dial light having it's own battery)

[@sinewave4236]

I’m looking forward to seeing what you do to fix this old girl up ! They are fine radios when going well. I share your views on originality Just one thing, the handle / antenna is not really strong enough to lift the radio, so best not to use it for that, otherwise it will probably crack in short order.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Thanks for the tip.

[@billrenfro9798]

I have a 3000-1 and a couple of 1000 TO's. Never had to change any of the caps. You can if you want, but they are in a tight space on top mostly. A couple of things you need to know. By far the most common problem I have seen is dirty transistor sockets. That will cause low volume. Most of the transistors you will notice have 4 leads. One of the leads is connected to the case of the transistor. The transistors develop leakage to the case and that will cause them to not operate. You do not always have to replace the transistor, just remove the lead connected to the case (or just bend it up so it is not in the socket) and the transistor will work fine. Those are the two most common problems. That power supply is not original, and I would remove it. The battery box holds 9 D batteries. 8 of them power the radio, and the other one powers the dial light. So the battery box is unique. These are great performers. Alignment is not fun. Just be patient, and follow the instructions in the manual.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Very welcome advice, thank you.

[@Vinicio244]

hola mi 30001 tambien tiene ese problema no tabaja am tampoco lw solamenta trabaja fm si desconecto el cable a tierra del chasis podre recuperar las bandas que no trabajan es de cir am y onda corta saludos desde Ecuador gracias cualquier consejo o sugerencia es bienvenida

[@jutukka]

OMG. What a beast! That antenna is like a fishing rod made of metal! 😂 How many transistors? All transistors! They didn't count them. 😂

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Too much work without a calculator 😊

[@joerotman5214]

A word of caution with the Zenith 3000 & 1000s, Do not pick them up by the "handle" as they are getting brittle and old and the plastic can and does shatter,. The bubbling on the front cover is quite common for the 1000s and 3000s.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@fredericocro9130]

Olá. Eu tenho um rádio exactamente igual a esse aqui na Madeira. Não pensei que fosse tão raro..

[@electronicsoldandnew]

É raro e de uma qualidade excepcional.

[@NsndoBrasil]

Friends, I found a 330 ohm resistor (orange, orange, brown, and purple), it is connected to the terminal of the Tonal Potentiometer together with a capacitor to another end of the resistor, which is disconnected next year, the plug said to the phone. Where to connect qual or point to solder this terminal. Thank you for any help, thank you

[@waynethompson8416]

You are NOT an idiot! A bit of a Purist perhaps, but decidedly NOT an idiot! This radio definitely needs a lot of work done to it. I am curious to see what you choose to do concerning the bubbled and missing chrome. One of the closeups you showed brought to light a good bit of rust on the hinge...an excellent place to try a little Evapo-Rust Gel! I think removing that added power supply is an excellent idea...and for pretty much the same reasons you mentioned. It wasn't clear to me whether the 12Volts for the jack on the side was to be AC or DC. It may have said, I just didn't see anything that defined which one. As you said, most if not all the transistors are going to be Germanium transistors...which have become "unobtainium"...if any are defective, what are your plans for replacing them? There may be sources of Germanium transistors, I just haven't found any. Since the voltage drops on the Germanium are different from Silicon transistors, (Germanium 0.19V to 0.27V vs Silicon 0.54V to 0.70V) You still are going to do more videos on the Braun SK-2B, aren't you? This radio, the Zenith, reminded me that I have a Panasonic that I need to make work again. It covers the Standard Broadcast band, Shortwave, FM (Stereo), and includes a built-in turntable to play vinyl records on. First task will be to find where I have stored it! ;-) Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and Stay Happy!!!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

The SK2 is definitely not done yet. I’m waiting for ferrite rods to fix the IF transformer cores. At that point I’ll do the final video. These germanium transistors are available in the form of Russian alternatives. If needed, I’ll resort to those. The supply point at the side is 12VDC.

