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Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Printable Version

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Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - claude.france - 02-29-2020

Hello Sirs

A friend of mine got a radio set model 265 " Lyre " 

But at back of the chassis his set has a regulator tube instead a normal tube ( the big white one ), and just near , a capacitor .

Is it normal this radio has such regulator as the tubes list does mention this ?  I can add that the 5 other listed tubes are present on the chassis

Is it a special adaptation for export models for Europe ?

please see photos annexed

thanks a lot in advance for reply   Icon_smile

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Radioroslyn - 02-29-2020

Well to my American eyes the chassis looks like our model 60 or 66. Yes your french 265 is correct to have the regulator tube at the back. https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/philco_lyre_265.html  Without the aid of the diagram my guess is that it in series with the mains to lower input voltage to the power transformer.

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - claude.france - 03-01-2020

Hello Terry

Thanks a lot for reply .

indeed I know quite well the radiomuseum site as I am a member since many years  and we read the comments about this radio on this site . But I wanted to get opinion of experts as you are in the states

Besides I questionned me  as I have not found this model in the Philco Phorum gallery !

kind regards

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Ron Ramirez - 03-01-2020

Completely disagree (sorry Terry).

Model 265 was made for the UK market. It would have been made to run on 220-240 volts AC as was the UK standard. And if it used a ballast or regulator tube (which I doubt), Philco surely would not have placed it where one of the set's electrolytic capacitors was once mounted.

> as I have not found this model in the Philco Phorum gallery !

Good reason for that - it was not a USA model. The Gallery only contains models sold in the USA; the only exceptions being the "Tropic" models which were built here and then exported. For a sampling of British (UK) Philcos, look here:

https://philcoradio.com/library/index.php/philco-history/philco-around-the-world/philco-in-the-united-kingdom/

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Radioroslyn - 03-01-2020

Hi Claude and Ron,
The plot thickens!
Agreed that the 265 was a UK set and was designed to operate from 240vac mains.
I thought I had a link somewhere to some UK Philco diagrams but couldn't find it. But low and behold the 265 is listed in Rider's! After studying a bit I did find some clues about this set. It only use one of the rear opening for a filter cap a dual 8mfd the other hole is empty. On the parts list it shows the 265 using a power transformer w/a 115vac primary. The regulator doesn't look like a factory install but maybe an after thought. Did France use 115vac?
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Rider/38/Rider-1938-PQR.pdf   Scroll to page 118 See * for tp listing


RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - claude.france - 03-01-2020

good evening ( in France ) both  Ron and Terry

and thanks for details and rectification

in the second link shown by Terry , page 8.118 refers to RCA model !

yes indeed , in the 1930 years France used 115 Volts mains , either AC or DC depending the locations .

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Radioroslyn - 03-01-2020

Claude
Are you using the page counter on your computer? That's what I use. It's page 118 of 379 or Volume 8 Philco section page 101.
Obtw Good afternoon it's about 3pm here.

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - claude.france - 03-01-2020

Thnanks. yes indeed , I read the page numbers written on the volume ( i e 8.118 ! )

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - rocketeer - 03-02-2020

I think the link that Terry posted makes it pretty clear that the French version did employ a ballast tube. If the export model was made to operate on 220 and France was running on 110 that would seem to explain the reason for the ballast tube, no?

Larry

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Ron Ramirez - 03-02-2020

The original Philco service literature shows no ballast, nor any provision for one. If France was on the 115 volt standard in the 1930s, either a step-up transformer would be required (115 to 230 volts AC), or a power transformer replacement. A ballast would be useless in such an application. Now, if it were a French-made set (115 VAC) which was then taken to the UK (230 VAC), that's another story...

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - rocketeer - 03-02-2020

According to an article I read France had a real mixture of voltages between the wars due mainly to regional generation. According to the article there were 110, 120, and 150 systems at the time. That could explain the need for a ballast tube in the French version of the 265 in the hopes the radio would work the same no matter which region it was used in. It's possible Philco modified the chassis specifically for export to France or the importer modified them prior to sale. Just hypothesizing.

Here is a good PDF explaining why ballast tubes were needed in the early days.

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Author-Groups/Jacobi/Jacobi-Ballast-Tube-Handbook-opt.pdf

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - truePhilco - 03-02-2020

We have just was looking at a radio I picked up and you all spotted that it 
was a radio made to ship to the UK. If I can look on this one 
to help you let me know. 
here the link 
https://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=20948


RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - claude.france - 03-03-2020

Hello Sirs
When our friend got the radio , he was said by the vendor it was a " Thomson Houston " made set ! but without any label on the chassis , and no back paste board, we stayed dubitative .

After some investigation , we discovered rapidly it was a Philco 265 one . But , could be , Thomson Houston was the licenced importer ?

Now we are waiting that our friend examine in more details the set and tell us wich type of transformer is on the chassis ( mains input voltage ) .

cordially

claude

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - Ron Ramirez - 03-03-2020

My final word on the subject:

The ballast installation is a hack job done by an individual (amateur). No reputable manufacturer would mount a ballast in such a manner (sticking it where an electrolytic capacitor was intended to be clamped).

RE: Philco, 265 'Lyre' inquiry - claude.france - 03-03-2020

hello evreybody

We discovered from another guy owner , a second sample with the same ballast tube at same location on the chassis ! and it seems with the original Philco electrolytic capacitor !

see photo : right ( first sample ) , left ( second sample  )