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Some of My Radios

Started by LarryInMichigan, January 15, 2015, 01:17:25 PM

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LarryInMichigan

Delco (United Motor Service) R-1152 (1939).  This radio was a wreck and missing many parts when I got it, so in comparison, it doesn't look so bad now (and now it works well).



LarryInMichigan

Mantola (B.F. Goodrich) model 649-XJ6 (made by Continental Radio Corp) c1940 in ivory plaskon

LarryInMichigan

Westinghouse WR150 (c.1938) in ivory plaskon.  This one has a "hum" problem which I haven't figured out.

DavePEI

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on June 29, 2015, 11:29:03 AM
Westinghouse WR150 (c.1938) in ivory plaskon.  This one has a "hum" problem which I haven't figured out.
Have you checked/replaced its electrolytic capacitors? This is the number one cause of hum in these. Bypass capacitors, also can cause hum.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

19and41

Should you need any help, here is a helpful resource

http://www.tuberadioforum.com/
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

LarryInMichigan

Quote from: DavePEI on June 29, 2015, 01:38:01 PM
Quote from: LarryInMichigan on June 29, 2015, 11:29:03 AM
Westinghouse WR150 (c.1938) in ivory plaskon.  This one has a "hum" problem which I haven't figured out.
Have you checked/replaced its electrolytic capacitors? This is the number one cause of hum in these. Bypass capacitors, also can cause hum.

Dave

Yes, I replaced all of the electrolytic and paper capacitors.  I do not have a tube tester, and I have no other radios with 6J7 tubes, so I have not been able to verify that the tubes are entirely good.

Larry

Bill

#66
In the early days, when hum was encountered, a standard check was to reverse the power plug in the wall socket.

As I'm sure you have discovered, most of the radios of this era had a plug with equal-width blades. I always replaced it with a polarized plug, but that usually resulted in a hot-chassis set  since the power switch is on the ground (chassis) lead. The fix for that was to redo the rest of the power wiring to put the switch in the hot lead. Unless those mods were made, a common result was hum. If someone has replaced the cord, but didn't mod the internal wiring, that might be the issue.

I assume you replaced the 0.1 mF cap across the power line.

Good luck.

Bill

LarryInMichigan

Many of these radios have "hot" chassis.  The Silvertone 4500s have the chassis directly connected to one side of the power cord even when off.  I have used polarized plugs on those radios.  I have not rewired any radios to move the switch.

I have replaced, and in some cases removed, the line capacitors.  Some of my radios came to me with exploded/incinerated line caps.

Many of my radios have issues.  Some have poor reception and others work very well for a while and then lose volume.  Making a radio work well can be much more difficult than a phone.

Larry

Bill

Quote from: LarryInMichigan

Some ... work very well for a while and then lose volume.
This is often due to a slightly leaky coupling cap into the grid of the audio output tube from the plate of the previous tube. The leakage gradually changes the bias on the audio output tube.

But I bet you knew that.

Agreed that they are tougher than phones.

Bill

LarryInMichigan

Motorola (Galvin Mfg Corp) 55X12-A (c.1946).  The cabinet is ivory painted bakeliite.  I repainted it with Ace Hardware ivory spray paint, which is a very close color match.

Dennis Markham

Larry, it looks like new!  Nice job on the painting.  How's it sound?

~Dennis

LarryInMichigan

Quote from: Dennis Markham on September 22, 2015, 06:11:20 PM
Larry, it looks like new!  Nice job on the painting.  How's it sound?

~Dennis

Thank you.  It sounds pretty good for a five tube radio.

I had my doubts about it when I saw it at the flea market, but I rather like it now.

Larry

LarryInMichigan

#72
Motorola 53H (c.1953).  This is one of those models that screams early 1950s.

jsowers

Motorola made some very unusual radios and TVs over the years. This one reminds me of the back end of a 1961-63 Thunderbird. See the picture I found online. I guess you could call it aircraft-inspired styling.
Jonathan

LarryInMichigan

I think that this Motorola radio design was supposed to resemble a car dashboard.  The Crosley was.

With radios, the more unusual the cabinet design, the more collectors will pay.  This radio was a bit of a bargain at $45 including shipping.


Larry