Hello All,
I remember replacing these with ordinary power resistors in the past but I don't know the values of the two in the L-49B. One is open in the tube I have in front of me. I opened it and it is disconnected. If you know what the values are, please let me know.

Thanks,

Dave

3 & 8 = 150 8 & 7 = 40 You could use an 8.2 MFD.at 160 VAC from pins 3 to 7 .. This capacitor will fit inside the original ballast tube. For the dial lamp. Use a #44, lift the heater ground from the last tube in the string, add now the lamp in series from the heater to ground. Shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor. This works perfect.

Warren,
The L-49B calls for a number 46 lamp. Are you sure that a 40 ohm resistor will work? I have a 50 ohm resistor. I just want to use this to test the radio to see if it works. I plan on buying a replacement L-49B. So if a 50 ohm 10 watt resistor will work, I'll try that.

Thanks,

Dave
:3 & 8 = 150 8 & 7 = 40 You could use an 8.2 MFD.at 160 VAC from pins 3 to 7 .. This capacitor will fit inside the original ballast tube. For the dial lamp. Use a #44, lift the heater ground from the last tube in the string, add now the lamp in series from the heater to ground. Shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor. This works perfect.
:

A 46 lamp, is a 6.3 volt. But is screw base. The resistor of 40 Ohms is the shunt across the lamp only on pins 7 & 8 of the ballast tube. If you just want to test your radio, leave the dial lamp and ballast tube out. Connect a 200 Ohm 20 watt resistor on pins 3 & 7 of the ballast tube socket. Don't know what the model radio you have. But you can look at an Emerson BJ200, it has the same ballast tube and circuit.

Make that 150 Ohms from pins 3 & 7 for testing.

Warren,
The radio is a Majestic Charlie McCarthy Number 1 radio. I will have to replace the burned out 40 ohm section with a 40 ohm power resistor. I cannot find a replacement L-49B, but it looks like there's plenty of room for it inside the tube. The other section of the ballast is fine. Is this a 10 Watt resistor or a 5 watt resistor (pin 7 to 8)? A 50 ohm 10 Watt resistor worked with no bulb in the socket.

Thanks,

Dave
:A 46 lamp, is a 6.3 volt. But is screw base. The resistor of 40 Ohms is the shunt across the lamp only on pins 7 & 8 of the ballast tube. If you just want to test your radio, leave the dial lamp and ballast tube out. Connect a 200 Ohm 20 watt resistor on pins 3 & 7 of the ballast tube socket. Don't know what the model radio you have. But you can look at an Emerson BJ200, it has the same ballast tube and circuit.
:

Pins 8 & 7 are the 40 ohm section. 50 ohm 10 watt should be fine. Also a L-49BG is the same ballast tube, but is glass. Still think you would be better off to use an AC capacitor from pins 3 & 7 .. Put your dial lamp in series with the last tube heater going to ground. Shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.

Warren,
10 watt resistors are way too small. The radio plays fine with the resistors but they smoke. So I will have to find a real ballast tube.
I can also spend $$$$ for very large adjustable resistors. But they wont fit inside the cabinet. I really have to find a genuine L49B.

Thanks,

Dave
:Pins 8 & 7 are the 40 ohm section. 50 ohm 10 watt should be fine. Also a L-49BG is the same ballast tube, but is glass. Still think you would be better off to use an AC capacitor from pins 3 & 7 .. Put your dial lamp in series with the last tube heater going to ground. Shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.
:

Here is a link showing the AC capacitor trick. For your dial lamp, lift the heater ground on the last tube in the series. Add your dial lamp now in series to ground, shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.

http://www.oldradiosrus.com/build.html

Runs cool, slow start, tubes like it and last longer.

Warren,
I cannot find what you are talking about on that page. There doesn't seem to be any mention of ballast tubes or their replacement there.

Thanks,

Dave
:Here is a link showing the AC capacitor trick. For your dial lamp, lift the heater ground on the last tube in the series. Add your dial lamp now in series to ground, shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.
:
:http://www.oldradiosrus.com/build.html
:
:Runs cool, slow start, tubes like it and last longer.
:

Warren,
I found it. I'll read it and see what I can do.

