K515 (the Owl) Ch= 5K03

Zenith Radio Corp.; Chicago, IL

Data
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Pictures
Collections

  • Year
  • 1952/1953
  • Category
  • Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner
  • Radiomuseum.org ID
  • 314235
    • alternative name: Chicago Radio Lab

 Technical Specifications

  • Number of Tubes
  • 5
  • Main principle
  • Superheterodyne (common); ZF/IF 455 kHz; 2 AF stage(s)
  • Tuned circuits
  • 6 AM circuit(s)
  • Wave bands
  • Broadcast only (MW).
  • Power type and voltage
  • Alternating Current supply (AC) / 115 Volt
  • Loudspeaker
  • Permanent Magnet Dynamic (PDyn) Loudspeaker (moving coil) / Ø 4 inch = 10.2 cm
  • Material
  • Plastics (no bakelite or catalin)
  • from Radiomuseum.org
  • Model: K515 Ch= 5K03 - Zenith Radio Corp.; Chicago,
  • Shape
  • Tablemodel with Clock ((Alarm-) Clock Radio).
  • Dimensions (WHD)
  • 13.25 x 5.375 x 6 inch / 337 x 137 x 152 mm
  • Notes

  • Model K515 (walnut) is essentially identical to the model K518 series with the following exceptions.

    • The K518 has the Zenith crest and "Zenith DeLuxe" on the front.  The K515 does not have the crest and only says "Zenith"
    • The K518 has three knobs on the clock, whereas the K515 only has two knobs.

    The following models are identical except for cabinet color.

    Model Number Cabinet Color
    K515 Walnut
    K515Y Black

     

    The K515, Chassis 5KO3 uses the Zenith "Tube Life Saver" which is basically an NTC (negative temperature coefficient) resistor in a red metal box at the rear of the chassis. It  initially measured at 1580 ohms cold resistance, dropping to about 40-50 ohms when heated. Note that those resistances are temperature dependent and will vary. To compensate for the reduced line voltage for the series filaments caused by insertion of that resistor into the series string, Zenith replaced the 12BA6 with a plug-compatible 6BJ6 which uses a filament of 6 volts at 150 mA in place of the 12 volts at 150 mA for the more typical 12BA6.

    Note that model K518 does not have the "Tube Life Saver".

    More details in "The 'All-American Five' - Two Zenith clock radios and Hallicrafters S-38EM" in the July 2023 issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine.

     

  • Net weight (2.2 lb = 1 kg)
  • 4 lb 13 oz (4.813 lb) / 2.185 kg
  • Price in first year of sale
  • 34.95 $
  • Literature/Schematics (1)
  • The Spectrum Monitor, July 2023, p.71-76
  • Author
  • Model page created by David Erali. See "Data change" for further contributors.

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The model K515 (the Owl) is part of the collections of the following members.

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