[@danielsaturnino5715]

I just came from Mr Carlson's latest video and for some odd reason, he didnt play any guitar either. Just a strange instrument, he calls it a signal generator. You guys need to watch brad the guitologist more. Anyway, I believe those radios are nice! Looking foward to it!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

I do watch Brad .... he’s damn good on any guitar. What I say about most guitarists (not Brad) is that I know how to build the kit but not play it, and they know how to play it .... you get the idea 😊

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Gotta finish watching Mr C’s video.

[@jetman1979]

I have one with a broken dial string. Is this a easy fix?

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Yes, it’s not too challenging

[@SirBunghole]

My goodness that is one rough unit. Definitely remove that abomination of a power supply. You may be forced to preserve some of the patina of the chrome. Very interesting interior from what we have seen so far.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

It is rather rough. Makes for a more dramatic transformation 😊

[@SirBunghole]

@@electronicsoldandnew We are all here for the drama! :-)

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Enjoy.

[@radio-ged4626]

Well, I wouldn't normally guess as to what is wrong. But on this occasion I'll risk being wrong. If the power is OK, I reckon it's deaf because one or more IF transistors are flakey/poor HFE. Could be many other things, but that's my guess.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Let’s see what further tinkering reveals 😊

[@grantharrison5307]

Hi, I have just been given my father’s radio this one shown here in this video. Do you do repairs? I’m in Western Australia Thanks Grant

[@electronicsoldandnew]

I’m afraid the distance between us makes any repair by me impractical. I live on the island of Madeira 😃

[@grantharrison5307]

@@electronicsoldandnew I’m watching part three of your video on the radio now really impressed with your knowledge. I would like to get a quote on there and back on postage. There are many options with postage now days. Really know your stuff, powered it up got static. Needs the magic repair.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Thank you for your kind words. The other issue with shipping is possible damage. I get my radios from Germany, and occasionally a glass face comes in broken, which is a pity.

[@grantharrison5307]

@@electronicsoldandnew Could I get your postcode/ zip code please. Would you have a ball park figure on what a repair may cost, really just chasing to get it working not so worried about cosmetic. Can email a few pictures [e-mail]

[@Juani2392]

I had one new for sale here at argentina.. on the box how much cud it cost? 100 usd?

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Check past sales on eBay to give you an idea of

[@alexisautube]

Lack of volume also due to transistor internal leakage. Cheers! By now, maybe too many cheers :-)

[@__Dude_]

Well, this radio lokks like a real challange! Outside and in -- trimmers and cores and all. And then the Germanium transistors. Are there replacements, in case one has failed?

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Apparently there are Russian substitutes. Hope I don’t need them.

[@Justplast]

Fixed one the year. Do all the caps first thing Big job and check transistors A1 radio.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@DeadKoby]

Zenith products in the USA were prized more for their use of reliable parts, rather than style.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@dr.dickerson]

I have one to sell how much would you sell one for?

[@alfredneumann4692]

I wish you all luck, to find germanium transistors. I don't like these Zenith-Radios. But that is a question of taste.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

👍

[@tubeDude48]

Man, your work is cut-out for you this time!

[@electronicsoldandnew]

😊 No, it’ll be different but should be a good learning experience for me.

[@tubeDude48]

@@electronicsoldandnew - Agree. As always I'll be following you!

[@yusdiy]

That belongs to Captain Jack Sparrow. He lost it in Madeira HiFi and Navigation Exhibition hundreds of years ago. Rumor is he is still looking for it.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

Hell need to pay the storage fee 😊

[@yusdiy]

@@electronicsoldandnew Good one. LOL

[@Khalidparvez4]

APPRECIATED. I HAVE THE SAME MODEL BUT FM BAND IS NOT WORKING. IF YOU CAN HELP IN THE VIDEO PLEASE. THANKS AND REGARDS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AP2KD

[@joerotman5214]

Also, you are missing a battery box and this has a power supply modification of some sort. Covered in Nicotine too, yuk.

[@electronicsoldandnew]

true

[@waynio67]

Try watching shango69 or radiotvphononut, they do a lot of zenith stuff

[@electronicsoldandnew]

I have. Some great repairs there.

[@gonxf3232]

I have one zenith 3000-1 I from iraq 🇮🇶😀

[@seanpirrie5748]

Zeeeeeeenith 😂