RCA 35X - Printable Version

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RCA 35X - Paul Philco322 - 02-02-2020

I may have mentioned this Lil' Nipper. While recapped and has had tubes checked it has a static problem. While tuning between stations there is quite a racket, when you land a station it sounds pretty good. I have seen photos of this chassis with all tubes metal types except rectifier and output. In mine I have 12SA7 only as a metal, could that play a part? Perhaps the small cap on the antenna needs replacing? Something in the IF cans, very scary for me if in the cans, at least for me. Is it too early a set to have a silver mica issue? 

I have had this for years and was poking around downstairs and tried a tube swap, cleaned out tuning condensor, checked solder joints, loked for a frazzled wire......no results. Sometimes these types better left as Shelf Queens. 

It is very cute, has a neat dial glass, and an RCA jack, original finish is OK but getting rough in spots, kinda like me. I would love to have it as a regular player. It is small and fits anywhere, but that darn static............very annoying. It is a seemingly simple set with a maddening problem .

Here she be.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/92577012@N02/albums/72157712945852991

Paul

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RE: RCA 35X - Jayce - 02-02-2020

You could either have plates rubbing on the tuner or they could have grown 'whisker's that are touching between plates. I had a Crosley with the latter issue as they used rather cheap steel in their tuning capacitors. Never really did figure out a repair. Like you said with your RCA, once you landed a station it played great.
The first thing would be to check for dirt or dust between the plates as that can cause noise. Also, (how do I explain this?) I cured one radio by spraying contact cleaner where there the moving part of the tuning capacitor makes contact with the copper wipers or contacts. Someone else can probably explain that better than me!

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RE: RCA 35X - Chas - 02-02-2020

Set was designed for metal tubes with exception to the rectifier and the Last Audio...

Then I would look at one of the mica caps in the front end.

This set is too old for "SMD" as it has compression trimmers in the IF's

First, isolate the noise at the volume control, be sure it is coming from the "front" end... Try the wooden probe method on the caps resistors socket and coils. If no joy, try cooling spray on the resistors. Then probe the front end stages.. When it comes to noise every trick in the book. It can be caps, resistors, coils, tubes, ya, anything, so stage by stage may be required.

Do put in the metal tubes, the shield is integral with them...

Chas

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