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 Post subject: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:09 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
Hello guys!

I am going to start the restoration process on my 1945RCA Victor model X-624. I have never done a restoration before, but I am really looking forward to it. All I really know is that the capacitors need to be replaced and to change out any out of tolerance resistors. This was my very first tube-type radio. I bought it at an antique store for $20.00.
Here is a picture of the radio before I start:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66514651@N03/6864089756/in/photostream


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:14 am 
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Location: Aurora Colorado
Very nice set, keep us informed.

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 Post subject: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:22 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
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Location: Victoria BC, Canada
Here is one thing that concerned me right off the bat. A 50C5 in the circuit of a 35C5. As far as I know, you can't use a 50C5 in place of a 35C5.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66514651@N03/7010220999/in/photostream


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:23 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
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Location: Victoria BC, Canada
glasdave wrote:
Very nice set, keep us informed.

glasdave

Thank you! I most certianly will.


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 Post subject: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:26 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
This is on the left hand side of the cabinet. A very interesting sticker. It reads "This item has been marked in duplicate for identification by the Saanich Police Department.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66514651@N03/7010228381/in/photostream


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:27 am 
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am
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Location: Tennessee,USA
Very nice set as your 'first' one.
Just make sure you have a plan.
Basics first, get it working. Filter caps first. Test. everything ok, go for one or two caps, then test again. Repeat until you are finished recapping. Test again. For now, you're done with the chassis. You can always come back and learn about alignment another time.

Detailing, polishing of the cabnet all comes later.

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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:34 am 
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Location: Tennessee,USA
The sticker is part of a theft/ID system I guess.
Some vintage stickers can be left alone. Others should come off. Up to you about the sticker. It is part of the set's history. If the set were mine, I'd probably leave it on, and polish around it.
Good luck!

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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:42 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
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Location: Victoria BC, Canada
gary rabbitt wrote:
Very nice set as your 'first' one.
Just make sure you have a plan.
Basics first, get it working. Filter caps first. Test. everything ok, go for one or two caps, then test again. Repeat until you are finished recapping. Test again. For now, you're done with the chassis. You can always come back and learn about alignment another time.

Detailing, polishing of the cabnet all comes later.


Thanks Gary! I will do as you say, and replace the caps like that. I would like to check all of the coils too, but I can't seem to find the schematic for it.

Best regards,
Matt


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:45 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
gary rabbitt wrote:
The sticker is part of a theft/ID system I guess.
Some vintage stickers can be left alone. Others should come off. Up to you about the sticker. It is part of the set's history. If the set were mine, I'd probably leave it on, and polish around it.
Good luck!


Yeah, I think I am going to leave it. Thanks for the information about the sticker. At first I thought it might have been put on because a house had to be cleared after a death, and the owner had no family so the police had to do it.

Matt


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 6:57 am 
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AntiqueRadioNut wrote:
Here is one thing that concerned me right off the bat. A 50C5 in the circuit of a 35C5. As far as I know, you can't use a 50C5 in place of a 35C5.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66514651@N03/7010220999/in/photostream


Seq who? With today's higher house current this is basicaly a good sub.


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 7:37 am 
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Location: Aurora Colorado
Being a Canadian set, you may need to ask someone with a RCC disk for that schematic.

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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 3:13 pm 
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am
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Location: Gainesville, Florida
should work fine with 50C5. great starter radio

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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 4:04 pm 
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Location: Richmond, VA
There have been a couple threads on the 50C5/35C5 substitution. Here's one when I asked the same question :D

http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=164067

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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: Mar Sat 24, 2012 4:06 pm 
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am
Posts: 5529
Location: Cleona, PA
Nice radio, and should be an easy first restoration. Just a note: this radio is not from 1945. It has civil defense markings on the dial at 640 and 1240, which were required on radios built from 1953 through 1963, and don't believe any 1945 radio had all miniature tubes. I didn't find your model number with a quick search through NostalgiaAir schematics, so don't know the year, but I'm guessing mid fifties. Someone may have a schematic with the year.

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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: May Tue 01, 2012 5:59 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
Hello everyone,

I have gotten the capacitors needed to begin the re-cap process on this radio. I have gone through the schematic and checked the resistors and the windings, and things are looking pretty good. I should have the electrical restoration done by the end of this week.

You can watch a YouTube series on this if you like at this address:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TundraWalk3r?feature=mhee

Best regards,

Matt


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: May Tue 01, 2012 6:18 am 
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Joined: Mar Wed 21, 2012 7:53 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
wrnewton wrote:
Nice radio, and should be an easy first restoration. Just a note: this radio is not from 1945. It has civil defense markings on the dial at 640 and 1240, which were required on radios built from 1953 through 1963, and don't believe any 1945 radio had all miniature tubes. I didn't find your model number with a quick search through NostalgiaAir schematics, so don't know the year, but I'm guessing mid fifties. Someone may have a schematic with the year.


Hi Reece,

Thanks for the information. Someone managed to find the schematic for me, and I found out that is is from 1954.

Matt


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 Post subject: Re: My first restoration: 1945 RCA Victor X-624
PostPosted: May Tue 01, 2012 7:03 am 
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Location: Aurora Colorado
You have a very neat shop area.!

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