THE PHILCO HAS ARRIVED!!!

[chrismak]

Ok my philco is now in my hands.

SO! I need help. It works but can only pick up a few stations.. can switch from Broadcast, Police and World. But.. I have no clue where an antenna would go is the first thing.

The face lights up but doesn't show on the dial where I am, which will make it hard when the sstrans comes in.

and, the tubes have been refirbed but I want to check to make sure I don't have paper capacitors. How do I check that?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Pictures can be found (more soon) here

 

[LizzieMaine]

Judging from that terminal board with the four screws, there should be a loop antenna mounted in the back of the cabinet, with four wires emerging from it. Those wires connect to the terminal board -- the specific connections are shown in the schematic for your set, which you can find here: http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByModel/294/M0013294.pdf

If the loop is missing, you should still be able to pick up a local signal by connecting a random piece of wire, as seen in the picture -- experiment with connections to see which brings in the strongest reception.

All radios made before the mid-sixties will contain paper capacitors. When you pull the chassis from the cabinet, turn it over and look at the bottom -- you'll see quite a few wax-covered paper tubes. These should all be replaced for maximum safety and performance. This assumes, of course, that someone before you hasn't already done this.

If there's a loud hum in the set when you turn it on, your electrolytic capacitors are shot. They also would need to be replaced if they haven't already been.They connect from the bottom of the chassis, and can be replaced by modern components of the same value. Values and voltages will all be listed in the schematic.

There should be a metal pointer behind your dial glass that shows thru the clear areas of the dial indiciating the station. If it's not there, or if it doesn't move, chances are your dial string has broken or come undone -- there's a diagram on the schematic showing how to fix this. It's complicated to do, but not impossible.

 

[chrismak]

How does one find what model this radio is?

 

[dhermann1]

Ron Ramirez, the ultimate Philco guru, has a website with complete listings. Unfortunately he's temporarily taken it down. But bookmark this and check it out later.
Meanwhile, some better pics could help. It should have a label in back. Usually Philcos model number started with the year, thus my Philco console is a 42-180. That metal plate on the backof the chassis should have the info, actually.
Edit: Isn't this the radio you said in the other thread was a 39-31? Did you just want to confirm that?

 

[KilroyCD]

Ron Ramirez, the ultimate Philco guru, has a website with complete listings. Unfortunately he's temporarily taken it down. But bookmark this and check it out later.

His site is still up. It's just the photo gallery that is temporarily closed. Here's the link: http://www.philcoradio.com/

 

[chrismak]

I just found out that it is a 42-380 philco, does anyone here know where to get schematics or a parts list for this radio as I think I may bring it back to 100%!

 

[dhermann1]

His site is still up. It's just the photo gallery that is temporarily closed. Here's the link: http://www.philcoradio.com/

Can't believe I said to bookmark the link and then didn't put it in. :eusa_doh:

 

[LizzieMaine]

All popular Philco schematics can be downloaded here.

There are two versions of 42-380, one of which is labeled Code 121. Make sure you get the correct version for your set -- if there's a "Code" designation, it should be right there on the label. Your set appears to be a Canadian version, but those were usually identical to the American versions.

Be careful working on this set -- the wiring is rubber-covered, and the rubber will have dried up by now. It can easily flake off and cause shorts if disturbed too much.

 

[chrismak]

LIZZIE I LOVE YOU!!.. FINALLY I am getting somewhere.. in fact it IS! a code 121!

now just have to find all the parts at radiodaze so I can get free shipping!

 

[chrismak]

So here is the inside of the radio.. Dunno what should be done to it.. but I figure I may need to pay someone to overhaul it.. How much would that cost?

 

[dhermann1]

LIZZIE I LOVE YOU!!.. FINALLY I am getting somewhere.. in fact it IS! a code 121!

now just have to find all the parts at radiodaze so I can get free shipping!

Everybody loves Lizzie!

 

[chrismak]

Yes she is a doll.. SO what does everyone think.. am I going to overhaul this beast?

And if so.. how much would that cost?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Well, someone has been in there before you, I think -- those red capacitors, the plastic-looking tubular ones, are not original equipment. But they should probably all be replaced -- the early plastic-cased ones are just as unreliable as the waxy paper ones.

The electrolytic caps are the big cardboard tubes, and they should all be replaced first - modern ones are much smaller, so there shouldn't be much trouble fitting them in.

If you've never serviced a radio before, I'd recommend you take some time to read some basic textbooks on the subject before digging in. You don't need to know a lot of theory to do it, but you do need to know basic things like how to solder properly, what the different stages of a radio do, and what the basic functions of each part are. I didn't know anything about electronics when I started, but I couldn't afford to hire anyone to do it for me, so I had no choice but to learn to do it myself -- once you know the basics it's actually not that difficult. Take your time, take it slowly, replace one part at a time, check your work carefully, and you should be fine.

 

[chrismak]

there is something sexy about a woman who can fix and old radio.. Not gonna lie.

 

[chrismak]

After a night of research. I have come to the conclusion that this is a 41-280 (121)

and I think I have found a parts list.

 

[zetwal]

If you've never serviced a radio before, I'd recommend you take some time to read some basic textbooks on the subject before digging in.

Can you recommend one or two books by title that are especially good?

 

[LizzieMaine]

One that was very helpful to me when I got started --

"How To Repair Old Time Radios"

And another -- "Old Time Radios -- Restoration and Repair"

And another -- "Old Time Radio Restoration Guide"

All of these books assume you have no background in electronics, so they give you the basics in a very straightforward manner.

90 percent of what will have to be done to any old radio is capacitor replacement -- an excellent web tutorial is here.

Most important advice you'll ever get: take your time. That radio's waited sixty years or more for you to show up, it can wait a few more weeks for you to learn to fix it properly.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Wow, that chassis is clean! No rust on it... that I can see! That is rare for Philco’s... most Philco's I've found were rusted or had corrosion on it from rat urine. Didn't stop me, I cleaned them!

I would suggest some paper towels, some mild glass cleaner and wipe all the dust off. You can also clean the glass tubes; just make sure you don't wipe off the numbers. :eusa_doh: Apply some mild glass cleaner to a paper towel and just keep mindful of the numbers on the glass tubes. Those tubes will clean up so nice, for me it'll make that chassis shine! Also apply some WD-40 to a rag and go over the chassis with that... that will take care of the dust and will make it look nice and clean.

Enjoy your PHILCO... they are good sets.

 

[chrismak]

Question is.. do I replace all the parts and wiring.. or no?

 

[zetwal]

Thank you LizzieMaine.