More about my new (old) 1954 Philco...

[bgadow]

The capacitors won't cost you too much. Justradios.com or radiodaze.com are good choices. Don't worry about the ceramic discs, just the electrolytics and the "paper" caps (probably Sprague Black Beauties in that set). You could power it up with just new filter caps but it wouldn't work right, and a couple of those BB caps could blow up while you are testing it (not as big a deal as it sounds!) Might be good to do it in sections, trying it after each one. That will help you localize any mistakes you might make, and also teach you what each section does.

[jr_tech]

Under the power supply/sweep chassis,you will likely find a "pigtail" type fuse soldered into the circuit... it may have blown and protected the set when it was plugged in. If it has not blown, perhaps a cautious power up with a variac or dim bulb supply would be in order (after the dead tubes are replaced) to determine more about the condition of the set.

jr

[Raddion]

Originally Posted by bgadow

The capacitors won't cost you too much. Justradios.com or radiodaze.com are good choices. Don't worry about the ceramic discs, just the electrolytics and the "paper" caps (probably Sprague Black Beauties in that set). You could power it up with just new filter caps but it wouldn't work right, and a couple of those BB caps could blow up while you are testing it (not as big a deal as it sounds!) Might be good to do it in sections, trying it after each one. That will help you localize any mistakes you might make, and also teach you what each section does.

Thanks Bryan wrote it down and I will check those sites after I get a list ready.

Man I pulled one of the chassis sections tonight, uh wow there are more than a few capacitors involved in this overhaul.... I can DO it..... I think....


Raddion

[Raddion]

Here's a couple pics from tonight's disassembly session:

[Raddion]

Ah...

[Raddion]

Another...

[Phil Nelson]

Ugh. You have to wonder why they made the thing so darned cramped when they had a big, roomy cabinet to spread out in. Perhaps the chassis was used in more than one cabinet.

Sometimes you need to remove (or half-remove) a few other parts to reach those buried farther down. In tricky spots where I don't trust my memory, I take closeup photos or draw a sketch of the various connections.

Working in stages is good advice. I begin with the electrolytics in the power supply, since all else depends on them. As soon as you can get some semblance of a screen image, it's helpful to play the set every now and then, to make sure you're not going backwards.

Take your time, and it will get done eventually. You may also want to check things off on the schematic and parts list as you replace 'em, to help keep everything straight.

Phil Nelson

[N2IXK]

Be careful with that yellowish powdery deposit on the insides of the metal chassis. The chassis was most likely cadmium plated, and the yellow stuff is finely powdered cadmium "rust", such as cadmium oxide or cadmium sulfide.

Cadmium compounds are quite toxic. You don't want to inhale the stuff, or otherwise ingest it.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

Ugh. You have to wonder why they made the thing so darned cramped when they had a big, roomy cabinet to spread out in. Perhaps the chassis was used in more than one cabinet.

Indeed that was the case... Over the years, minor variations of the "split chassis" design were used for sets ranging in size from 14" inch rectangular to 16 inch round to 17, 21 and 24 inch rectangular (both table and console models). I am not sure if a UHF tuner would have fit between the two chassis in the 14 inch model, but in all the other models there was plenty of room for the UHF tuner, if needed.

jr

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

Indeed that was the case... Over the years, minor variations of the "split chassis" design were used for sets ranging in size from 14" inch rectangular to 16 inch round to 17, 21 and 24 inch rectangular (both table and console models). I am not sure if a UHF tuner would have fit between the two chassis in the 14 inch model, but in all the other models there was plenty of room for the UHF tuner, if needed.

jr

I don't think Philco made a 14" set that late. The split chassis design was one of Philco's dark secrets. It seems it was more expensive to build that way. That was the last year for the splits.
The 1955 model year it was back to the single chassis and tube rectifier.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I don't think Philco made a 14" set that late.

Not late, I'm referring to the 14 inch CRTs from the early 50s such as the 14CP4 and several others like it, that had very flat sides and square corners. Here is a Philco brochure showing some early 14 inch sets likely with split chassis. My '51 16 inch "roundie" (1634-M) is split chassis, so I am assuming the same chassis was used for the '51 14 inch sets as well.

http://tvhistory.tv/1951-Philco-Brochure.jpg

jr

[Raddion]

Originally Posted by N2IXK

Be careful with that yellowish powdery deposit on the insides of the metal chassis. The chassis was most likely cadmium plated, and the yellow stuff is finely powdered cadmium "rust", such as cadmium oxide or cadmium sulfide.

Cadmium compounds are quite toxic. You don't want to inhale the stuff, or otherwise ingest it.

I was wondering about that yellowish dust! Will it be difficult to get off of there, yikes....

[Raddion]

Originally Posted by Phil Nelson

Ugh. You have to wonder why they made the thing so darned cramped when they had a big, roomy cabinet to spread out in. Perhaps the chassis was used in more than one cabinet.

Sometimes you need to remove (or half-remove) a few other parts to reach those buried farther down. In tricky spots where I don't trust my memory, I take closeup photos or draw a sketch of the various connections.

Working in stages is good advice. I begin with the electrolytics in the power supply, since all else depends on them. As soon as you can get some semblance of a screen image, it's helpful to play the set every now and then, to make sure you're not going backwards.

Take your time, and it will get done eventually. You may also want to check things off on the schematic and parts list as you replace 'em, to help keep everything straight.

Phil Nelson

Yes, I also use pics and sketches when I take apart transmissions and engines etc... I will yank the power supply side of the chassis tonight and start with that as you suggested.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by jr_tech

Not late, I'm referring to the 14 inch CRTs from the early 50s such as the 14CP4 and several others like it, that had very flat sides and square corners. Here is a Philco brochure showing some early 14 inch sets likely with split chassis. My '51 16 inch "roundie" (1634-M) is split chassis, so I am assuming the same chassis was used for the '51 14 inch sets as well.

http://tvhistory.tv/1951-Philco-Brochure.jpg

jr

In the 14" model, the RF chassis was probably the same, but the sweep chassis was slightly different. It had three 5Y3's in the front corner.
I didn't think there was that many of that model around.

[DavGoodlin]

I swear Philco and RCA must have used the same Original Equipment Manufacturer for thier uber-shitty paper capacitors. Likely - since they were across the Delaware River from each other.