[PhilcoPhan1936]

I just added a 1931 Philco 90 to my collection. I think this is the early version, based on the molding/carving style of the base. Here's a couple pics. If anyone can give me some info as to parts I might need, I'd appreciate it. I know I need the 2 missing tube shields, and the speaker is not original, so if anyone has an idea of what speaker I need in order to return this to a more original state, the info would be most welcome. Also, it seems on this era Philco, there was some kind of curved-top cover over the tubes on the Left. Would this model have had that? Thanks all for any help and info you can provide.

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4050/3565...d586_z.jpg]

[Image: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4052/3565...7d91_z.jpg]

[Eliot Ness]

Compare your tube layout to determine if you have an early or mid chassis:


http://www.philcorepairbench.com/cathedralid.htm

If an early chassis (p-p 45's) you need an H-2 speaker.  A mid version (single 47) uses an H-3 speaker.

There is a guy on eBay that sells pretty good reproduction tube shields:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PHILCO-90-TUBE-S...7675.l2557

You might also want to look for a pair of copper Mershon filter capacitors to re-stuff and replace the two modern replacements on your chassis:

http://mcclellans.com/Philco90Restoration.htm

[Radioroslyn]

Looks like I'm seeing two 27's a 47 and 80 up in the right front corner. Along with what John posted a lot of the early Philco (28-34 or so) sets have bad ant and osc coils. Not the end of the world but something else to fix.Other things I've seen are open field coils and output transformers. The 90 does use a curved tube shield as do the 20,21,70 and 71. All look similar but won't fit the 90. Are you the old PhilcoPhan? I see we have something in common.

Terry

[PhilcoPhan1936]

Compare your tube layout to determine if you have an early or mid chassis:


http://www.philcorepairbench.com/cathedralid.htm

If an early chassis (p-p 45's) you need an H-2 speaker.  A mid version (single 47) uses an H-3 speaker.

There is a guy on eBay that sells pretty good reproduction tube shields:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PHILCO-90-TUBE-S...7675.l2557

You might also want to look for a pair of copper Mershon filter capacitors to re-stuff and replace the two modern replacements on your chassis:

http://mcclellans.com/Philco90Restoration.htm

John, Thanks for all the tips and info. As for parts, I have a pretty good source. Hopefully they'll have most, if not all of what I need. As I work on this, I'll continue to document it here.

[PhilcoPhan1936]

Looks like I'm seeing two 27's a 47 and 80 up in the right front corner. Along with what John posted a lot of the early Philco (28-34 or so) sets have bad ant and osc coils. Not the end of the world but something else to fix.Other things I've seen are open field coils and output transformers. The 90 does use a curved tube shield as do the 20,21,70 and 71. All look similar but won't fit the 90.  Are you the old PhilcoPhan? I see we have something in common.

Terry

Terry, thanks. I had to re- wind an OSC coil on an 84B. Hope I don't have to do that on this, but if I do, having that experience will help, I'm sure. I'll check everything when I dive into it. Right now I'm just gathering info and figuring out what I may need.

And, No, I'm not the old PhilcoPhan. I'm sure I'm not the 1st to use that nickname, and won't be the last.....

[morzh]

Cannot be a 2x45 output, it has no tubes in shields.

[Radioroslyn]

Wouldn't be in a terrific rush to replace the spkr. As you may know the spkrs for the 20,21,70, and 90 (all the same style) suffer with arthritis (stiff paper cones and spiders) and the fidelity is not very good. I had a 20 on the bench a couple of years ago that I disconnected the output transformer from the voice coil and connected it a modern PM spkr. I was surprised the hear how good it really sounded.
On your set It looks like it has the original output transformer, I'm thinking that any of those early spkrs will work but some are set up for push/pull output tubes (two tube instead of one). The difference being the output transformer. The P/P spkrs will also have 4 wire where yours has3. If you find a 4 wire one you can change the output transformer to your old one and your all set.

Terry

[Radioroslyn]

Cannot be a 2x45 output, it has no tubes in shields.

What Mike is saying is that the model 90 w/ 45's has a metal divider between the 45 tubes and the 80/27. Not the fact that if it is missing all of it's shields it has a single 47.

Terry

[Ron Ramirez]

...ummm...actually...

There is no shield (divider) between the group of four tubes (one 27, two 45s, one 80) in the early version of the 90.

Jeff has an earlier version of the "mid" production 90 (1-47). The earlier production models of the 1-47 model 90 have a tubular shield surrounding one of the 27 tubes; later production of the 1-47 chassis has a flat metal plate between two of the four tubes. The 2-47 (late) version also has the flat metal plate.

[PhilcoPhan1936]

...ummm...actually...

There is no shield (divider) between the group of four tubes (one 27, two 45s, one 80) in the early version of the 90.

Jeff has an earlier version of the "mid" production 90 (1-47). The earlier production models of the 1-47 model 90 have a tubular shield surrounding one of the 27 tubes; later production of the 1-47 chassis has a flat metal plate between two of the four tubes. The 2-47 (late) version also has the flat metal plate.

Thank you Ron! Appreciate the info. Saved me from having to track down the large shield. I'll research and decide what I want to do about the speaker.
 

[PhilcoPhan1936]

Wouldn't be in a terrific rush to replace the spkr. As you may know the spkrs for the 20,21,70, and 90 (all the same style) suffer with arthritis (stiff paper cones and spiders) and the fidelity is not very good. I had a 20 on the bench a couple of years ago that I disconnected the output transformer from the voice coil and connected it a modern PM spkr. I was surprised the hear how good it really sounded.
On your set It looks like it has the original output transformer, I'm thinking that any of those early spkrs will work but some are set up for push/pull output tubes (two tube instead of one). The difference being the output transformer. The P/P spkrs will also have 4 wire where yours has3. If you find a 4 wire one you can change the output transformer to your old one and your all set.

Terry

Terry,

I believe the speaker that is in there now is a PM speaker, with a choke on it. There are only 2 wires going to the speaker. I'll have to investigate and make sure any mods have been done properly, and decide if I want to leave as is, or return it to a more original speaker. Thanks for the info. I was also pointed to the Tech section on the Philco Website that covers the speaker issues on this and similar models. I have some reading to do!

[PhilcoPhan1936]

Cannot be a 2x45 output, it has no tubes in shields.

Actually, the tube shields are missing. I need to replace them. I think I may have them on hand for another radio, so I can use them for this project, but I'll eventually have to replace them in the future for that other project (A Philco 60B).

[morzh]

I should've written "the 2x45 verdion has no tubes shielded with cylindrical shields".

[markmokris]

Looks like I'm seeing two 27's a 47 and 80 up in the right front corner. Along with what John posted a lot of the early Philco (28-34 or so) sets have bad ant and osc coils. Not the end of the world but something else to fix.Other things I've seen are open field coils and output transformers. The 90 does use a curved tube shield as do the 20,21,70 and 71. All look similar but won't fit the 90.  Are you the old PhilcoPhan? I see we have something in common.

Terry

Terry, thanks. I had to re- wind an OSC coil on an 84B. Hope I don't have to do that on this, but if I do, having that experience will help, I'm sure. I'll check everything when I dive into it. Right now I'm just gathering info and figuring out what I may need.

And, No, I'm not the old PhilcoPhan. I'm sure I'm not the 1st to use that nickname, and won't be the last.....

Jeff,

I just started on a Philco 90, and I checked continuity on all the coils last night.  I lucked out, and all coils are good.  It is a single 47 output like yours.

You may luck out with the coils too.

Mark K8KZ

[Radioroslyn]

Hey Mark,
I thought you liked rewinding coils?????

HaHa
Terry