[Ron Ramirez]

The next project:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00001.jpg]

My Philco 53-960. That's just the empty cabinet; here's the chassis.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00003.jpg]

I'm on a Tropic kick lately; I've decided to get as many of my Philco Tropic (and Tropic-like) sets going as I can while I have lots of free time to do so.

The 53-960's roots lie in its nine-year-older ancestor, the 42-760 Tropic. The main difference between the two is the addition of a "49 meter band" which actually covers the 49 and 41 meter bands. Plus, the 53-960 has a separate radio-phono switch; switching to phono mode is part of the function of the band switch in the earlier Tropic versions.

[Ron Ramirez]

The first job was to restuff a set of paper capacitors.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00002.jpg]

Many of these caps are courtesy of Phorum member Kekoa; thanks again!

I decided it would make things simpler if I had a set of restuffed caps ready to go into the set when I began working on it.

Let's look under the hood:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00004.jpg]

Mostly paper caps, along with a few of those bumblebee caps which the guitar guys love but due to their age, really are no longer any good as capacitors.

Look close - two of those bumblebees are being used as line bypass caps!

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00005.jpg]

Those will be replaced with X1/Y2 safety caps.

[Ron Ramirez]

Several hours later, every paper cap has been replaced:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00006.jpg]

I only replaced a few of the resistors. If I need to replace more, I will do so.

Now look at the line bypass caps:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00007.jpg]

X1/Y2 safety caps this time.

It certainly was nice to have no rubber-covered wires to deal with - it really cut down on service time.

Now it's a waiting game - I am waiting for some new Nichicon electrolytics to replace the originals. These are skinny and tall. The 10 uF caps are 10mm wide x 20mm tall; the 22 uF caps are 12 mm wide x 25mm tall. These should fit in the original twist-lock cans. I am hoping to leave the electrolytic bases installed and just cut off the tops to install the new parts, then put the covers back over everything.

[KCMike]

Good job Ron. I always like seeing a restore from the pros on here with explanations of what they see and changed.

[Ron Ramirez]

Thanks, Mike!

Not much progress the past two days. Yesterday, I removed the cover from one of the electrolytics:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00008.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00009.jpg]

I had to use a heat gun to melt the tar underneath, which held this cover in place, until it softened enough to allow removal.

I also have a 53-960 parts chassis; one of its electrolytics also has a cover over it like this. Using the same technique, I also removed that cover. My plan is to use these to cover both electrolytics once rebuilt.

Today, I tried to mask off the area surrounding both electrolytic cans. Then, using a cutter wheel on my Ryobi "Dremel" tool, I cut the tops of both cans off:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00010.jpg]

Despite my attempt at masking off the surrounding area, some aluminum dust still managed to get through the tape and paper towel. I used a can of compressed air to spray air over the entire area, top and bottom. I hope I was able to get all of it off (and out of) the radio chassis.

The next step was to drill holes in the bases of the old electrolytic cans for the leads of the new electrolytics:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00011.jpg]

The holes were drilled from the bottom, so the positive leads will be going right against the proper solder terminals on the base of the old electrolytic cans.

I forgot that the two 10 uF sections are connected in parallel in the electrolytic to the left in the photo above - so I drilled one hole that was not needed. That's OK. I will be using a single 22 uF to replace those two 10 uF sections.

Nothing else to do now but wait for the new electrolytics.

[KCMike]

Your making good progress. I have used a tube cutter to cut the e-cans on the ones I have done.
But they were the ones with the paper around the bottom and bracket. So as able to hide the cut after using jb weld and some silver tape to reseal.

[NostalgiaRadioTime]

Enjoying your progress, Ron! Looks good....great idea with the cans. I think the worst electrolytic can I ever had to deal with was on a 49-603. The chassis is about 1.5" wide, and had a full size can mounted on top with 3 sections. It felt like a crowded elevator under the chassis!

