Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Printable Version
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+--- Thread: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it (/showthread.php?tid=20708)
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - klondike98 - 12-10-2019
Quote:by captainIts difficult to anticipate all the issues you may come across but many are addressed already in the Library. Here are some that might help you out:
I did ask if there was anything I should of known about this radio before I tried to do anything further to it, and the tidbit about the ink on the tuner dial being sensitive to water based cleaning products would of been an important tidbit of information to of shared with me when I asked... Icon_mad
https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/shop-talk/techniques/cleaning-philco-tuning-dials/
https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/shop-talk/model-notes/notes-on-model-116/
https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/shop-talk/techniques/dial-drive-rebuilding-2/
https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/shop-talk/techniques/shadow-meter-coil-rewind/ (the photo links in this one are not currently active .... we are looking into it but there is also a nice set of info on shadow meters here: https://www.philcorepairbench.com/shadow-meter-repair-adjustments/ )
I moved this into the Electronic Restoration section.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Phlogiston - 12-10-2019
Might help - might not - - -
https://www.russoldradios.com/blog/big-philco-tombstone-116b
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Radioroslyn - 12-10-2019
Here's a copy of the instruction manual for the 116X aka 116 code 122. It's the console version and has a few differences. Bigger power supply, output stage (15w vs 10w ), larger spkr, and clairifers. Other than that there pretty much the same set. https://www.philcoradio.com/phorum/attachment.php?aid=7913 There was a little blue label on the back lip of the chassis w/the model number on it near the power transformer. I don't know if the Phorum has any repros of it yet.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - captainclock1988 - 12-10-2019
OK, thanks, I'll have to try that. And I did take the switch out of the chassis and looked it over to see if there was any openings in the switch and I didn't see anything, because I did think about the whole contact cleaner in the switch idea myself as well, because I was thinking that maybe the switch may have carbon tracked and caused the switch to stay open because of carbon tracking in the switch.
So it looks like I may have to drill a tiny hole into the switch to get the contact cleaner in there to clean it out if the switch is indeed the problem, whats weird is that the switch has a wire going from the cord to the switch that is a three conductor wire where on the end that connects to the cord it has all three conductors being used and then at the switch it only utilizes two of the conductors and the third conductor is just cut off at where the sheathing ends and the wires begin to come out of the sheathing.
Any ideas as to what that's all about?
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Radioroslyn - 12-10-2019
On the 116 the ac wiring from the cord (ac line filter bakelite block) to the switch is shielded. To cut down on ac pickup around the high gain stage on the audio amp (77 tube).
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - captainclock1988 - 12-10-2019
OK, that makes sense then.
So then I was able to get this thing to pick up some stations but unfortunately the audio was super quiet, the volume control in order to even hear anything had to be turned up full blast which I'm assuming isn't normal, but there isn't any audible 60 cycle hum either coming through the speaker when its running so I don't know what's going on, I don't know if I have a weak interstage (42 tube) or what, and unfortunatly I have no way to test the tubes in this set because my tube testers I have don't test the older 4, 5 and 6 pin tubes. is there a way to test those older tubes without a tube tester?
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Radioroslyn - 12-10-2019
>I don't know what's going on
Really should rebuild the 7 electrolytic caps before you turn the set on.
>is there a way to test those older tubes without a tube tester?
You can test the heater but that's abt it. That doesn't tell you much abt the performance of the tube just whether it's dead or not.
Something to have a look at is check the resistance across the spkr plug. Use any two pins but measure all of them. If you see a measurement above 5K or so investigate the primary winding of the output transformer. Not a bad idea to do likewise driver transformer (the one over by the single 42 tube). Primary has two connections and the 2ndy has three. Measure the two windings separately.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Phlogiston - 12-10-2019
Check the voltages on the 42.
If you are testing prior to replacing the filters and all of the paper caps (in those blocks) you are probably just wasting time.
For the most part, you can assume that the tubes are good - unless you are running them with a missing screen voltage or too much DC on the grid - See: replace caps first. Either will toast an OP tube quickly - then the OP transformer or the PS transformer or both.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - captainclock1988 - 12-10-2019
Also it seems my shadow meter doesn't work, as the vane inside the shadow meter wasn't responding to the stations that were coming in on the radio.
I did put a Bid in on ebay for a EMC 203 Tube tester that does test the older style tubes but not sure if I will win it or not.
Why on earth are those older tube testers that test the older style 4, 5, 6 and 7 pin tubes so blame expensive?
The ones that don't test those style tubes and that just test the newer octal, Loctal and Noval (mini 7 and 9 pin tubes and compactrons) can usually be had for $20 or less but the ones that test the newer style tube and the older style tubes are usually $50-$300 or more, which seems rediculuous to me and doesn't make any sense to me.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Phlogiston - 12-10-2019
You know, if you get a $20 tube tester you are probably going to have to fix/recap it first.
For a person that expects to work on tube-type equipment an investment in a good quality emissions tester or even a mid-range mutual-conductance tester is going to pay off in the long run.
Maybe you can find someone nearby to test them for you.
I would not mess with the shadow meter until you get the other issues resolved. It might be fine, but it will be a lot easier to tell with the radio working.
P.S. I would be very careful how you clean Philco controls - they can be damaged by the wrong cleaner, just like the dial. I also would not drill a hole. If need be, the rheostat and the switch can be separated.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - captainclock1988 - 12-10-2019
No I have not touched any of the capacitors in this radio yet, because I'm to get a baseline as far as what kind of operating order this radio is in currently so I know what I will need to do to the set besides replacing the capacitors and what not in this radio, which it appears that this radio is not in very good working order and will need a complete overhaul electrically including a complete realignment unfortunately even after the capacitors are replaced. I also know that I'm gonna need a new power switch as well because the power switch on this radio is bad.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Radioroslyn - 12-10-2019
>Also it seems my shadow meter doesn't work, as the vane inside the shadow meter wasn't responding to the stations that were coming in on the radio.
Trace the two wires back to where they connect under the chassis. Some sets will have a resistor in parallel w/the coil connected there. Unsolder one of the wires and then measure the resistance across them. Should see somewhere between 500 and 1200 ohms. If open it will need a rewind.
It's a waste of time to try make this thing work without servicing at least the caps. And you run the risk of damaging other parts.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - captainclock1988 - 12-10-2019
Yes, but the problem is is that I don't have $200-$300 to sink into a tube tester, I have Autism and other disabilities, so I get disabilites checks every month, which mostly go towards rent and groceries and what not, and I work a part time job 2 days a week and that money goes towards my car payment, and gas for my car and other things, so at the end of the day I don't have $300 to be spending on a tube tester.
What little money I can spend on buying and fixing up these old radios has to be spend wisely, because I only have between 120 and 160 dollars for mad money, and that has to last me 2 weeks and for other things besides my radios.
So unfortunately all I can afford is a $20-$50 tube tester at the moment.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - Phlogiston - 12-10-2019
OK. We are trying to save you money. I would forget the tube tester for the moment and stop testing the radio before you find yourself needing an expensive part.
Do you have a volt-ohm meter?
Move on to replacing the caps. This should cost around $20. As you go, use the VOM to test the other components, including all of the resistors. Working within your parameters, this would be the safest path.
RE: Just picked up a 1936 Philco 116B Tombstone Radio Today and need some info on it - captainclock1988 - 12-10-2019
Ok, yes I do have a DMM (Digital Multimeter) so yes I can test resistors and capacitors.