[Sal T]

Hello, all. I'm a newbe to the collector's world but have always admired old craftmanship. An electrician by trade, I just rescued this gem from the junk man. It's immaculate, complete, and well taken care of in someones living room for years. I've printed out the schematic to verify that the proper tubes are installed. It seems that the first number is dropped from what is printed on each tube. When I plug in the radio and turn it on, their is no sound. All 9 tubes, except for 1 of the 2 45 tubes light up. I'm"guessing" that means it is bad since the other 45 tube lights up. Also, this radio has 3 24A tubes in place of the 224 tubes indicated on the schematic. Also, a C-327 tube in place of 1 of the 3 227 tubes indicated on the schematic. I've located a source for replacement tubes. I'm looking forward to displaying this radio in my 20's era home, preferably in working condition. Unable to find a user manual of some sort so I can understand the function of the 2 controls on either side of the tuning dial. This is an early 95 lowboy, as it has the wooden cutout grille over the speaker/fabric. Any ideas? Thanks, in advance.

[OldRestorer]

You will get this answer so it might as well be me. Dont Plug it in!

Nice find though and someone here can answer your questions.

WELCOME!

Kirk

[klondike98]

Welcome to the Phorum!  As Kirk mentioned, dont plug it in again until you have replaced all of the electrolytic and paper capacitors as well as any out of spec resistors (which may be most of them).  The first number on the tube 227 is an older version of a 27 tube.  You can use the newer versions.  There are lots of posts and info on this web site that can help you and folks are very helpful with answering questions.  I'll post some links to helpful info when I get back to the computer.

[klondike98]

OK here are some links that you should know about:

Beginner Overview: http://www.antiqueradio.org/begin.htm 
Resources for Philco & other radios: http://www.philcoradio.com/resourceb.htm 
Philco Technical Info: http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/index.htm
Philco Repair Bench: http://www.philcorepairbench.com/
Philco Service Bulletins/Schematics (more info and more readable than Nostalgiaair.org): http://www.philcorepairbench.com/schematics.htm

Hope that helps.

[jerryhawthorne]

Sal, a lot of help here and would be nice to know your level of experience in old radios to let us help you. First on your list (mine at least) is to order service documentation to assist you in repair. See the last link on Bob's thread above. This will provide you with all the technical information you need to know about the radio, including revisions on the model and schematics that are easy to read!
Tell us about your ability to read schematics and the "test equipment" you may have. A good volt and ohm meter? How about soldering iron? Skill in soldering? It helps to understand your expertise. Read the above posts from Bob. A lot of information there to help learning should you require it. Believe me this is not rocket science but does require a proper approach to repairing and old radio. Nothing magic just one step at a time. First, as indicated, no more power up on it without some guidance.
Let us know your equipment and experience and we are all here to help. Believe me and in yourself, you can get this radio working, one step at a time. Pictures always help to excite interest from the group and further help.
Good luck, if your willing to learn, this radio will sing.
Jerry

[Sal T]

Kirk, Bob, Jerry,

Thanks for the welcome and information. Sorry, I couldn't resist plugging it in (after removing the set from the cabinet, cleaning, standing by with fire extinguisher). I hadn't found this site til afterwards and expected to get some flak. I'm an electrician for over 20 years so I deal mostly with high voltage. However, all of that time was in a hospital and an industrial research facility so I did a lot of repairs on medical and scientific equipment. I'm pretty good with a soldering iron but honestly, the last radio I worked on was in the 70's working on a couple of those radio shack build your own kits. I've already started reading the info in the links Bob provided and will be mailing my check for Philco technical data tomorrow. I'm not too good with electronic schematics since I don't know what some of the symbols mean. Once I get my schematic and label each symbol as to what it is called, I should be able to follow the circuit while looking at the components in the chassis. I do have a Fluke meter as well as an old Series 912 Electronamic Tube tester I picked up. It has all the sockets for the tubes of that era but I'm still trying to figure out how to use it.
I guess I'll be replacing all the caps. first. It should be a week or two before I get my schematics so I'll continue with some finer cleaning of the tube pins and sockets in the meantime.
Do you guys have a preferred supplier for replacement caps? Is there anything special about the replacement caps I need to know when ordering or just voltage and mfd values? Can't wait to get started.

Sal

[klondike98]

Capacitor sources
http://www.philcoradio.com/resourceb.htm#n

Voltage and capacitance are the main thing to look at though some folks here have preferred brands and use higher quality caps and they can add their comments.

I've bought from RadioDaze, Just Radios and Antique Electronic Supply.  

