Philco 53-642 AM tube portable

[Adam]

I've been fixing more radios… This one just had the usual bad power supply filter capacitor. I think it's harder to recap these tube portables, because it seems they always cram everything in a smaller chassis with less room to work in. No tubes with open heaters (which seems to be common in theses tube portables with the 1 volt tubes). To go along with the clear plastic handle, it has this cool looking clear plastic dial scale which was broken in one corner. I'm still repairing it, which is why it's not on the radio.

[Adam]

Now in one piece...

[Electronic M]

Looks nice.

[jr_tech]

Looks nice... my maroon 52 model has a small crack at the top of the dial, running through the "o" in "philco"... never have seen one with a perfect dial scale.

Have you found an on-line schematic...nostalga air seems to show a different radio for that number. I'm thinking that the "A" battery holder is unusual, with the 2 positive battery buttons facing one another.

jr

[Adam]

They have the 52-641, and 52-642 which look the same as the 53-642. The one for the 52-642 just explains that the 52-642 has an added phone jack, but is otherwise the same as the 52-641.
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/pagesbym...2/M0013752.pdf
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/pagesbym...3/M0013753.pdf
No mention of two batteries in the battery holder on the schematic. It just wires the 2 batteries in parallel, so maybe it was a change they made in '53 for longer battery life. It is original to the radio, because on the sticker inside the radio it shows the 2 battery holder and says "one type P-67 battery and two type D dry cells".

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by Adam

They have the 52-641, and 52-642 which look the same as the 53-642. The one for the 52-642 just explains that the 52-642 has an added phone jack, but is otherwise the same as the 52-641.
No mention of two batteries in the battery holder on the schematic. It just wires the 2 batteries in parallel, so maybe it was a change they made in '53 for longer battery life. It is original to the radio, because on the sticker inside the radio it shows the 2 battery holder and says "one type P-67 battery and two type D dry cells".

Thanks! Indeed the batteries face one another, and there *is* a wire tying the ends of the battery holder together, placing them in *parallel*, plays great!... duh! slaps forehead!

jr