The PHILCO Phorum
Philco 144B - Printable Version

+- The PHILCO Phorum (https://philcoradio.com/phorum)
+-- Forum: Philco Radio Discussions (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Forum: Philco Home Radios (https://philcoradio.com/phorum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+--- Thread: Philco 144B (/showthread.php?tid=3741)


Philco 144B - thirtiesradio - 09-23-2011

Here is the chassis from my 144B. It was restored electrically when I got it but tonight I replaced a few resistors and gave it a tune up. The cabinet needs to be refinished. It is the later shouldered tombstone cabinet that is similar to the shouldered 16B. I was noticing the size of the power transfomer on this thing. Is that original? It's larger than the one on my 16B.

Note from site admin: Sorry, but the photos which were attached to this post are no longer available.

Re: Philco 144B - Ron Ramirez - 09-23-2011

Yeah, that thing is huge for a 6 tube radio. I wonder if it is a 25 cycle transformer, since the laminations are quite thick?

Re: Philco 144B - thirtiesradio - 09-25-2011

Ron Ramirez Wrote:Yeah, that thing is huge for a 6 tube radio. I wonder if it is a 25 cycle transformer, since the laminations are quite thick?
Hi Ron. It is huge, and the inside connections look original so I'm sure this radio was made for 25 cycle AC. It should work fine on 60 cycle and will run cooler. Just have to watch the line voltage as it was probably made for 110V 25 cycle. It was recapped when I got it but I bet the capacitors were larger and rated higher as well if a 25 cycle radio.

Re: Philco 144B - Arran - 09-25-2011

thirtiesradio Wrote:
Ron Ramirez Wrote:Yeah, that thing is huge for a 6 tube radio. I wonder if it is a 25 cycle transformer, since the laminations are quite thick?
Hi Ron. It is huge, and the inside connections look original so I'm sure this radio was made for 25 cycle AC. It should work fine on 60 cycle and will run cooler. Just have to watch the line voltage as it was probably made for 110V 25 cycle. It was recapped when I got it but I bet the capacitors were larger and rated higher as well if a 25 cycle radio.

As far as I know the 25 cycle power services in Canada were 115 volts, the 60 cycle ones could be as low as 105 volts and as high as 125 volts depending on the part of the country and time of day. The 25 cycle sets usually had larger value filter capacitors and possibly a larger filter choke but the rest of the parts were the same.
Regards
Arran

Re: Philco 144B - Ron Ramirez - 09-25-2011

Arran Wrote:The 25 cycle sets usually had larger value filter capacitors and possibly a larger filter choke but the rest of the parts were the same.
Except for the power transformer. A transformer designed for 60 cycle operation will burn up at 25 cycles. However, a transformer designed for 25 cycles runs fine on 60 cycles.

Re: Philco 144B - Arran - 09-27-2011

Ron Ramirez Wrote:
Arran Wrote:The 25 cycle sets usually had larger value filter capacitors and possibly a larger filter choke but the rest of the parts were the same.
Except for the power transformer. A transformer designed for 60 cycle operation will burn up at 25 cycles. However, a transformer designed for 25 cycles runs fine on 60 cycles.

Of course, the power transformer as well, but I assumed that they were asking what else might be different other then the transformer. The area that I am in used to have 25 cycle power at one time, the coal company built a power plant and that was what they used around here until 1957 or so. The transformers were no problem in the switchover but of course the motors were, a 25 cycle motor will try becoming airborn on 60 cycle. The people who remember it say that the light bulbs used to flicker in the corner of your eye and things like the washing machine ran really slow, that doesn't make much sense since it would depend on how the motor was wound.
Regards
Arran