GE Model E-52 acquired today, need some info on it

[vortalexfan]

Hello everyone, today I was given a GE model E-52, and I would like to know how it compares to the A-53 Tomstone I have (which seems to be a similar radio from about the same time period and a similar tube lineup to the A-53) performance wise and whether or not the circuitry is similar or different.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Vorty

Pictures coming later.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Hello everyone, today I was given a GE model E-52, and I would like to know how it compares to the A-53 Tomstone I have (which seems to be a similar radio from about the same time period and a similar tube lineup to the E-52) performance wise and whether or not the circuitry is similar or different.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Vorty

Pictures coming later.

The circuit is somewhat similar to the A53, covered in a earlier thread!
Basically the same strange volume control circuitry.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

The circuit is somewhat similar to the A53, covered in a earlier thread!
Basically the same strange volume control circuitry.

OK, I was wondering about that, because it seems like its basically the same exact radio as the A-53 just in a Mantel format rather than a tombstone format.

I also got a parts/donor radio for the A-53 Radio of mine, and I looked over the chassis on that one and basically except for the routing of the power cord it looks exactly like how mine was wired up, and also a replacement power switch/volume control pot, so with that in mind, I'm still kind of stumped as to why my A-53 is humming like mad like it is, even in spite of having all new capacitors installed.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

OK, I was wondering about that, because it seems like its basically the same exact radio as the A-53 just in a Mantel format rather than a tombstone format.

I also got a parts/donor radio for the A-53 Radio of mine, and I looked over the chassis on that one and basically except for the routing of the power cord it looks exactly like how mine was wired up, and also a replacement power switch/volume control pot, so with that in mind, I'm still kind of stumped as to why my A-53 is humming like mad like it is, even in spite of having all new capacitors installed.

In both sets, the audio stage is run "wide open". Remove the grid cap from the 6J7 and see if the hum decreases in volume. If it does, the hum is coming from the audio stage. If still there, look in the power supply filter circuit.
Also there might be an H/K short in the 6J7 or the 6F6.

[old_coot88]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

The circuit is somewhat similar to the A53, covered in a earlier thread!
Basically the same strange volume control circuitry.

Gotta wonder how much the oscillator shifts when changing volume.

[vortalexfan]

I'm going to try working on this radio right now and take a break from the TVs for right now, I'm getting a little frazzled on them.

[vortalexfan]

OK, so I finally finished recapping this radio and I went to try it out last night and only the Rectifier tube was glowing none of the other tubes or the pilot light was glowing, and I checked the tubes and the all measured fine in my tube checker and the bulb I installed was brand new.

So I checked the heater wiring and there was continuity between all of the heater wires (I'm assuming the heater wires were the black wires) and the B+ wires (the red wires I'm assuming) had several resistors coupling between them and the resistors were measuring way high (one of the resistors which was a 1k Ohm resistor measured almost 1 MegOhm! )

I'm guessing that way out of tolerance resistors in the B+ line could potentially kill the radio?

[vortalexfan]

Anyone have any ideas as to why this radio's rectifier tube is the only tube working in this radio?

I checked the 6.3V filiment winding in the transformer and its not open or shorted or anything and all of the filiment lines have continuity (no open filiment wires between the 6.3V filiment transformer and the end of the 6.3V filiment string) and all of the tubes are good (no open filiments, or shorted tubes.)

Also the pilot lamp isn't glowing either, and I double checked the bulb with the bulb checker on my Knight tube checker and the bulb glows as it should, and the winding in the transformer that the pilot light is powered from has continuity (isn't opened or shorted.)

Any ideas as to what could be causing this radio to not function?

[old_coot88]

From what you describe, the ground end of the 6.3V winding has lost connection to ground. According to the schematic, that would be the black lead of the winding. (the other two leads being yellow and brown/yellow.) See schematic
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/PagesByM...7/M0007777.pdf

[vortalexfan]

I figured it out, it was the pilot lamp socket that wasn't making a good connection, so I fixed that and now its working as it should.