More radio questions...

[50Champ]

I removed the radio (Philco model S-4927, built on June 1, 1950) from my 50 Champion today and I was wondering if anyone knows where I can buy the 8 tubes and vibrator for it. There must be someone out there with a stock of old Philco tubes and other parts. There was only one wire coming out of it with an inline fuse and it led to the back of the ignition switch. I guess the antenna wire is the ground. Is that correct? I'd like to try to fix it myself before shipping it off somewhere for a couple of months. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[JDP]

You can often buy the tube kit on ebay, or do a google search. Do the same for a solid state vibrator. BTW, that will not likely fix it for long unless you at least replace the buffer cap. You may end up spending good money, then sending it off for repair anyway.

There is a rebuild radio on ebay as we speak.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson

[countryboy]

You can get bunches of the stuff you need at Radio Daze.

http://www.radiodaze.com/auto-radios.htm for the vibrator

http://www.radiodaze.com click on COMPONENTS, or use your internet experience to manuever this site.

http://www.justradios.com/orderform.html for other stuff you might need.

[rockne10]

quote:I guess the antenna wire is the ground.

No, the radio is grounded once you screw it to the dash. The antenna lead is rubber coated to prevent it from grounding on anything.

[50Champ]

I couldn't find anything for my radio on Ebay or Google, but I did find everything I need on Radio Daze. A couple of the tubes in my radio are dark on top like they could be burned out so should I just replace them? Is it as simple as pulling the old one out and putting the new one in? Is there anything else I should know? Thanks for the input....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[starlightchamp]

Another excellent source for tubes, speakers, caps is Antique Electonic Supply.
Call480-820-5411 or email info@tubesandmore.com

[50Champ]

I emailed 6 different companies that you guys recommended or who had ads in the radio repair section of Hemmings. I'll probably end up shipping it to one of them since I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Thanks for the help....




1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[Guest]

I've sent my tube and transistor radios to this gent and been real happy with his work. He does quick turn-around and charges are reasonable.

Bud Alenik 14003 Judah Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250-6417 310-683-8100 hda90250@sbcglobal.net

Maybe another option for you. Good luck!

Western Washington, USA

[50Champ]

I emailed Bud for an estimate. Thanks for the help....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[countryboy]

Dave, YES, there is something else that you can do to help things out, or one thing that you MUST do if you replace the vibrator. There is a buffer capacitor that MUSt be replaced along with the vibrator. A good rule of thumb is to replace all of the capacitors in your radio. And to check all of the rest of the capacitors in your radio for leaks or shorts. To check a capacitor you will need an OHM meter, and hopefully your meter will be sufficient to do the job. Disconnect one end of the capacitor and put your meter on the high resistance scale of your meter (the high resistance scale will give the highest current to the capacitor) Put the negative lead on the ground side of the capacitor (that is the side where there is a black circle going around the capacitor) and the other lead to the other end. You should see the meter jump as it charges the capacitor up, and then settle down on infinity. Reverse the leads, and the meter should jump again with a more pronounced effect as it chargers up again, and then settles down to the infinity reading. If you don't get the infinity reading, then the capacitor is leaking (shorted) and it must be replaced. One thing about the capacitor that went into these radios. Most of them were made with wax as the insulation between the plates of the capacitor, and over time heat will break down the wax and short out the plates, that is where you get the leaking effect of the shorted capacitor. That'll give you something to do on a rainy day or a snowy day. I have a schematic for model S4927 Philco radio (8 tube with the vibrator) and the buffer capacitor is C33 which is .5 Mufd (microfarad) Don't know the voltage, as the parts list does not indicate the cap voltages. Should be on the capacitor itself. Have fun! I would include a schematic of the model s4927, but the byte size is too large for the image way of doing a picture it is 454,171 bytes and the picture is a whopper. If you let me have your email address via a private message, I'll send you the schematic and the parts list via email. Maybe it will help you if your experience level is up to it.

[50Champ]

So your user name is Countryboy and your first name is Linda? That's interesting. Anyway, I couldn't figure out how to send you a PM but my email address is Studebaker50Champ@bellsouth.net. I appreciate all the info but I don't really understand any of it. I think there's a schematic on the inside of my radio but I don't understand it so it really doesn't make much difference. Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that....



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[countryboy]

Dave, I have done some more research with my scanner, and now have the file sizes down to a degree where they can be shared with others that might be interested. As for using my wife's name, that is correct when Barry shoved me off'n the site some time back, and I ain't through helping people yet, so I used the wife's name to get back on. here is the schematic and the parts list in case anyone else can use them.





search argument to find these pics. Radio schematic and Radio parts list

[Lothar]

Countryboy
Your scanner should have "scan type" or mode settings. There would be several resolutions of color settings, a couple grayscale settings, and a line drawing/black-and-white/graphic scan mode. I think you're copying your drawings on a grayscale or color setting. It makes the file size larger, but can actually degrade the drawing by pixelating it.
By the way, you wouldn't have a scematic for a Stude-Philco S4923 model radio would you? I think it is six tubes, no pushbuttons. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[50Champ]

I've been emailing several guys who have radio repair ads in Hemmings and one guy told me that since I know I have power going to the radio but none of the tubes light up and the vibrator doesn't hum it's probably the on/off switch. Does anyone have any idea how to fix or replace that?



1950 Champion 2 Dr. Sedan

[Retired]

Check with the "Radio Repair Guy" that advertises in TW.