10-19-2006, 12:03 AM
Hi Bill,
With the D-10A record changer, Philco called that an "impedance matching transformer" which was necessary for its magnetic cartridge. The regular D-10 changer, which used a crystal cartridge and was used in several other 1946 and 1947 models, did not require this transformer.
Ron is correct about the knobs, these are fairly common and you should not have any trouble finding original replacements which turn up regularly on eBay and at swap meets. Larry Bordonaro also manufactures excellent quality reproductions of these knobs, which you can see here on his website: http://www.antiqueradioknobs.com/partlistings.html
Unless your 47-1230 has been victim of damage or abuse, you should not have any trouble restoring it. As with any antique radio, all paper and electrolytic capacitors will need replacement and resistors will need to be checked and replaced if significantly out-of-tolerance. You won't have to worry about mica capacitors--most of the capacitors in the 47-1230 in the mmfd range are tubular ceramics, which in my experience are almost always good and should not require replacement. In fact after restoring several of these radios I would not even bother checking them unless trouble is indicated. And as Ron has mentioned, there should be no problem with insulation on the under-chassis wiring.
Also as Ron has mentioned, your record changer uses an induction motor whose speed will not be affected by slight voltage variations. Its proper speed requires 60 cycles-per-second AC current, the same in 1947 as now in 2006.
The biggest problem on the 47-1230 and similar postwar Philco chasses is getting to a couple of paper caps underneath the multi-wafer band switch. But with caution and patience this can be done--usually I loosen the mountings of the bandswitch enough to swing it aside somewhat which makes it a little easier to get to the caps and resistors underneath.
As with all Philco radios with Loctal tubes, pay particular attention to cleaning tube pins and sockets, especially the converter tube. And use a good-quality tuner cleaner to thoroughly clean all contacts of the bandswitch.
Also, be very careful when handling and/or cleaning the chassis, not to damage any of the fine wires of the pushbutton coils which are in a very exposed position above the chassis. Even a slight ding on one of these coils from a sharp instrument can cause damage requiring re-winding or replacement of the coil.
And be sure to NEVER power up the radio without the speaker cord connected.
You mentioned you did not see any tar-filled "bakelite block" capacitors. But in fact there is one, a holdover from the pre-war era--containing the line filter capacitors. This should be restuffed using X-Y AC-rated safety capacitors.
If you run into any particular problems, post them here and I am sure some of us can help.
Poston
With the D-10A record changer, Philco called that an "impedance matching transformer" which was necessary for its magnetic cartridge. The regular D-10 changer, which used a crystal cartridge and was used in several other 1946 and 1947 models, did not require this transformer.
Ron is correct about the knobs, these are fairly common and you should not have any trouble finding original replacements which turn up regularly on eBay and at swap meets. Larry Bordonaro also manufactures excellent quality reproductions of these knobs, which you can see here on his website: http://www.antiqueradioknobs.com/partlistings.html
Unless your 47-1230 has been victim of damage or abuse, you should not have any trouble restoring it. As with any antique radio, all paper and electrolytic capacitors will need replacement and resistors will need to be checked and replaced if significantly out-of-tolerance. You won't have to worry about mica capacitors--most of the capacitors in the 47-1230 in the mmfd range are tubular ceramics, which in my experience are almost always good and should not require replacement. In fact after restoring several of these radios I would not even bother checking them unless trouble is indicated. And as Ron has mentioned, there should be no problem with insulation on the under-chassis wiring.
Also as Ron has mentioned, your record changer uses an induction motor whose speed will not be affected by slight voltage variations. Its proper speed requires 60 cycles-per-second AC current, the same in 1947 as now in 2006.
The biggest problem on the 47-1230 and similar postwar Philco chasses is getting to a couple of paper caps underneath the multi-wafer band switch. But with caution and patience this can be done--usually I loosen the mountings of the bandswitch enough to swing it aside somewhat which makes it a little easier to get to the caps and resistors underneath.
As with all Philco radios with Loctal tubes, pay particular attention to cleaning tube pins and sockets, especially the converter tube. And use a good-quality tuner cleaner to thoroughly clean all contacts of the bandswitch.
Also, be very careful when handling and/or cleaning the chassis, not to damage any of the fine wires of the pushbutton coils which are in a very exposed position above the chassis. Even a slight ding on one of these coils from a sharp instrument can cause damage requiring re-winding or replacement of the coil.
And be sure to NEVER power up the radio without the speaker cord connected.
You mentioned you did not see any tar-filled "bakelite block" capacitors. But in fact there is one, a holdover from the pre-war era--containing the line filter capacitors. This should be restuffed using X-Y AC-rated safety capacitors.
If you run into any particular problems, post them here and I am sure some of us can help.
Poston
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