Dave
:Warren,
: I cannot find what you are talking about on that page. There doesn't seem to be any mention of ballast tubes or their replacement there.
:
:Thanks,
:
:Dave
::Here is a link showing the AC capacitor trick. For your dial lamp, lift the heater ground on the last tube in the series. Add your dial lamp now in series to ground, shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.
::
::http://www.oldradiosrus.com/build.html
::
::Runs cool, slow start, tubes like it and last longer.
::
:

Warren,
I tried this. The radio plays fine but the light bulb will not work. I even tried a 3 volt bulb and nothing will work but it works fine with a "Real" ballast tube. I have no idea what's wrong. I'm using a 50 ohm 10 watt resistor. I don't think that 10 ohm is going to make the bulb not light up at all.
I have checked and double checked all the solder connections. The 50 ohm resistor runs from pin 7 to pin 8. The capacitor runs from pin 3 to pin 7. The light bulb has to work but it wont work. What do you think might be happening?

Thanks,

Dave
:Here is a link showing the AC capacitor trick. For your dial lamp, lift the heater ground on the last tube in the series. Add your dial lamp now in series to ground, shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.
:
:http://www.oldradiosrus.com/build.html
:
:Runs cool, slow start, tubes like it and last longer.
:

To make the dial lamp work, use a #44 bulb. Lift the last tubes heater connection going to ground, now add the dial lamp in series with that last tubes heater going to ground. Put a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor across the dial lamp. ( A Shunt ) No need for any resistor in place of the ballast tube for the dial lamp.

Warren,
I do not want to "modify" the radio to work with a non-standard ballast tube. Everything has to be in the Ballast tube and nowhere else. In the article about these capacitor ballast tubes, the person uses a resistor in the ballast tube for the dial lamp and it works. How does he get it to work, is what I'd like to know.

Thanks,

Dave

:To make the dial lamp work, use a #44 bulb. Lift the last tubes heater connection going to ground, now add the dial lamp in series with that last tubes heater going to ground. Put a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor across the dial lamp. ( A Shunt ) No need for any resistor in place of the ballast tube for the dial lamp.
:

Warren,
It turns out that this works very well. I made the mistake of connecting the capacitor from pin 3 to pin 7 instead of to pin 8. I made the correction and the "capacitor" ballast works just fine and no modification has to be made to the radio at all.

Thanks,

Dave
:Warren,
: I do not want to "modify" the radio to work with a non-standard ballast tube. Everything has to be in the Ballast tube and nowhere else. In the article about these capacitor ballast tubes, the person uses a resistor in the ballast tube for the dial lamp and it works. How does he get it to work, is what I'd like to know.
:
:Thanks,
:
:Dave
:
::To make the dial lamp work, use a #44 bulb. Lift the last tubes heater connection going to ground, now add the dial lamp in series with that last tubes heater going to ground. Put a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor across the dial lamp. ( A Shunt ) No need for any resistor in place of the ballast tube for the dial lamp.
::
:

Glad you got it all working Dave.

The original ballest tube pins 3 and 8 for the main drop. pins 7 and 8 for the dial lamp shunt. What you have done from 3 and 7 with the capacitor, is by-passed the dial lamp shunt. That's why no light. If you were to do the dial lamp modification as I said, it would still work fine with an original ballast tube pluged in.

Warren,
The radio also makes a chirp sound when it's shut off. Is this normal with this capacitor ballast? I doesn't do this with a "real" ballast tube either.

Thanks,

Dave
:Here is a link showing the AC capacitor trick. For your dial lamp, lift the heater ground on the last tube in the series. Add your dial lamp now in series to ground, shunt the lamp with a 47 ohm 1 watt resistor.
:
:http://www.oldradiosrus.com/build.html
:
:Runs cool, slow start, tubes like it and last longer.
:

I have one of the L-49-B ballasts. You're welcome to have it for the postage. Chuck

:Warren,
: The radio is a Majestic Charlie McCarthy Number 1 radio. I will have to replace the burned out 40 ohm section with a 40 ohm power resistor. I cannot find a replacement L-49B, but it looks like there's plenty of room for it inside the tube. The other section of the ballast is fine. Is this a 10 Watt resistor or a 5 watt resistor (pin 7 to 8)? A 50 ohm 10 Watt resistor worked with no bulb in the socket.
:
:Thanks,
:
:Dave
::A 46 lamp, is a 6.3 volt. But is screw base. The resistor of 40 Ohms is the shunt across the lamp only on pins 7 & 8 of the ballast tube. If you just want to test your radio, leave the dial lamp and ballast tube out. Connect a 200 Ohm 20 watt resistor on pins 3 & 7 of the ballast tube socket. Don't know what the model radio you have. But you can look at an Emerson BJ200, it has the same ballast tube and circuit.
::
: