Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal "3000"

I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the band scale illumination on the
above listed shortwave receiver. The bulb is an older screw-in type that is
powered by a single "D"-Cell battery. I've looked high and low for a
single-cell (1.5V) bulb, but have come up empty handed. The only thing I
have found in the 1.5V category is the "spot" style bulb, which would be
useless in this application.

Anybody else have one of these units that has found replacement bulbs?
Perhaps you made a slight modification to the unit and somehow arranged
something using LEDs? Any advice or thoughts on the matter would be greatly
appreciated.

Details: The bulbs looks like the one pictured he
http://www.topbulb.com/images/bulbs/50.jpg
According to the sight is a "G"-type bulb, although another sight identified
it as an "E"-type? Bulb is 1.5V (or thereabouts), and has "123" printed on
the side, and "*** USA ***" is stamped into the side of the bulb base.

Thanks!

PowerHouse Communications wrote:
Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal "3000"

I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the band scale illumination on the
above listed shortwave receiver. The bulb is an older screw-in type that is
powered by a single "D"-Cell battery. I've looked high and low for a
single-cell (1.5V) bulb, but have come up empty handed. The only thing I
have found in the 1.5V category is the "spot" style bulb, which would be
useless in this application.

Anybody else have one of these units that has found replacement bulbs?
Perhaps you made a slight modification to the unit and somehow arranged
something using LEDs? Any advice or thoughts on the matter would be greatly
appreciated.

Details: The bulbs looks like the one pictured he
http://www.topbulb.com/images/bulbs/50.jpg
According to the sight is a "G"-type bulb, although another sight identified
it as an "E"-type? Bulb is 1.5V (or thereabouts), and has "123" printed on
the side, and "*** USA ***" is stamped into the side of the bulb base.

Thanks!





This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube. Screwed the new piece into the socket and it's brighter
and whiter than the original, with no heat, and lower draw. And
with 100,000 hour life of the LED, there will be no replacement
necessary in my lifetime.


Obviously, this is not the best option for meticulous
restorations, but for daily users, it's a practical improvement.

"D Peter Maus" wrote

This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube.

I'm not familiar with the 3000. But, if you need to disperse the light from
an LED you can "frost" the plastic lens by lightly scuffing it with a piece
of fine sandpaper.

Panopticon wrote:
"D Peter Maus" wrote

This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube.


I'm not familiar with the 3000. But, if you need to disperse the light from
an LED you can "frost" the plastic lens by lightly scuffing it with a piece
of fine sandpaper.




Which works well in most cases. Not so well in this case, because
of the narrow angle of the emitted beam and the fact that the LED
is at right angles to and behind the surface to be illuminated. Even
after frosting, most of the emission is still wasted on the left
inside of the radio.

Now, for an LED that radiates head on, like a pilot, or in the
case of my Marantz 2218 stereo beacon, yeah, buffing the LED with
light sandpaper or steel wool does a nice job.

Mr.Maus,you will probally croak before that LED bulb in your Zenith 3000
wears out.
cuhulin

D Peter Maus wrote:

PowerHouse Communications wrote:
Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal "3000"

I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the band scale illumination on the
above listed shortwave receiver. The bulb is an older screw-in type that is
powered by a single "D"-Cell battery. I've looked high and low for a
single-cell (1.5V) bulb, but have come up empty handed. The only thing I
have found in the 1.5V category is the "spot" style bulb, which would be
useless in this application.

Anybody else have one of these units that has found replacement bulbs?
Perhaps you made a slight modification to the unit and somehow arranged
something using LEDs? Any advice or thoughts on the matter would be greatly
appreciated.

Details: The bulbs looks like the one pictured he
http://www.topbulb.com/images/bulbs/50.jpg
According to the sight is a "G"-type bulb, although another sight identified
it as an "E"-type? Bulb is 1.5V (or thereabouts), and has "123" printed on
the side, and "*** USA ***" is stamped into the side of the bulb base.

Thanks!



This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube. Screwed the new piece into the socket and it's brighter
and whiter than the original, with no heat, and lower draw. And
with 100,000 hour life of the LED, there will be no replacement
necessary in my lifetime.

Obviously, this is not the best option for meticulous
restorations, but for daily users, it's a practical improvement.


Please explain how you light a white LED when you only have a single
1.5 Volt cell and white LEDs take 3 volts or more?
http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout=...cleID=CA339716

--
Link to my "Computers for disabled Veterans" project website deleted
after threats were telephoned to my church.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
D Peter Maus wrote:

PowerHouse Communications wrote:

Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal "3000"

I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the band scale illumination on the
above listed shortwave receiver. The bulb is an older screw-in type that is
powered by a single "D"-Cell battery. I've looked high and low for a
single-cell (1.5V) bulb, but have come up empty handed. The only thing I
have found in the 1.5V category is the "spot" style bulb, which would be
useless in this application.

Anybody else have one of these units that has found replacement bulbs?
Perhaps you made a slight modification to the unit and somehow arranged
something using LEDs? Any advice or thoughts on the matter would be greatly
appreciated.

Details: The bulbs looks like the one pictured he
http://www.topbulb.com/images/bulbs/50.jpg
According to the sight is a "G"-type bulb, although another sight identified
it as an "E"-type? Bulb is 1.5V (or thereabouts), and has "123" printed on
the side, and "*** USA ***" is stamped into the side of the bulb base.

Thanks!



This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube. Screwed the new piece into the socket and it's brighter
and whiter than the original, with no heat, and lower draw. And
with 100,000 hour life of the LED, there will be no replacement
necessary in my lifetime.

