Need help identifying "Kent" radio. (Identified as a Kent Model 9822). - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ct92404 · 24th Jan 2017, 2:24 pm

I just bought a small vacuum tube radio from an antique shop, and I'm having trouble finding any information about it. It has a name "Kent" on it, but I've never heard of that company before. I looked the name up though, and apparently they did make a lot of radios, beginning in the 1920's. My radio doesn't have any model name or number that I could find. It's a pretty simple radio, made out of wood. What is really unusual though is that it only has 4 tubes, and I've never seen ones like these before. They're big tubes, and two of them have a connection on top. The tubes are 12k7, 12J7, 35L6, and 35Z5. I'm thinking that the radio might be from the early 1940's, since I've read that in the 1950's they started using smaller tubes. But I'm really not sure. I'm still pretty new to collecting and restoring these antique radios. I was just really fascinated with the tubes this thing has.

There isn't any power transformer, so the tubes are apparently connected in series to work with 120 volts. The radio has a standard 120v AC plug (well, standard here in the US.)

It needs a LOT of work, but it's an interesting little radio. Does anyone have any idea of what kind of radio this is, and what time period it might be from?

The back cover is missing. I don't know if there was supposed to be an antenna coil on the back. It's also missing a small light bulb that must be to light up the dial. I've read that in a lot of radios, the bulb actually limits the current to the tubes. What kind of bulb would I need to replace it with?

I'm sorry to be asking so many questions in one post! Thanks to anyone who can help. I've attached pictures of the radio. (Sorry about the bad quality - I just took them with my cell phone).

- Chris

ms660 · 24th Jan 2017, 2:41 pm

Looks like the one here (scroll down to "Kent"):

http://www.oocities.org/televisionci...ios/index.html

Lawrence.

Herald1360 · 24th Jan 2017, 6:30 pm

Or here:

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/kent_9822.html

No pic, but the valve lineup fits.

This may help:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/pagesbym...4/M0000444.pdf

The valves are all common -GT (Glass Tubular) octal types. The set itself is a basic TRF or 1-V-1 (RF, detector, AF). The odd curly loop on L2 might be something to do with a degree of fixed regeneration on the detector.

ct92404 · 27th Jan 2017, 6:54 am

Thanks for the help, everyone. Sorry it took me a while to reply, I've been busy with the radio!

The diagram at the RadioMuseum link indeed seems to be right - which means it's a Kent Model 9822 radio, made in about 1940. I decided to just take off the fabric covering from the case, since it was really grimy and peeling off anyway. That was a LOT of work though! A lot of scraping, sanding, patching with wood putty, and then I painted it. It's not perfect, but it's definitely a lot better now!

I replaced the dial light bulb and some of the capacitors that were obviously bad. I powered it up and got the tubes to glow and got sound from the speaker. There were no signs of any shorts or other major problems, which I was really happy about. But there was just a loud hum, which of course most likely means the filter capacitor is bad. So my next step is to replace that. I'll also have to wind an antenna coil, since the back cover and antenna are missing. Hopefully, in the next couple of days or so, I'll have this little radio working!

- Chris

24th Jan 2017, 2:24 pm	#1
ct92404 Pentode Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: San Bernardino, California, USA. Posts: 101	Need help identifying "Kent" radio. (Identified as a Kent Model 9822). I just bought a small vacuum tube radio from an antique shop, and I'm having trouble finding any information about it. It has a name "Kent" on it, but I've never heard of that company before. I looked the name up though, and apparently they did make a lot of radios, beginning in the 1920's. My radio doesn't have any model name or number that I could find. It's a pretty simple radio, made out of wood. What is really unusual though is that it only has 4 tubes, and I've never seen ones like these before. They're big tubes, and two of them have a connection on top. The tubes are 12k7, 12J7, 35L6, and 35Z5. I'm thinking that the radio might be from the early 1940's, since I've read that in the 1950's they started using smaller tubes. But I'm really not sure. I'm still pretty new to collecting and restoring these antique radios. I was just really fascinated with the tubes this thing has. There isn't any power transformer, so the tubes are apparently connected in series to work with 120 volts. The radio has a standard 120v AC plug (well, standard here in the US.) It needs a LOT of work, but it's an interesting little radio. Does anyone have any idea of what kind of radio this is, and what time period it might be from? The back cover is missing. I don't know if there was supposed to be an antenna coil on the back. It's also missing a small light bulb that must be to light up the dial. I've read that in a lot of radios, the bulb actually limits the current to the tubes. What kind of bulb would I need to replace it with? I'm sorry to be asking so many questions in one post! Thanks to anyone who can help. I've attached pictures of the radio. (Sorry about the bad quality - I just took them with my cell phone). - Chris Attached Thumbnails

24th Jan 2017, 2:41 pm	#2
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Need help identifying "Kent" radio Looks like the one here (scroll down to "Kent"): http://www.oocities.org/televisionci...ios/index.html Lawrence.

24th Jan 2017, 6:30 pm	#3
Herald1360 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 16,535	Re: Need help identifying "Kent" radio Or here: http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/kent_9822.html No pic, but the valve lineup fits. This may help: http://www.nostalgiaair.org/pagesbym...4/M0000444.pdf The valves are all common -GT (Glass Tubular) octal types. The set itself is a basic TRF or 1-V-1 (RF, detector, AF). The odd curly loop on L2 might be something to do with a degree of fixed regeneration on the detector. __________________ ....__________ ....\|____\|\|__\|__\_____ .=.\| _---\__\|__\|_---_\|. .........O..Chris....O Last edited by Herald1360; 24th Jan 2017 at 6:37 pm.

27th Jan 2017, 6:54 am	#4
ct92404 Pentode Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: San Bernardino, California, USA. Posts: 101	Re: Need help identifying "Kent" radio Thanks for the help, everyone. Sorry it took me a while to reply, I've been busy with the radio! The diagram at the RadioMuseum link indeed seems to be right - which means it's a Kent Model 9822 radio, made in about 1940. I decided to just take off the fabric covering from the case, since it was really grimy and peeling off anyway. That was a LOT of work though! A lot of scraping, sanding, patching with wood putty, and then I painted it. It's not perfect, but it's definitely a lot better now! I replaced the dial light bulb and some of the capacitors that were obviously bad. I powered it up and got the tubes to glow and got sound from the speaker. There were no signs of any shorts or other major problems, which I was really happy about. But there was just a loud hum, which of course most likely means the filter capacitor is bad. So my next step is to replace that. I'll also have to wind an antenna coil, since the back cover and antenna are missing. Hopefully, in the next couple of days or so, I'll have this little radio working! - Chris Attached Thumbnails