The PHILCO Phorum

Full Version: Philco Tropic (UK) B.2810 Restoration
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Hi -

I am based in the UK and appreciate you having me on your forum.

This radio (images below) is a possibly my next restoration. It will be the first Philco and I would like as much information as possible from the experts on this particular model before I start.

I have a two page service sheet with a circuit diagram which is a good start  Icon_smile

Thank you.
Hi Memetrader and welcome to the Phorum!
Well the cabinet looks a bit like are 1948 model table set. Unfortunately a lot of the UK models don't have an American counterpart. If you need any help with the chassis repair/restoration I'd be happy to give you a hand if you post a pic of the schematic. Ron may be able to shed some more light on to your set.
GL
Terry
Hi welcome to the forum! This website is the best. Everyone is helpful and a lot of fun to talk to. I hope you find it helpful and again welcome.
Hi Memetrader

The cabinet of your Philco Tropic appears to be identical to the USA model 48-464, save for the dial scale. And both are AC/DC sets. That is where the similarities end. The 48-464 has two bands where the B.2810 has three, and the 48-464 has six tubes (valves) while the B.2810 has five. So, electronically, the B.2810 does not correspond with any American Philco model.

It looks like your set is a 1949 or 1950 model. I'm afraid that's about all that I can offer in regards to information on this one.

Please do post a copy of the schematic if you can. Terry (Radioroslyn) is a great troubleshooter. Icon_thumbup
Welcome to the Phorum!! Yes, please post your restoration progress. We don't see too many UK sets here.
Thank you for the welcome.

Circuit diagram image below and the valve lineup is:

V1 14S7
V2 7B7
V3 12Q7
V4 50L6
V5 35Z4
Since we're going into a restoration here, I moved this thread to Philco Electronic Restoration. I also changed the title of the thread so people can look through the topics and immediately know which model this thread covers. Hope you don't mind, Memetrader - this will help others in the future looking for info on this model.

I've written about the restoration of several Philco Tropic sets here - I look forward to reading about this one. Icon_smile
No problem and thank you.
 Very interesting, it uses a triode-heptode mixer-oscilator tube, I have the Canadian version of a 48-464, a model 76, same cabinet as yours, but it also has six tubes, and an oval electrodynamic speaker. Unfortunately it will not be restored, I bought the 76 as a parts set since the cabinet is broken in several places, also the dial scale is no good.
 I can't remember what the tube lineup was, so I don't know how much it differs from the U.S version. The tube/valve lineups one usually sees from this era have something like either a XXD/14AF7 twin triode as a mixer oscilator, or a 7A8 as an octode mixer-oscillator, then it will have something like a 7B7 for an IF amp (or RF amp in sets using a 7A8), another 7B7 IF amp, a 7C6, a 35L6/35A5 or 50L6/50A5 as a power output, and one of three types of rectifier tubes a 35Z5, a 35Z3, or a 35Y4, I've never seen a 35Z4 in a 1940s Philco as yet.
Regards
Arran
Thank you for the comments. I will begin restoration towards the end of the year and will be asking questions and posting pictures in this thread when I get started....