My RCA uses a 6-volt battery and vibrator power supply. I have been unsuccessful in locating an appropriate replacement vibrator unit. Where can I locate one? Is it possible to build a solid state unit or convert the radio to A/C power?

Hi Tony

You could build a power supply to replace the vibrator section of your radio. Two voltages will be needed, 6 volt to light tubes and B+, around 135 volts.

6 volts can be AC from a filament transformer since your radio uses heater type tubes. An isolation transformer with rectifier and filter caps can be used for B+.

Norm

: My RCA uses a 6-volt battery and vibrator power supply. I have been unsuccessful in locating an appropriate replacement vibrator unit. Where can I locate one? Is it possible to build a solid state unit or convert the radio to A/C power?

Hi,
If you are good with transistors and such, you can trace out your old power section to see if you are switching between ground and one side of the step up transformer, or if you are switching between two windings to ground. In either event, if you know how to construct an "astable (monostable, bistable, and stable types can work too) multivabrator", you can drive some power transistors that are able to handle 5 to 6 amps across the emitter and collector, and wire them to toggle between the two windings and ground, or single widing and ground. This also happens to be the same principle for power invertors.

Alternatively, yo might want to see if AES (www.tubesandmore.com) has a solid state replacement. I have seen them around, but I am not sure if it was AES, or another vendor.

: Hi Tony

: You could build a power supply to replace the vibrator section of your radio. Two voltages will be needed, 6 volt to light tubes and B+, around 135 volts.

: 6 volts can be AC from a filament transformer since your radio uses heater type tubes. An isolation transformer with rectifier and filter caps can be used for B+.

: Norm

: : My RCA uses a 6-volt battery and vibrator power supply. I have been unsuccessful in locating an appropriate replacement vibrator unit. Where can I locate one? Is it possible to build a solid state unit or convert the radio to A/C power?