Philco 40-201 Restoration Journal
Posts: 909
Threads: 117
Joined: Jun 2007
No disrespect intended at all here! Sounds to me that you jumped in over your head on this one, by going too-fast? Dont fret!, ....Ive done that before myself many yrs ago! All your previous questions/ and answers /,.. then..( to your own questions)/ then questions asked here again, is most confusing at best! Im not trying to be a wize-guy at all! Not my intent at all either! Most sealed-type orig mica caps are usually still good.
Most usually,when restoring vintage radios, (unless previously hacked by someone else),.. the only orig caps that need to be replaced in any vintage radio are the old wax- bypass caps, & electrolytics (observing correct polarity), Going slowly!!!... 1 item at a time! If the orig tubes are still good, w filament continuity, & pin connections are good & clean, you usually have a good starting point to get audio started. Then, a "signal-tracer" comes in very handy in tracing the circuits from front-end-to-amplifier sections of the chain,or amplifier-to-front end chain of the schematic to find your suggested probs you are having in this restoration. As much as Id like to help you here, Im not sure how many mistakes have already been made? If you are a "newbie" attempting your 1st restoration, go back over everything you have already done closely, and make sure you soldered everything (your new parts installed) back into the proper places (point-to-point). Trace over all your work again from the beginning, go slowly, (pc by pc).
If the set your trying to restore had been previously serviced before you owned it, perhaps someone else had parts placed in wrong places? Schematics never lie!! In any case, its best for newbies to replace 1 item at a time, and make sure, you keep-up with what youve already done, so you can carefully go back to the starting point all over again if need be. Your (proper) schematic never lies!! !! Look at your schematic, then start from the power-trans, & go fwd from there, follow the schematic slowly, and make sure your (new) parts you added, ![Icon_wink Icon_wink](https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif) are in the correct positions.A good ol trusty GE tube manual always helps also! You CAN do it!! (reasurrance added here)!! Best of luck restoring your vintage Philco!
Posts: 42
Threads: 7
Joined: Apr 2009
I'm not sure if I lost position of the ungrounded resistor or if it was the person before me. I found a capacitor with one unsoldered end that was used to relocate the original part that was simply clipped at a cramped location. I went back to the original location since the parts diagram and schematic would be easier to follow for me in the future or the next fellow that takes a look underneath. I do trust schematics and used it to find the error since I was ready to input a signal behind the trouble spot. It just took several looks to to translate it to the layout correctly.
When replacing parts I've found that if I clip and desolder leads from the common lug and then one by one replace each part that it much easier to keep track. I'll stick with this method for a while.
My tuning does not align with the scale well. WWV is at 9, not 10 Mhz. On the broadcast band, 1120 is a at 1080. This is another opportunity to jump in and follow the alignment instructions and see what comes of it. My biggest concern is that the variable caps (which includes the attached wires and attachment points) could be very fragile and would not take kindly to adjustments. I know it's impossible to tell without seeing my radios but if anyone with any related experience has a word or two of advice or caution, it would be appreciated.
Thanks to all so far for your help.
More of cabinet refinish soon.
Posts: 42
Threads: 7
Joined: Apr 2009
Does anyone know the color of power-on jewel that's always missing from these radios?
Posts: 909
Threads: 117
Joined: Jun 2007
Congrats on getting your 40-201 working again! Back-tracking for previous mistakes works sometimes! If I remember correctly, the 40-201 models had a dial-drive string tuning system, with printed dialscale? Your set may not need major alignment. Overall alignment seems close as per your last post. Always remember that printed dialscales were never 100% spot-on for tuning accuracy at all due to printing errors , and some shrink overall length with age! Sometimes, the dial needle that attaches to the dial-string gets moved abit to one side or the other ( L or R) abit while servicing. You can check the "travel" of your dial-pointer by tuning your set all the way down to where it stops at 550 kc low end the AM band. Slide the dial-pointer into position over the 550 kc mark, while using your RF Gen set at lowest- audible output signal into your radio with good exact 550 kc signal injected thru radios antenna connector. Squeeze the dial-pointer tightly to dial drive cable with needlenose pliers once your set on 550 kc with printed dialscale marking. The dial drive system should then track across dial ( fairly close) to the printed dialscale up to the highend of the AM band. If your set is 455 kc IF on AM broadcast band , make sure you "peak-up" both 455 kc IF cans to max volume, by " very-slowly" adjusting the 2 small screws in each 455 kc IF can(s) one at a time, then, go back over all them once again, till max volume by ear test while tuned to a local AM station. Once you assertain that your dial-drive pointer is tracking along properly, if necessary, you can follow schematics specified alignment instructions to slightly "shift" and adjust your radios "oscillator(s)" adjustments slowly up & down by again using your RF Gen, or a station known good freq such as WWV on SW bands, and one or more of your local AM stations to adj the broadcast & SW bands oscillator(s) adjustments if needed, also by ear. If you have to adjust the oscillators, go very,very,slow in turning those adj screws, or you can really throw the receiver way out of alignment very fast! Id venture to bet your set doesnt need much oscillator adjustment alignment at all if any, and a close look into your dial drive pointer,dial drive string "travel",.. & printed dial scale placement instead, which is all "mechanical" only adjustments, will yield best results in your case. Best of luck, and enjoy your vintage Philco!! ![Icon_wink Icon_wink](https://philcoradio.com/phorum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif) ol Tex
Posts: 42
Threads: 7
Joined: Apr 2009
After sleeping on your advice, which by the way was identical to my father's advice, I decided to keep the alignment on this set and move the pointer. It's good enough for now. Since alignment can be touchy and I could end up a long way from good enough rather quickly I've decided to venture alignment using a much simpler five tube Zenith 5S320. It needs some work and I'd rather mess with it since the 40-201 is a much finer set and it's just about right.
I decided to keep the eight red plastic push buttons, cracked, shrunken, discolored and all. It really doesn't detract much. Radio Daze sells replacements and I may buy a set when I ready to order from them again.
I've got to do something about the jewel. I've looked into an colored LED and there are options but that just doesn't seem to be a good fit. A 3/8" diameter disk of colored glass or plastic would work but I'm going to look for a castable plastic. I can use clay to model the shape of the missing jewel and make a mold. Maybe that's a lot of work for a small part but we'll see what I can find.
Posts: 42
Threads: 7
Joined: Apr 2009
Went to a local jeweler that's not associated with a big-box store or a mall fixture. I can get a clear red to pink cubic zirconia that's 9 mm in diameter for $18. That would fit nicely in the 3/8" hole for the power on light. My other option is to cast a plastic lens. I would have to shape the piece and make a mold or just cast a 3/8" plug by drilling a hole in a nylon block - assuming it will not stick to nylon. The smallest can of resin runs $15 to $20. The coloring between $7 and $10. If I need a release agent, I'm sure it's $10. So, the jewel is the easiest since all I have to do is inset it in the hole snugly. It's also the least expensive but I'm limited color and depth of color of the jewel that is yet seen. The resin is more work and allows me to make hundreds of jewels rather than one. Is that a benefit given that I have one radio now and the prospects of another are slim, given the outrageous asking prices of similar models in terrible physical condition due to sorry restoration efforts by the seller and outrageous alleged values on ebay (then go sell it there, right)? It seems like I would have better control over the intensity of the colors as well. Time for another value decision.
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