[Robbie Roberts]

Hi Everybody! Most of my bits arrived to rebuild the 37-650 today! Yay! A small box of happiness from Radio Daze...

My question is this- I am planning to add a chassis mounted fuse. First, to which side of the circuit should I add this? Between the plug and the switch, or between the plug and the transformer?

Next question, what size fuse(amperage) would be best?

And one more question(I'm just full of them!): Is it all right to replace a section of solid wire with stranded of the same gauge and length? Most of it is pretty well stationary, and I don't feel the need to replace, but there are a few sections which I feel would be better served with replacement.

Any help appreciated!
Robbie

[Jerry Huelsbeck]

Hi Robbie,
If you are adding a polarized plug, the hot side (narrow blade) first goes to the switch, then fuse, then to transformer. Wide slot (common) always goes directly to the transformer. If you are using the original non polorized plug, then basically the same thing - fuse and switch on the same side.
I dont have the schematic here to tell you what size fuse - sorry. Usually its between 3/4 and 1 amp.

You can mix solid or stranded (of the same gauge) wire under the chassis, but if its a grid cap, or speaker lead etc. or any other wire that might have to move, then of course stranded only.

[Poston Drake]

Hi Robbie,

From a standpoint of electrical function, it will make no difference which side of the line is fused. If you are installing a new line cord with polarized plug, then from a safety standpoint the "hot" side should be fused, not the "neutral". The switch should also be in the "hot" side of the line. But if you are not using a polarized plug then it makes no difference, since the plug can be inserted in either direction into the wall receptacle.

As to fuse size, your 37-650 is rated 110 watts, which is just under 1 amp at 120 volts. I would use a 1.5 amp fuse. A 1.25 amp would also probably be OK if you can find one.

Poston

[Robbie Roberts]

Thanks for the help on the fuse! I hadn't actually thought as far as the polarized plug at this point! Sometimes you get so used to doing things DC, that you forget what AC really means! lol...

I'm going to be going with a stock style plug- the one on there now is about a 1" slightly hexagon but mainly round brown or black one. I am not sure what is original, the wiring being about 14 gauge zip-wire thrown in! My 39-116 has apparently original power wire aith a flat oval plug. On the 37-650 I am replacing the 14ga. zip with Radio Daze recommended 18ga zip in cloth covering(although I am considering getting a roll of 18 ga. cloth covered and making my own original style cloth covered power wire...

Scott (aka Robbie)

[Ron Ramirez]

If I may...

Use what you wish for power cord on your 37-650, but it was in the 1937 season that Philco began to use rubber-insulated zip cord for the AC cord. A modern plastic zip cord with 18 gauge wire would look more authentic.

Of every 1937 Philco that has passed through here (both mine and customer's sets), those that still had an original power cord had the brown rubber zip cord; which leads me to believe that 1936 models were the last Philcos to use cloth-covered AC cords. There may have been some exceptions in very early 1937 production.

[Chuck Schwark]

Very authentic moulded brown and black power cords can be had from Bob's Antique Radios:

http://www.radioantiques.com/supplies.html

[Robbie Roberts]

Ron-
My 39-116 has a brown cloth covered power cord- About the same size as rubber zip-cord, but with two separate white cloth covered rubber insulated wires. Actually, comparing the 39-116 cord to the replacement form Radio Daze, they are externally indistinguishable, except for weave(TPI) of the material. The color is almost exactly the same, given shade variation for age. The 39-116 cord looks- to me- to be orignal to the unit: could just be an older replacement, but I don't think that radio has been messed with in years. (Perhaps they didn't consider it a major modification, and did the usual business thing of getting the best price from different suppliers, and switched occaisionally?)

Seeing the two side by side, I think what I'll do is just put the new cord in as is, since it matches the other so well. Now, should I have a round or flat plug on a 37-650?

If I can get my digital to work(it is apparently on the fritz-again) I will e-mail you directly pics of both.

Thanks for the help!
Scott

[Ron Ramirez]

If your 39-116 has a cloth-covered cord, it is most certainly a replacement.

Philco used rubber insulation on its wiring extensively in 1939, even on the leads of the power transformers in sets of that model year. (They did continue to use cloth on the speaker leads and on pushbutton mechanism wiring.) They went back to cloth insulation for power transformer leads in the 1940 model year.

As I said, use what you wish...it is your radio, after all. I'm merely trying to point out what would be authentic vs. what looks nice.

No hard feelings now, eh?

[Poston Drake]

Ron,
This has turned into an interesting thread, I have learned a lot. I had pretty much concluded that 1939 and later models originally used rubber line cords. But I had assumed that 1937 and 1938 models used cloth-covered as in earlier years, and that those I have seen or serviced with rubber cords were probably replacements. Now I know better, thanks for the info.

Chuck,
I appreciated the link to Bob's Old Radios as a source for period-styled line cords.

Poston

[Ron Ramirez]

Bob of Bob's Antique Radios is a great guy. I try to buy at least something from him whenever I attend a Radiofest meet. And, as Chuck pointed out, he has a website and sells caps, cords and other useful items via mail and Internet.

[Robbie Roberts]

Ron- No hard feelings at all! I know very little, comparatively, with regard to Philco's at this point- I was just telling you what the empirical data I had on hand was. At this point I will probably stick with the cloth covered for the 37-650- I kinda like the look, and its paid for... But for the 39-116, I will remember to get the proper stuff. I don't anticipate parting ways with the 37 for a long time- I really think it is super-nifty-neato. Seriously!

Scott