Wiring Beautification? - Printable Version
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Wiring Beautification? - patmat2350 - 04-21-2023
Not sure it's practical with the typical consumer radio... but does anyone attempt to "improve" on the chassis wiring with neater wire routing and cabling?
Or do you stick to the original rat's nest for authenticity?
Related comment for other beginners like me: The schematic does NOT necessarily correspond to the actual wiring! It may be electrically identical, but it doesn't depict the actual wiring connections.
A common example: Those Philco Bakelite capacitor blocks are often a single 2-lead cap... but the block has eight tie points! So the unconnected middle set may just be a convenient tie point for a wire on the way to somewhere else, while you may be scratching your head wondering why THAT wire connects to THIS cap... it doesn't.
Another example: You'd think the 4-pin jack to the speaker assembly would be shown somehow on the schematic... not on mine. One needs to suss out where the connections are.
Ah, cable lacing:
A rat's nest:
RE: Wiring Beautification? - GarySP - 04-21-2023
Simple answer ... if it ain't broke don't fix it, and don't re-route it from its' original placement. Address any frayed or rodent-chewed wiring only. Rerouting to a more 'pleasing' look can sometimes introduce signals that were originally routed to shield against. Cloth wire holds up well for its' years in most cases. Take care and BE HEALTHY! Gary
RE: Wiring Beautification? - patmat2350 - 04-21-2023
Speaking of shielding ... my radio has a shielded cable from the line filter cap to the power switch on the other side of the chassis. The shield is only soldered at one end, near the line filter. I assume this is useful?
This cable is on my list, as it's hard and crackly.
RE: Wiring Beautification? - patmat2350 - 04-21-2023
And another Q on this subject:
I see a number of sources for new cloth covered wire...all in solid colors. No one has the ticked cloth (spots of color)?
RE: Wiring Beautification? - Ron Ramirez - 04-21-2023
+1 what Gary said.
The shielded cable was put there in an effort to reduce the possibility of AC hum being introduced into the radio (chiefly, the audio) circuitry. And it was grounded only on one end because that was all that was needed - if it is grounded on one end, it is grounded through its entire length.
As to cloth covered wire with different color tracers (or, in your words, "ticked") - the answer is no, not in the size typically used in vintage radios (20 gauge).
RE: Wiring Beautification? - David - 04-21-2023
Be careful trying to improve wiring! Look at a hallifcrafters S38A-S38E and see how they got the BFO. https://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread.php?tid=12457&pid=91506#pid91506
RE: Wiring Beautification? - morzh - 04-21-2023
At best you will not have problems.
Wires, especially carrying AC signals (most do) do not like long parallel runs. Point to point routing provides for shortest runs and in most cases criss-crossing ones, which is good for fighting off interference.
So....it's your radio, but the best you can possibloy do is to stick to the original, in every aspect possible.
RE: Wiring Beautification? - MrFixr55 - 04-21-2023
+1 on Gary, Ron R and others. The reason that the shield is grounded on one side only is to prevent ground loops (the shield acting like the secondary of a transformer).
We often specified a "wired ground" instead of using the conduit as a ground in some of our analyzer installations (These systems were sensitive to poor grounds). To prevent aggravation by ground loops, an "isolated ground" outlet was used where the ground pin was not connected to the outlet frame. This way, a solid, quiet ground could be obtained (assuming that the subpanel was quiet.
RE: Wiring Beautification? - David - 04-22-2023
The term quiet grounds brings back memories from working at the paper mill. If some fool tried to strike a arch and used the buildings I Beams for a welding ground the control systems would go Bat $#@ crazy. The place had miles of 0000 copper cable for welding grounds.