Hello, I have a Howard 268 which I have successfully restored, and it plays and functons well. However, it has a tiny 1.5 volt button cell on the dectector's screen bias, which, of course, is long dead. My question is, should I replace it? Will I get remarkably improved performance, or just be satisfied that the set works as well as it does? Also, the tuning eye is not very sensitive to signals, only a very strong station makes it deflect significantly. I replaced the original 6G5 with a 6U5, is that the problem, or should I look elsewhere in the circuit? Thank you..............

Hi Neal

Either replace the cell with a watch battery or short across it. If left in the circuit the cell will act opren to grid of your tube.

Has the radio been aligned? Are you using an antenna? What is the resistance between pins 2 and 4 of your eye tube? This resistor often goes up in value and causes poor sensitivity.

6U5 and 6G5 are electrically the same. If you can't get enough movement try 6E5. This is a more sensitive tube.

Norm

: Hello, I have a Howard 268 which I have successfully restored, and it plays and functons well. However, it has a tiny 1.5 volt button cell on the dectector's screen bias, which, of course, is long dead. My question is, should I replace it? Will I get remarkably improved performance, or just be satisfied that the set works as well as it does? Also, the tuning eye is not very sensitive to signals, only a very strong station makes it deflect significantly. I replaced the original 6G5 with a 6U5, is that the problem, or should I look elsewhere in the circuit? Thank you..............