Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Millie Vanillie]

I would love to have a radio in my Austin A30 and wondered if this was feasible bearing in mind that once the lights are on, the semaphores stop working so any additional drain on the electrics isn't good !

Has anyone managed to successfully install one without flattening the battery completely and is there a particular model/type of radio that I should consider ?

There appears to be a hole in the wing for an ariel - so did they ever come with them fitted originally?

Thanks.

[47Jag]

Millie,

It sounds like your dynamo/regulator needs a check over. The dynamo should be capable of producing about 22 - 25 amps. Original headlamps only draw about 6 amps, The side/tail lamps are another 2 amps. The semaphores have a highish draw ??? until they open and then they drop to about 2 amps. Check the fan belt is tight. Do you have a voltmeter? If you have we can talk you thru' the check/adjustment procedure. If not get an auto electrician to have a look.

Art

[Millie Vanillie]

Hello Art (again) ! You are a mine of information aren't you !

I have an alternator instead of a dynamo and yes it probably does need checking.

When I bought the car a couple of weeks ago it started fine....I drove it about 50 miles to my house and then the next day it wouldn't start

We charged the battery and realised that the connections weren't very tight and wondered if that was the problem ? Since then, most days it starts fine, it's just this ongoing issue with the semaphores being a bit reluctant to work when the lights are on.

A friend of mine said that its probably down to the battery as we disconnected it when the car was running and the car was fine ( i.e the alternator was doing the job). He also said I could take it to Kwik Fit who would do the checks and let me know what's wrong as I don't have a voltmeter....

Does any of that make sense ?

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

I suspect that you have a poor electrical earth somewhere. This problem can cause all sorts of apparently unrelated electrical problems.
You need to check that the lead from the battery that goes to the body of the car is making a very good electrical contact and also that the connection from the body to the engine/gear box is also good.
I have ony 6v and a dynamo, but my semaphores work along with the lights etc. Everything should work reasonably. Again it is a case of "find the volts"

[Keith D]

Millie,

In answer to your original inquiry regarding fitting a car radio in your A30.
Provided your electrics are in good sound condition, (as other forum members have advised and suggested) then there is no reason whatsoever why you cannot install a modern transistorised radio/CD or tape player in your A30. Modern electronics use very little current. An old 1954 radio may be a different matter however. They used a device known as a vibrator pack to build up the voltage to power the valves that radios of those days used. These used a lot of current! (amps). Your A30 was originally positive earth, and modern radio equipment is negative earth, so your car's polarity will need changing. An auto electrician can do this for you in a few minutes.

Keith

[47Jag]

Millie,
So you have an alternator fitted. Even the smallest alternator will put out 40 amps. It could have a blown diode which will reduce the max. output to about 10 amps which barely covers the essentials required for daylight running. You have to get the output checked. Get that side sorted out first.

I would suggest investing a tenner in buying a cheap Digital Multimeter and then follow any further advice we give as you work your way thru' your problems. Of course if there is a problem as I suspect with your charging circuit, they may all go away once that is sorted.

As it has an alternator then Keith's suggestions are the way to go. To try and fit a period radio would be fraught with potential problems. The era your car comes from was the earliest examples of transitorised
radios. The early 50s had a vibrator which was used to provide a step up in voltage for the amplifier circuit. As the 60s approached a transistor was used to accomplish this. This is the type that are polarity sensitive. Some are switchable but not all.

Art

[peppiB]

I have a modern Sony radio in my Minor (very similar to your A30) The only problem I have encountered is at 60mph I can't hear the thing above the noise of the car It's a great asset when parked up, though. I think the A30 was the same as the minor in that radios were never fitted ex works.

Even with the constant live feed to keep the pre set stations tuned, I don't have any problems with the battery going flat. I do have flashing indicators rather than semaphores, though.

As already mentioned, you have to convert your car (if not already done) to negative earth

[Millie Vanillie]

Wow !!!

Thank you all for your help I had no idea there was so much to learn...that's the trouble with being molly coddled all these years with modern cars !

I am at work tomorrow but will try and do all the stuff suggested and see how I get on.

I have to agree with PeppiB though the noise is so considerable when the Austin's running I probably couldn't hear the music either so maybe there's not much point after all!

But, I do need to sort out the electrics it seems....so thanks again.

[Rich5ltr]

[Rusty]

An alternator has to be negative earth to work, if its still hooked up positive earth (which it would have been originaly with the generator) then you will have to have it altered to negative earth and repair the damage to the alternator caused by connecting it up incorectly. If its connected positive earth that will explain why you are having trouble.
Does it have an ammeter ? If so is it showing a charge ?

Graham

[ukdave2002]