[budibower]

Hi all. New to radios. Just got an old Philco 623 and want to power it up. Can anyone help me begin? Thanks.

[Radioroslyn]

Hi Budi and welcome to the Phourm!
Well your set is known as a farm radio.That means this it was designed to be powered by batteries as in 1935 when it was built not everyone had electricity. Out of the back of the set there should be a large cable ending into a connector with 7 or so pins on it. This is the power cable that would connect to a large battery that would have several different voltages to power the radio. These batteries haven't been sold for a long time. So you have two options. Build your own battery using modern cells (pretty expensive) or buy or build a 110v power supply to run to power your set. BTW Where in Pa are you? I'm near Philly.
GL
Terry

[codefox1]

Well, free information here:

http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByModel...013806.pdf

[klondike98]

Welcome. If you want some information to read as you start out try here: http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/plugin.htm and here http://www.antiqueradio.org/begin.htm

[Radioroslyn]

I forgot to mention that typically farm sets tend to be good performers and very efficient. It was important back then for the sets to work well and give long battery life.
Terry

[jerryhawthorne]

Budi, that radio does have a very complex power supply, not like many that had a simple 90V and 1.5V requirement. Those were easy to build or use batteries. Yours requires a large variations of voltages and some high (130V) not really in line to adding a lot of batteries, without a very expensive power supply (from those that build them) not an easy radio to get up running. My best advice is if you like that radio, use it as a nice accent piece for your house but not try to make it work. Sorry but just my opinion.

Jerry

[Ron Ramirez]

I was important back then for the sets to work well and give long battery life.

So...just how important were you back then, Terry?

[jerryhawthorne]

Nice Ron.
Jerry

[Radioroslyn]

Pick on the guy with Lyme disease!!!
Didn't proof that one too well. Sometimes I miss "not" in a sentence which makes it say just the opposite of what I mean. How embarrassing!!!
Terry
ps I'm also lisdexsic!!!

[marty]

Hi All;
Jerry I would have to dis-agree with you..
As, You know I have a Philco 34, which is a Farm-Battery set.. And mine has more voltages than His Set does.. And I am verry Happy with my Set..
Granted, I have had to build my own Power Supply.. But, that is just part of the fun !! I used two Power One Regulated Power Supplies, one for my 2.0 Volt Filament supply and another one which was a +12 volt and a -12 volt, which thru a couple of Resistor dividers I got my +3 volts and my -3 and -7.5 volts.. Then using a Transformer that had two primaries for 120 volts AC, I made one the new secondary and after rectifying it I had my +135 Volts.. The twin Primaries were for making it either 120 VAC or 240 AC depending on how you hooked them together.. I have edited this and changed Switcher to Regulated..
THANK YOU Marty

[Radioroslyn]

Hey Marty
You may want to stay away from switching ps. They will generate a lot rf noise. For the bias dry cells will last forever. For the filament I use a 6v transformer,full wave rectifier and a LM-317 regulator. It's adjustable.
Terry

[marty]

Hi All;
Terry, Thanks for the information..
I don't think these are real switchers, as they use regular transformers and LM723 for adjusting their outputs, thru some Hight power Transistors, they are smooth output, no ripple and hold current wise.. Of course I am way below their rating.. They are not an IBM style power supply, but used in Pre Ibm computers and in Lab experimental work.. I just looked under Power One, and what they have now is NOT the same as what I am using.. Their most current ones are true Switchers and mine are old Regulated Power Supplies..
THANK YOU Marty

[jerryhawthorne]

We are getting soooo far away from the original poster who seems to be new to old radios. If I were starting again from new, which I was 10 years ago, this would not be a radio I would try to get running. Yes, I have a couple of farm radios with the usual 90/1.5 voltage requirements and enjoyed building power supplies in a battery case. This radio is very different and would require a more complex supply. Even after my little experience, not something I would like to build.
Every once in while, one buys a radio that is just not cost effective to bring to life. I do believe with the experience he has, this is the case. Perhaps just clean it up and look at it. Nothing wrong with that as most of us have lots of radios we look at, after all, how many can you run at once?
Enjoy the hobby but I would look for another radio that catches your fancy that runs off of 110 and you can listen to as well as admire.

Jerry

[budibower]

Thanks everyone. Going to study the answers. Sure I'll need more advice. These old radios are pretty interesting. I'm in Clinton County, PA, near the Potter County line, north of Lock Haven.

[budibower]

Jerry:

I get what you're saying about the complex power supply. Why were they built so complex that many years ago? Also, I was thinking -- couldn't you simply get battery holders from Radio Shack to produce the various voltages, and alligator clamp the various battery supplies to the different prongs on the 7 pin plug in an attempt to fire it up?