6 volt radio

[ss442]

hello i am currently in the process of getting my 52 willys eagle drivable but noticed the other day that the radio appears to be working (it turns on and lights up) however the dash speaker is no good i was wondering because its a six volt system if a modern car speaker would work 9 i dont want to blow any tubes in the radio either)or if i need to find a 6 volt speaker and what are my options . also im am keeping the car 6 volt (original)thank you

[Fid]

Six volt is irrelevant when it comes to speakers.  What matters is the impedence in ohms (which is not as important on tube radios) and the watt rating.  Since it's a low-power AM radio, it won't put out a lot of wattage so it can be a speaker with a low watt rating. All the KF products used 4 ohm speakers, the Willys likely did too so if you can find a 4 ohm speaker, that should be all you need because the watt rating is probably going to be adequate with any speaker.

[ss442]

thanks that helps alot the search is on for the right speaker cant wait to hear it come to life

[Logan]

Fid, my radio does the same thing, i.e. it lights up, but I get no sound.  Do you think this is a speaker issue, or might it be a different problem with the radio itself?  I'm not any king of a specialist in electronics, and I know that you rebuild these things so I thought you might have an idea.

[Fid]

It's hard to say without looking at it Logan.  In most cases, it is not the speaker. If it lights up, that means its getting power but that's about all you can tell. There are many things that will cause it to not play.  Radios that old have wax/paper condensors in them which often break down and malfunction. There is a mechanical vibrator in it which is used to convert the 6 volt DC to AC so it can be stepped up for powering the tube plates - this is a very common failure.  There are electrolytic capacitors in them which tend to dry up over the years and when they do they short out and that can cause other components to fail. If you want me to look at it some time, let me know.
I guess I should point out to Skyshark442 that unless you know for sure the speaker is bad, the symptom you describe is likely not the speaker.

[ss442]

your right the speaker may not be the whole issue however that is going to be my starting point since there is no paper left on it the speaker needs replaced in reality im just hoping to get lucky and only have to replace the speaker

[Fid]

Makes sense. Good luck, it just might be all you need.

[Aeroman]

Someone said it's probably the vibrator and they're probably right, that's usually the thing that goes out. However, look closely at your speaker and look for rips and check if it's generally just all dried out and brittle.
According to the radio fact sheet that I have here, the vibrator is a Motorola part number 48B3333 which crosses over the Cornell-Dubilier #5342 and Radiart #5342.
The speaker is Motorola part #50C511815, alternate part #50K511815, field resistance is 4.3 ohms.
I hope that helps.

[AZ_HJ]

If anyone needs there vintage speaker rebuilt I would recommend Vintage Radio Restoration.


He has done 4 for me already and all came out great. The price is right as well. The lead-time various based on availability of parts. The art of re-coning speakers is a dyeing art. I would suggest getting it done as soon as possible. Most modern speakers are throw aways.

http://www.nostalgiasounds.com/radio/speaker.html

[retired wrench]

  Vibrator and OZ4 tube used to be the most common problem parts.