[Ron Ramirez]

We're off and running again! My next patient is another Canadian Philco.

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00001.jpg]

This Philco Canada 51A is a 1942 model. It is very, very similar to the Philco Tropic 42-730EZ.

Differences:

• Four bands instead of five.
  
• Pushbuttons (something the 42-730EZ does not have).
  
• Electrolytics mounted under the chassis. The 42-730 uses "Twist-Lock" electrolytics mounted on top of the chassis.
  
• Completely different cabinet.
  

I pulled the chassis from the cabinet before I started taking pictures, but here is a quick black and white illustration from Philco Canada sales literature:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00007.jpg]

Back view of the chassis:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00002.jpg]

Take a look at that hefty 25 cycle power transformer!

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00003.jpg]

A close-up of the model number tag:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00004.jpg]

The chassis has "Run #1" stamped on back:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00005.jpg]

More to come...

[Ron Ramirez]

This Philco, like the other Canadian Philcos I have worked on, has mostly cloth-covered wiring under the chassis. It's been fun working on these for that reason - but this is the last remaining Canadian Philco in my collection that I have not yet worked on.

A look under the chassis:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00006.jpg]

Now compare that photo with this under-chassis view of my 42-730EZ Tropic after a complete recap and recarb:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00012.jpg]

Most of the original capacitors are in place under the 51A. Someone paralleled new electrolytics along with the old ones at some time. And it appears that a few liberties were taken with component wiring - there is a 15K, 2W resistor under there that should not be there. It will be eliminated, and the set wired to match the schematic.

Speaking of schematics, if you want to follow along, you can just read the 42-730EZ schematic - it is almost identical.

Again, as with most of the Canadian Philcos in my collection, only the IF transformers have rubber-covered wire leads.

So far, I have removed all of the paper and electrolytic caps. About 2/3 1/2 of the caps are "Made in Canada" caps, while the other 1/3 1/2 are USA Philco.

Arran, what is it with Canadian paper capacitors? They have no manufacturer's name on them. Well, one of the replacement Aerovox electrolytics does have "Made in Canada" printed on it.

[Jeremy S]

Philco sure produced some attractive slide rule dials, including the one on your 51A. Another one that I have always liked is the dial on the 46-132.

Your threads are really motivating me to get started on some of my radio projects.

[KCMike]

I really like the dial sale and cabinet design of that Philco.
Ron, your making me feel like a slacker, as fast as you are restoring these radios.

[Ron Ramirez]

Well, Jeremy and Mike, doing this is therapeutic in that it gives me something productive to do while I continue looking for work.

Progress report: Most of the caps are gutted, restuffed, and ready for reinstallation:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00008.jpg]

Only two more to restuff and then the real fun begins.

I'm not using the original electrolytics only because they are so big...and melting out the innards is proving to be problematic. I did gut one, but it left one end looking burnt. To conserve on some space, I am using one of the Aerovox replacements that was added in parallel with one of the electrolytics. I had an empty Aerovox shell already, and will use it for the other electrolytic.

I think that it would be good to heat the old electrolytics in an oven or toaster oven, at low temperature, for more uniform heating. This might prevent the burning of the shells, since the substance used to seal the ends of the old paper electrolytics is a higher temperature material, not really waxy but something different.

I will be replacing resistors as I go, also.

[Ron Ramirez]

Today's progress:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00009.jpg]

I've replaced about 2/3 of the resistors in this radio, removed both IF transformers for rewiring and polishing, and have started to reinstall the paper capacitors.

[Arran]

Arran, what is it with Canadian paper capacitors? They have no manufacturer's name on them. Well, one of the replacement Aerovox electrolytics does have "Made in Canada" printed on it.

