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Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here. |
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18th Apr 2008, 2:43 pm | #1 |
Octode
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,227
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Disgusting smell from radio chassis.
I am stripping down an old 1935 TRF described elsewhere and was cleaning around the dropper and noticed a terrible smell-like dust,dirt and mouldy fish.Is it from the decaying dropper which has white asbestos centre?The cabinet smells fine inside.
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18th Apr 2008, 2:44 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,861
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Re: Disgusting smell
The classic smelly thing in old radios is any failing selenium rectifier
Don't forget that dead mice occasionally turn up too |
18th Apr 2008, 2:47 pm | #3 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,798
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Re: Disgusting smell
Could be from a selenium rectifier, these smell pretty gross when they fail.
Just don't breath in that asbestos dust. Geof |
18th Apr 2008, 2:54 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,861
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Re: Disgusting smell
Hang on, I'm sure selenuim recs weren't around in 1935... could be a replacement though, I suppose
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18th Apr 2008, 3:30 pm | #5 |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 231
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Re: Disgusting smell
Hi All,
just as a point of interest, i have a very early Ekco Radio at home (mains powered, 1930) and it uses a large long HW Selenium rectifier. So they were definately around. Thinking about it my Pye Sunrise (E-AC 1932 i think) also uses a single, centre tapped selenium rectifier as a voltage doubler in its power supply. And boy do they stink when they finally let go!! (think open case triplers in 1400 series tv's when they give up the ghost - Phew!!) Cheers, Alan. |
18th Apr 2008, 3:57 pm | #6 |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: East London, UK.
Posts: 231
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Re: Disgusting smell
You know i could be wrong about selenium rectifiers. According to a search on the web, they first appeared in 1933. Maybe i got a bit confuzzed, and was thinking of metal rectifiers - D'oh !!
Apologies, Alan. |
18th Apr 2008, 4:04 pm | #7 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 4,061
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Re: Disgusting smell
What glue would've been used on the cabinet 70+ years ago? Would it have been made from animal-derived substances? I'm wondering if the radio's been exposed to damp and/or stored under certain conditions which have caused this glue to degrade and stink.
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18th Apr 2008, 5:45 pm | #8 |
Octode
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Hampton Vale, Peterborough, UK.
Posts: 1,698
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Re: Disgusting smell
I've not come across any type of metal oxide rectifier in a prewar radio that failed so as to cause a stink like the one mentioned here. Neither is the animal glue that most surely would have been used for cabinet assembly going to cause much smell. All in all, failing another more likely cause, the dead mouse/rat has it...
-Tony |
19th Apr 2008, 12:48 am | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 6,644
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Re: Disgusting smell
Take the Electrolytics out, and any non-valve diodes. If the dropper reads bad, chuck this too. Put the case, back and knobs in a bag with some cat litter for a week. Clean the chassis as much as you can, remove the valves and do the same with this. (Cat litter is great for absorbing nasty smalls.)
Remove, seal and dispose of any Asbestos. Should shift it. Cheers, Steve P.
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If we've always had it, why is the Car Boot open? You're not sneaking another Old TV in are you...? |
19th Apr 2008, 7:31 am | #10 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 2,593
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Re: Disgusting smell
Hello,
It's sure smelly down here in Surrey ... I have a Hacker RP37A here which I'm sure was the target of a territorial tom cat and even two years after I restored it, it still stinks. Maybe cat litter will do the trick ... shame it wasn't available to the cat ..... Howard |
19th Apr 2008, 9:42 am | #11 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Dorset, UK.
Posts: 947
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Re: Disgusting smell
The great advantage of selenium rectifiers is that often you can detect when they are faulty from across the room.
None of this time wasting, removing the back, checking voltages, etc. One quick whiff, and, "yes, I know whats wrong". |
19th Apr 2008, 10:42 am | #12 |
Octode
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Hampton Vale, Peterborough, UK.
Posts: 1,698
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Re: Disgusting smell
Alan is right, of course - with TV EHT rectifier tray elements, but I still maintain that I've not come across a selenium or other type of metal rectifier in a radio that has created anything like the stench of those old TV triplers and quadrupler trays. If anything, radio rectifiers seem to go high resistance and virtually stop working. Anyone know different?
-Tony |
19th Apr 2008, 3:08 pm | #13 | |
Hexode
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK.
Posts: 298
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Re: Disgusting smell
Quote:
dave
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Dave Teague |
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19th Apr 2008, 7:27 pm | #14 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Worcester, Worcestershire, UK.
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Re: Disgusting smell
Warning. Selenium compounds are toxic if inhaled. I don`t have the latest data but in 1992 the limit for selenium compounds in air (other than hydrogen selenide which is only half as toxic) was 0.1 mg/cubic metre for long term exposure. short term exposure was not quoted.
If anything the limit now could be lower. Don`t breathe the stuff!! Pat |
19th Apr 2008, 7:43 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Seaford, East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 5,997
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Re: Disgusting smell
The heat from the dropper causes substantial airflow. Cigarette tar, coal tar, cooking oils all accumulate on the chassis around the dropper. Add water and you release some of those smells.
My guess anyway... |
20th Apr 2008, 8:58 pm | #16 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
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Re: Disgusting smell
My money's on the selenium rectifier:
the smell is almost unique in nature, and unforgettable. (I've had the decomposing mice and tobacco smoke, but they don't come anywhere close - from a servicing viewpoint, you change the rectifier without even bothering to find the Trader Sheet). The only other place I've ever encountered it (sorry, Moderators, too much info, I know, but not quite OT) was when I had a tooth drilled to relieve the pressure on an abscessed nerve. After 40 years I still haven't quite got rid of the taste ! |
21st Apr 2008, 2:32 pm | #17 |
Octode
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,227
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Re: Disgusting smell
Well that produced the biggest response I have ever had.To clarify;the chassis was already out of the wooden case and wasn't damp.I was concerned that I was inhaling some poisonous fumes but I seem to be still here. I will return to it soon.and I think I will wear a fume/dust mask.
I would post a copy of the smell but we haven't got the technology yet. |