[ARC5] Restoring a BC-455-b, request advices

[J Mcvey]

You can cut the capacitor pots open with a pipe cutter. Pot the top off, heat the bdy slightly to looosen the wax and gut the innards.Use three .047/400v  mylars that are physically small enough for the space.Drill a 1/8 hole in the bottom and push the leads through then solder/trim.  Now you have the three leads to connect tp the terminals. You can either dig into the top section further or solder /trim to the "cables" there. Use spaghetti tubing or shrink tube on the exposed sections wire to avoid shorts. Carefully close and position the top to to the body and hold it in position with clips or a vice. Run a bead of solder around the case to re-seal.
Before re-installing, check for shorts between the terminals themselves and between the terminals and the case. If you hav an LCR meter. verify that each terminal reads approx .047 uf with respect to the the case. It may be a little off, depending on how hot you made the case while soldering. 

This way you retain the authenticity, even when you open the bottom. Besides I think it's easier than to install terminal strips or re-route connections, etc.
 

    On Sunday, May 1, 2016 10:11 AM, Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com> wrote:
 

 Hi Paolo,

Those parts are inside and nobody is going to see them. The real 
question is whether you want a museum piece that is all original to sit 
on the shelf in a glass display case to look at or a radio to go on the 
air and listen to. You already said you want to listen so you should 
change the caps. Check the resistors while you are in there. I found a 
few that were far out of spec in the ones I have worked on. You can buy 
or build a 'control box' for it that plugs into the socket on the back 
so that you won't need to modify the front for the gain pot, BFO switch, 
and audio out plug.

Have fun with your project.

73,

Bill  KU8H

On 05/01/2016 04:09 AM, Paolo Gramigna wrote:
> Hi all,
> I'm a newcomer here. I just acquired a complete (less dynamotor) and 
> good-looking BC-455-B and I would like to restore it to good working 
> conditions. I'm planning to use it in order to listen to the few 
> remaining broadcasting stations, while enjoying the sound of a truly 
> vintage radio.
>
> I have seen several posts in the web suggesting to replace the 
> capacitors, especially the electrolytic ones, with modern ones. That 
> will cause big detriment to the authenticity, but probably will be 
> beneficial to the functionality.
>
> What is your wise advice?
>
> thanks!
>
> IK4YNG Paolo
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