The PHILCO Phorum
38, 38 A, 38 B - Printable Version

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38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 05-25-2019

Is the 38 B in the Gallery an  a.c. model, . . . or a battery model ?

NostalgiaAir has a 38 and a 38 A as battery models.

Inquiring minds need to know for a special project here.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Radioroslyn - 05-25-2019

Best recollection is that all are battery sets. The 38 and 38A differ in that the 38A has a ballast tube so that the filaments can operated from a higher voltage. Normally without the ballast tube is 2vdc. The "B" would indicate that it's a Baby Grand cabinet.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 05-25-2019

Thank you Terry.

That really helps relieve a worry I had, that there may have been many farm models with the "A" designation that were in addition to the "B" models.,...but not so.  Whew!

What I'm trying to do, is identify a radio my Mother's family had waaaaay back in the 1930s.  I am slowly eliminating the models we know it can't
be : We know it was a cathedral, ...we know is wasn't newer than 1935,... and we know it operated on batteries. 

I got to the 38B and ran into this stumbling block , but that info clears it up.

I'm at June of 1934, verifying them between the Gallery and NostalgiaAir, that they used batteries.  So far that has reduced the possibilities from  over 65 cathedrals  down to SIX,  . . . so far.

I'll get back with you.   Icon_e_smile


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Phlogiston - 05-25-2019

That sounds like fun. Good luck.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 05-25-2019

"That sounds like fun. Good luck."

Yes bud, . . . . , I think it's kinda cool doing this, especially because of one detail I neglected to mention before, . . . .that Mom and her sister are from Wales.  Mom's gone now, but I want to honor her memory by doing this.

 One of my cousins is helping make the connection with my Aunt by email.  After I  get a complete list that is narrowed down as small as I can get it, I'm gonna send pics, and have her look them over and chose which one it is.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 05-28-2019

Well,  I have a list I'm going to try to get pics of and send to my Aunt in Wales for identification, . . .   unless anyone here can suggest something else I haven't thought of.   I'm assuming their radio was imported from the US.

Here's the list :
 35 , 36B, 38B (July 1933) , 34B (January 1934),  38B (January 1934), 34 B (June 1934), 38B (June 1934), 39B,  and 38B (June 1935).

. . . all battery-operated models of cathedrals before mid-1935, when we know they already had it ( from a story of her knocking it to the floor off a table when she was 7 or so, and it still springing to life afterward.) Icon_rolleyes


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 06-04-2019

Well,

             My dear Aunt in Wales has identified the model 38 B  (from July of 1933) in the gallery, as the radio their family had back in the 30's. She mentioned in particular,  it's gold grill cloth that needed to be cleaned with a bellows.

so, . . . needless to say, I would like to get my hands on one. [Image: https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/smilies/icon_idea.gif]

I know it will be a pain being a battery model, but it's my heritage and I'm going with it!


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Radioroslyn - 06-04-2019

They do popup on epay from time to time. I usually don't give them a second glance as they look just like a 60 and is a very common set. The ones I have seen have been in your general area Ky, and Tenn, ect. As I think those states where last to be connected to the power grid in the  40's. Good luck on your quest.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 06-04-2019

" The ones I have seen have been in your general area Ky, and Tenn, ect."

Thank you Terry,... I appreciate your input.   Icon_razz  I'm wondering about the batteries...... wonder if they're still available.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Radioroslyn - 06-04-2019

New ones no. There is a fella that use to build repro batteries for old sets but he busy w/life and family. Don't know if he is still doing it or not. Look up Batterymaker his name is Bill. On epay I found a few interesting bits. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Philco-Model-38-Antique-Radio-Cathedral-Radio-code-123-With-Instructions/283495519215?hash=item4201a653ef:g:ytsAAOSwjmRc6Gyu  goto the 5th pic it show the batteries and hookup. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Radio-Battery-Philco-plug-in-type-P-9068-part-41-6007-For-display/254179372659?hash=item3b2e456e73:g:eEEAAOSw9OFZFwpR I'm thinking that this one could be the heavy duty B battery for the 38. The A battery could have been a 6v car battery w/straps on the top connecting the 2v cells together. Connecting to the 2v strap would work fine.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 06-04-2019

Yes! . . .  I remember seeing that name. I'll look him up.

" Connecting to the 2v strap would work fine. "  MORE excellent info! . . . real meaty stuff here !

So the battery requirement is TWO batteries, one with multiple higher voltages and I can guess, the 2 v requirement is for filiaments.  It looks like , by the schematic in the library, that it uses a total of FIVE different voltages?!   Am I seeing that correctly?    Icon_eek


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Radioroslyn - 06-05-2019

Yes your eyes are not deceiving you. Some have used aa or c batteries in series to create the hv but it does take a BUNCH of them and a few extra for the -3 and -7v. Using the 9v batteries snapped together on the set will have a limited life (short) do to the current requirements. The 19 tube in the audio output is hungry current but can deliver alot of audio for a farm set ( abt 2w). Most fs are abt .5w or less. https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/021/1/19.pdf


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Jake Blake - 06-05-2019

Yes  Terry...thanks. I will be calling upon your help more if this thing comes to pass.

'The 19 tube in the audio output is hungry current "

I'm kinda surprised we don't see more of this twin amp-stage triode for push-pull outputs....seems like a great space-saving tube to use.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Radioroslyn - 06-05-2019

For a power output tube in a battery set the 19 is hard to beat. In the 30's it was a popular tube to build low power portable battery powered ham transmitters, back then AC current wasn't everywhere yet. Philco used these https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/201/1/1E7G.pdf but as you can see it's output is much lower.


RE: 38, 38 A, 38 B - Radioroslyn - 06-05-2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOM5N3omefI

Imho I think if was building these batteries I'd use aa cells for the bias volts as the current is very low. 9v batteries for the hv is going to be short lived and using two D cell two supply the filament voltage is going to be very short lived. Granted he didn't have the set to try it out on (customer had it).

Ymmv