[Hallicrafters] HT-32 Mk I drops power

[Bill Gerhold]

A slow degrade of power output would not be caused by the power transformer.
A transformer is either good or bad with the occasional exception of some
shorted turns, which would provide voltages different from original design
and may or may not blow the line fuse.  Or the transformer is outright
shorted and then the line fuse would blow immediately.

This problem cannot be solved by simply observing the circuitry hoping to
find a burned part.  If all the capacitors have not been replaced,
especially those in the HV B+ section, they should be.  The symptom
description reminds me of a HV cap going bad and about to give up the ghost.
However, testing can provide the correct answer and for this one needs some
simple test equipment, VOM or Multimeter, Tube Tester and anything else you
can collect if restoration is really what you want to do.

1)  All the tubes need to be tested.  Bad tubes replaced.
2)  Replace all HV capacitors in the B+ section, Bias section, screen etc.
without exception.
2)  All voltages need to be measured after the above (2) steps have been
performed, from cold start then again if the symptom re-appears.  If it
re-appears, you can be sure it is not these (2) major items and one needs to
look elsewhere.

Speculating and asking for advice from others who may have experienced the
same problem is great and may provide a quick solution.  But, to really
solve the problem the (2) simple steps listed above need to be performed and
should be automatic.

Restoration and repair of old radios does require some financial sacrifices,
information, experience and most of all gut instinct.

K2WH