[Arran]

 A 3'' pipe cutter is defiantly the easier way to cut these sorts of cans open, from there you can use one of two methods to join them back together, I picked up a China cheapy for just that purpose. You can cut the can 3/8'' to 1/2'' up from the bottom, and used the Morzh (Mike) method of friction fitting the top of the can over the lip you left at the base. The other way is to cut the can higher up maybe 1/3 to 1/2 way, and then either tape the two sections back together with aluminum duct tape (not the Red Green plastic duct tape) or come up with a coupling to fit on the inside of the can, the tape method is good enough if a cardboard sleeve goes over top, or you are not fussy, or it will be obscured from the back of the chassis. 
Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

Aw, come on, Arran, don't you want to use the same things Red Green uses?

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...dgreen.jpg]



Can you imagine what a radio would look like after Red Green had been in it?

But anyway...

I know, I really should invest in a pipe cutter. I've heard good things about using them to cut open electrolytic cans.

[Ron Ramirez]

Electrolytics have arrived!

So this afternoon, they were all installed...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00012.jpg]

The metal can probably would have fit over the top of the two 22 uF caps on the left...but I don't think the can would fit over the caps on the right.

But that's okay...I had planned for that...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00013.jpg]

Now you can see why I wanted two of those capacitor covers - which are thick paper with what appears to be thin aluminum foil over the top.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00014.jpg]

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00015.jpg]

Now all of the new electrolytics are neatly covered...and it looks like a factory job.

[Ron Ramirez]

It's Alive...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00016.jpg]

So this evening while waiting for 18,427 updates to install on what is now a new, clean Windows 8 system, I decided it was time to give the 53-960 a try - and it came to life with no issues at all.

I tried it out on AM, both SW bands, and on the 49/41 and 31 meter spread bands, and heard stations on all of those bands. It really sounds good with its 10 inch PM speaker, too.

Notice that the dial lamp is nice and bright? That is no ordinary #44 lamp...

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00017.jpg]

This is a special 6 volt AC/DC LED lamp with flexible leads. Just the trick for this radio's dial, and the illumination is excellent. It's an Ablaze Premium Ghost Buster 1-SMD LED lamp in Warm White, from Pinball Life.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3108

At 89 cents in quantities of 10 or more, they are priced low enough that they are well worth considering for our vintage radios...and they should last much longer than a typical 44 lamp while using less current. I had bought a few of these several months ago, and I felt one would work perfectly in this radio. I think I was right

WARNING

Pinball Life also sells other LED lamps with miniature bayonet bases, some of which are as low as 39 cents each. Do not order the 39 cent bulbs - they operate on DC only! Be sure the bulbs you order specify AC/DC!

I do not know whether or not these bulbs will work in AC/DC radios with the bulb wired in parallel with a rectifier heater tap or a dropping resistor, but the "AC/DC" bulbs will work fine in a transformer-operated receiver using 6 volt pilot lamps with miniature bayonet bases.

So, anyway...once this set receives a full alignment, it will be all ready to go. Another one finished!

[KCMike]

A fine job Ron. Bet it does sound good with the ten inch speaker.
I would have never thought about LED lamps for the antique radios. Good info.

[Kekoa]

Looks great, Ron.  

I may have to pick up a few of those lamps.  The original #44 doesn't seem quite bright enough for this dial.

[Arran]

 Speaking of LED pilot lamp substitutes, Walmart sells a 120 volt screw in base type for night lights, depending on the beam it produces it may be a good substitute for a 46-1201 pilot lamp which is a candelabra bulb.
Regards
Arran

[Ron Ramirez]

Agreed - an LED candelabra would be much better than a conventional bulb in the 46-1201, or any other Philco using the candelabra base bulb. I think we've all seen what happens to the light shield in these sets due to the heat generated by the incandescent bulbs used in these sets. The LED should run much cooler.

Now back to the subject at hand:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00018.jpg]

The alignment went smoothly, and now it is all back together and back on the shelving unit in my home office with several other Tropics.

If anything, I think this set may have a bit too much bass. But it does play well and sounds very good. And I think the LED lamp was a mod well worth making in this set since it really improves the illumination of the dial.

So that is it for this set...yes, it is missing a piece of veneer to the left of the control panel, but that is a project for warmer weather.