Ron;
  Which capacitors do not have a manufacturer's name on them? Do you mean some of the paper capacitors do not? If you mean the one with the bright yellow labels that say "Type 484" etc., those are Canadian Aerovox capacitors.
  With regard to your last post about melting out the cardboard electrolytics, a toaster oven is definitely the way to go, I place any capacitor I want to melt out on a sheet of aluminium foil on the toaster oven tray, and then cook them at about 150-180 centigrade, with the convection fan on. As you have noticed they usually have this hard dark brown wax plugging the ends, which unlike the soft yellowish outer wax takes much more heat to melt, and when it hardens it becomes like peanut brittle. Fortunately the toaster oven method takes care of this, and the residue will clean off with lacquer thinner.
Regards
Arran

[Eliot Ness]

I really like the dial sale and cabinet design of that Philco.
Ron, your making me feel like a slacker, as fast as you are restoring these radios.

+1 on both counts

Ron, if more therapy is needed I have some sets I could loan you...

[tom.seeger]

I have one of these that I restored about 2 years ago. Its a nice sounding and loud radio with its push-pull output stage.
Tom

[Ron Ramirez]

Well, since yesterday, I have installed all capacitors, a new power cord, new dial lamps - and she's up and running...or, as I like to say, It's Alive!

Photos tomorrow.

The dial cord, which appears to be all there, fell out when I removed the chassis from the cabinet. It looks like the only thing missing is a spring. So I'll have to restring that cord and add a spring, and then it will be ready for a thorough alignment.

It appears to be working on all bands. As an extra added bonus, the second preset pushbutton (third from left - the first button turns the set off) was already set to AM 740 in Toronto.

[Ron Ramirez]

Which capacitors do not have a manufacturer's name on them? Do you mean some of the paper capacitors do not? If you mean the one with the bright yellow labels that say "Type 484" etc., those are Canadian Aerovox capacitors.

OK, good to know, thanks. Yes, those are the ones I meant. One of them, a 0.25 uF Type 684, does have the Aerovox logo on it. But the others have no manufacturer's name on them.

[Arran]

Which capacitors do not have a manufacturer's name on them? Do you mean some of the paper capacitors do not? If you mean the one with the bright yellow labels that say "Type 484" etc., those are Canadian Aerovox capacitors.

OK, good to know, thanks. Yes, those are the ones I meant. One of them, a 0.25 uF Type 684, does have the Aerovox logo on it. But the others have no manufacturer's name on them.

Ron;
  I don't know if the U.S made Aerovox caps have those "Type" numbers, but I noticed it seems to apply to the voltage rating. "Type 484" means a 400 vdc cap, "Type 684" refers to a 600 vdc cap. I don't know why they don't have an Aerovox logo on them, but I have seen those kind before and am 100% certain that they are Aerovox since the Aerovox branded ones use the same codes, font, and bright yellow shells. Some of the newer ones have date codes like 3/47 marked on them, if this pre war radio has Aerovox caps with date codes then they are replacement caps, not only because of the date itself but because they started dating them in 1947, I've never seen anything older marked on them.
Regards
Arran

[radiohenry]

Looking good Ron.
                         Henry

[Ron Ramirez]

Photos, as promised:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00010.jpg]

Here is the 51AT, with new pilot lamps and a newly strung dial cord, playing away at my workbench.

Restringing the dial cord was not difficult at all. I found a suitable spring, and it all went back together nicely.

Now, a look under the chassis once again, now that the recap and recarb is complete:

[Image: http://www.philcoradio.com/images/phorum...e00011.jpg]

Originally, it used two paper .01 uF caps from each side of the line to ground. Now, it has two new X1/Y2 safety caps instead.

The alignment went OK save for one band: the 9.5 to 12 mc band. The tracking is off and while I can move the 12 mc signal lower on the scale, I cannot move it any higher than 11.6 on the scale - that is where the adjustment screw tightens up completely. The other bands all turned out fine.

I'll post a photo of the set all reassembled in a day or two. I need to glue some seams on the cabinet first, before I reinstall the chassis.

[Paul Philco322]

The dots for the frequencies as well as the curtain look on the edge of the dial glass are particularly nifty on this one. Will look swell when illuminated.

Paul