Question:

I have a 1930's radio that needs two tubes and i can't find them anywhere?

by  |  earlier

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i live in oklahoma and if anybody has any information on places or anything else please let me know

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  1. What numbers?,   if they are something you "absolutely" cannot get, you can put a new socket in and use a newer tube with similar characteristics, a radio that old is pretty simple and would work with a large tolerance (old radios had quite a large tolerance of gain, capacitance and so on) so a refit is a simple job,  but from the 30ish you may still be able to get them

    You can make an standing, plug in adapter to fit the socket or adapt the new socket to the chassis hole, so you don't modify any original components

    Googling for old tubes will get a lot, but you don't know if they are reputable, first place I would try is eBay

    Most tubes from then are only a couple elements and I've refitted several with newer tubes, you can even use field effect transistors with a the proper bias circuit and "filament load if needed" built into a tube base if you're good at circuitry

    EDIT

    OK no sweat, the 45 and the 80 are the numbers (there was not a lot of tubes back then), the 45 is a triode used for an amplifier or in a demodulator circuit and the 80 is just a rectifier ac to dc voltage,

    You can get then in 2 styles the slimmer KenRad or the older "globe" style glass they are totally interchangeable, just goto ebay and in the search box type  tube 80 .....or.....tube 45...and theres plenty of them, or just hit the link below for the 45's

    See the next link for rediomuseum , there's lot's of sites for old radios, just google,

    The link for the pinout of  the 45 is below too, theres a spec sheet there too, thats how you match up a newer tube if you can't get an original (you need to be a member at that site but look around there's places you don't need to join)

    have you checked any second hand shops or Salvation Army, Goodwill,  I find a fair amount of old stuff at them

    Good Luck!!


  2. look on the web or try ebay ,have you tried radio shack

    http://www.radioshack.com

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