[Arran]

 There are no electrolytic capacitors in these sets, the filter caps are large paper condensers stuffed inside a tar filled can on part of the chassis, which also contains a number of the bypass capacitors. Ron has a lot of information posted about this set in the technical section for the model 95s both early and late versions:

http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/images/95e.jpg

http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/images/95.jpg

Regards
Arran

[Sal T]

 There are no electrolytic capacitors in these sets, the filter caps are large paper condensers stuffed inside a tar filled can on part of the chassis, which also contains a number of the bypass capacitors. Ron has a lot of information posted about this set in the technical section for the model 95s both early and late versions:

http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/images/95e.jpg

http://www.philcoradio.com/tech/images/95.jpg

Regards
Arran

Arran,

I just received my manuals and diagrams in the mail yesterday. These will help a lot. You said Ron had a lot of information posted on the model 95 but I can't seem to find it. The links you provided were only for 2 schematics. Maybe I misunderstood. Is there more? I looked in the tech section like you said and see things about every model except the 95. I'm sure it's somewhere. I must be blind!
Even though there are no electrolytic caps, I guess you guys still recommend changing them all? Resistors also, even if they test ok? Is the thinking here that a failure of one of these 85 year old devices could cause a fire or damage to more expensive parts? I'm trying to figure out how to open the condenser box, now that I know what's inside. I can only lift the cover about 1/4". Don't want to force anything. Could something have burned inside and stuck to the lid? Found 2 bad tubes and will be picking up replacements plus a spare of each type this weekend. Amazing what people save!

Thanks,

Sal

[jerryhawthorne]

Sal, I suspect it is like the 111 can.  I lifted mine up as far as it would go off the base (leave the base screwed on the chassis) reached underneath and clipped the wires.  Here is a thread on it.
Jerry

http://philcoradio.com/phorum/showthread...Philco+111

[Sal T]

Jerry,

Thanks a million! Glad I didn't force anything. Obviously that lid was never supposed to slide off. Pictures are worth 1000 words. That's the same as my unit. No modifications found on mine. Just some tube replacements with very old stickers from a repair shop on them. Is it ok that my 3 #24 tubes are all 24A's? I'm hoping they are newer, hopefully improved. I guess I'll have to get one of my nieces over here to help me learn how to do pictures. I'm afraid to admit, still using a Star Trek phone and 35 mm camera. The woman who gave me the radio is 74 and uses all social media! I saw she had a tablet and smart phone on her table and asked "you know how to use that stuff?" Sure, don't you?, she replied.

Sal

[jerryhawthorne]

Sal, the 24A tubes should work just fine. I don't have a 35mm camera and probably wouldn't know how to use it! I do have an older olympus digital and it works dandy. I believe my cell phone has a camera but never tried it. It is a cell phone for dummies. Works for me, I can actually make calls from it and receive calls from it. That is a phone. Of course, only my wife has its number.
I don't get many calls.
Jerry

[Arran]

 The model 111 uses a Superheterodyne circuit, with an automatic gain control style volume control, the model 95 uses a TRF circuit and does not have an AGC style volume control. I'm not sure how easily the top of the condenser can can be removed though if you can pry the top up enough to expose the wires above the terminal board you should be able to clip them off. With some of these can a minor amount of heating will allow the block of condensers to slide out as they used a lining inside the can, I think you can do the with the 111, 112, 115 can but not sure about the model 95. With some you have to drill a hole into one of the condensers, drive a large screw into that condenser, then heat the can to soften the wax and tar to loosen things. Once you get that one condenser with the screw driven in extracted the rest will almost fall out. 
 Those schematics I linked to have the parts values for the condenser cans and resistors marked on them, for the early and the late versions of the model 95.
Regards
Arran

[jerryhawthorne]

I have done a 111 and 112 and the top of the can removes from the base quite easily with something like a putty knife to bend the base out a little and easier if the base is still attached to the chassis.  A little prying at the indents and the top pulls right up enough to cut the wires.  On the ones I have done, no heat required as the tar was contained in a paper covering as indicated in my link.  Some have indicated that the tar was harder to get out.  No problem with my magic 6" lag screw and a well attached to the bench good vise. Give us a picture of your can.
Have fun Sal, happy to help when I can.
Jerry

[Ron Ramirez]

...the model 95 uses a TRF circuit and does not have an AGC style volume control.

Actually, Philco's model 95 was their very first model to feature AVC (Automatic Volume Control or Automatic Gain Control). Yup, a TRF set with AVC. It and the similar model 96 perform much like a later superhet thanks to the AVC.