The PHILCO Phorum

Hi, Everybody,

I'm looking for some help in identifying this Philco radio and it's speaker. Here is a link with some pictures from Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Parts-chassis-an...7675.l2557

From the tube shield holders I spotted in the pictures, I'm guessing this chassis is from 1938 or newer. I was able to count 5 tube sockets for sure, maybe six. This speaker has 4 wires going to the chassis. The Philco part number on the electromagnet coil is: 32-9142-W. I can't spot any other numbers on this speaker or output transformer.

Can anyone out there in Philco land identify this chassis and/or speaker? I've got this speaker and want to make sure I use the output transformer attached to the speaker with the correct single output tube.

Thanks a lot, Tom

That is a chassis and speaker from a Philco 642 - a 1936 model designed to operate on 32 volts DC.

If you're thinking of trying to use its speaker in an AC set, forget it - the field has a DC resistance of 115 ohms, roughly 1/10 of the resistance needed in the majority of Philco sets.

The speaker is a K-29, by the way - it has a push-pull output transformer, but its primary impedance is 4000 ohms - right for the 48 tubes used in the 642, but wrong for 42 or 6F6 push-pull outputs which want to see around 5900 ohms.

Thank you Ron.

The speaker didn't cost me a lot, but I was hopeful it could be used in AC radios. The seller on Ebay seemed to be very knowledgeable about old radios. He restored them. I wondered, to myself, why he would even sell an 8 inch speaker.

On the plus side, I was able to practice my paper cone repair skills. Now, the paper cone looks pretty good.

Live and learn. Tom

The 642 is not a common set. Why not try and find a cabinet for it?

I think it would use the same cabinet as a Philco 620, which are much more common. The only issue I see is the rusty chassis, I don't know how severe it is but it would be an interesting set to put back together if possible.
Regards
Arran

Hi,

This chassis and speaker was offered as an auction item on Ebay. Someone else wanted some parts off the chassis if no one bid on it. I then asked to buy the 8 inch speaker if there were no bids as well. There were no bids so the seller, Rettop sold me the speaker for $10.00 plus $17.50 shipping. My intention was to use this speaker for an AC powered Philco project, but I just found out from Ron that this speaker is only good for a battery powered radio.

As I'm pretty new to radio repair/restoration and still learning, I had no idea that a battery powered radio speaker was totally incompatible in an AC powered radio. Like I said earlier, live and learn.

If someone wants to contact this Ebay seller to buy the chassis and salvage this radio please contact me and I will put you in touch with him. I believe this chassis (and speaker) came from an estate sale.

Tom

Got to be a way to power up the speaker, whether it is worthwhile or not is another matter.