Obviously, this is not the best option for meticulous
restorations, but for daily users, it's a practical improvement.



Please explain how you light a white LED when you only have a single
1.5 Volt cell and white LEDs take 3 volts or more?
http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout=...cleID=CA339716



That's a good question. I didn't really look into it any further
than pulling an LED out of the parts box, putting it across a single
cell, and seeing what happened. It lit, so I used it.


Someone last year asked for part numbers. I don't have any. I
bought a box of LED's at a hamfest for a buck. Most of them light
with a single cell.

As far as the 3v lower limit goes...I've noticed Digi-Key's LED's
require at least 3v. Most of the LED's out today will light at much
less than that. In fact, even Parts Express lists their superbright
whites at 1.7-2.2 forward volts, with significant variation within
and outside those numbers.

I own a flashlight (torch,to y'all limeys) I bought at a wal mart store
about six months ago.It has a LED bulb in the front of it and a skinny
Flourescent bulb/light on the back top side of it.I paid about ten or
eleven dollars for it.It puts out a lot of light on the Flourescent
side,the LED light Sucks! in my opinion.
cuhulin

D Peter Maus wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
D Peter Maus wrote:

PowerHouse Communications wrote:

Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal "3000"

I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the band scale illumination on the
above listed shortwave receiver. The bulb is an older screw-in type that is
powered by a single "D"-Cell battery. I've looked high and low for a
single-cell (1.5V) bulb, but have come up empty handed. The only thing I
have found in the 1.5V category is the "spot" style bulb, which would be
useless in this application.

Anybody else have one of these units that has found replacement bulbs?
Perhaps you made a slight modification to the unit and somehow arranged
something using LEDs? Any advice or thoughts on the matter would be greatly
appreciated.

Details: The bulbs looks like the one pictured he
http://www.topbulb.com/images/bulbs/50.jpg
According to the sight is a "G"-type bulb, although another sight identified
it as an "E"-type? Bulb is 1.5V (or thereabouts), and has "123" printed on
the side, and "*** USA ***" is stamped into the side of the bulb base.

Thanks!



This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube. Screwed the new piece into the socket and it's brighter
and whiter than the original, with no heat, and lower draw. And
with 100,000 hour life of the LED, there will be no replacement
necessary in my lifetime.

Obviously, this is not the best option for meticulous
restorations, but for daily users, it's a practical improvement.



Please explain how you light a white LED when you only have a single
1.5 Volt cell and white LEDs take 3 volts or more?
http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout=...cleID=CA339716


That's a good question. I didn't really look into it any further
than pulling an LED out of the parts box, putting it across a single
cell, and seeing what happened. It lit, so I used it.

Someone last year asked for part numbers. I don't have any. I
bought a box of LED's at a hamfest for a buck. Most of them light
with a single cell.

As far as the 3v lower limit goes...I've noticed Digi-Key's LED's
require at least 3v. Most of the LED's out today will light at much
less than that. In fact, even Parts Express lists their superbright
whites at 1.7-2.2 forward volts, with significant variation within
and outside those numbers.


Are yoiu sure you didn't use a pale yellow LED? They will light at a
lower voltage.

--
Link to my "Computers for disabled Veterans" project website deleted
after threats were telephoned to my church.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
D Peter Maus wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

D Peter Maus wrote:


PowerHouse Communications wrote:


Zenith Trans-Oceanic Royal "3000"

I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the band scale illumination on the
above listed shortwave receiver. The bulb is an older screw-in type that is
powered by a single "D"-Cell battery. I've looked high and low for a
single-cell (1.5V) bulb, but have come up empty handed. The only thing I
have found in the 1.5V category is the "spot" style bulb, which would be
useless in this application.

Anybody else have one of these units that has found replacement bulbs?
Perhaps you made a slight modification to the unit and somehow arranged
something using LEDs? Any advice or thoughts on the matter would be greatly
appreciated.

Details: The bulbs looks like the one pictured he
http://www.topbulb.com/images/bulbs/50.jpg
According to the sight is a "G"-type bulb, although another sight identified
it as an "E"-type? Bulb is 1.5V (or thereabouts), and has "123" printed on
the side, and "*** USA ***" is stamped into the side of the bulb base.

Thanks!



This doesn't directly answer your question, but for my 3000-1, I
pulled a white LED out of my stray parts box and soldered it into
the base of the burned out bulb. I put a thin white paper cover
around the element to disperse bright but narrow beam thoughout
scale tube. Screwed the new piece into the socket and it's brighter
and whiter than the original, with no heat, and lower draw. And
with 100,000 hour life of the LED, there will be no replacement
necessary in my lifetime.

Obviously, this is not the best option for meticulous
restorations, but for daily users, it's a practical improvement.



Please explain how you light a white LED when you only have a single
1.5 Volt cell and white LEDs take 3 volts or more?
http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout=...cleID=CA339716


That's a good question. I didn't really look into it any further
than pulling an LED out of the parts box, putting it across a single
cell, and seeing what happened. It lit, so I used it.

Someone last year asked for part numbers. I don't have any. I
bought a box of LED's at a hamfest for a buck. Most of them light
with a single cell.

As far as the 3v lower limit goes...I've noticed Digi-Key's LED's
require at least 3v. Most of the LED's out today will light at much
less than that. In fact, even Parts Express lists their superbright
whites at 1.7-2.2 forward volts, with significant variation within
and outside those numbers.



Are yoiu sure you didn't use a pale yellow LED? They will light at a
lower voltage.




Quite sure. I also found one at RS this weekend that is rated at
1.3 V.