Need some suggestions, earier I posted for a 2 meg volume , but I found one in my junk box and modified it to fit , it worked great , but now another problem as poped up. the radio acts as if the oscillator section is intermittent, sometimes if you turn it on it works great , other times nothing , even if I put a finger on the grid of the oscilator or the RF all I get is static and no stations on all bands and very low voulme, I tried a couple different 6A8's I had lying around and it would work a while and thought it was the tube but then the next time I turn it on it quit again, voltages seem to be with-in the norms even while not operating?? I have not changed a couple of the paper caps in the tuner as they are buried along with the coils up in the sub-assembly, I can't even check these relibly without a major tear down,I know most of you will tell me I have no choice but to tear into it, but I was hoping I might be missing something obvious . Has anyone ever delt with these sub-assembly tuners I do not even know how to begin to start if I have to tear into this,it appears the coils are riveted into place? I checked Chucks Site for any tips on this but none sound to promising as it says I will come up with new four letter words while trying to service it. plain and simple it acts like the oscilator tube just stops working??? any thoughts or ideas are appreciated before I am forced into possibly wreaking this trying to service it, this was not one of Philco's better ideas!!!
Thanks
Elton

Elton: If this is one of those wedding cake style Philco chassis, I feel your pain!

Can you tune in the oscillator signal on a portable transistor radio set next to the Philco? Should be at broadcast freq + IF. Once you have it, then wait for the Philco to conk out, and see if the oscillator is still running.

:Need some suggestions, earier I posted for a 2 meg volume , but I found one in my junk box and modified it to fit , it worked great , but now another problem as poped up. the radio acts as if the oscillator section is intermittent, sometimes if you turn it on it works great , other times nothing , even if I put a finger on the grid of the oscilator or the RF all I get is static and no stations on all bands and very low voulme, I tried a couple different 6A8's I had lying around and it would work a while and thought it was the tube but then the next time I turn it on it quit again, voltages seem to be with-in the norms even while not operating?? I have not changed a couple of the paper caps in the tuner as they are buried along with the coils up in the sub-assembly, I can't even check these relibly without a major tear down,I know most of you will tell me I have no choice but to tear into it, but I was hoping I might be missing something obvious . Has anyone ever delt with these sub-assembly tuners I do not even know how to begin to start if I have to tear into this,it appears the coils are riveted into place? I checked Chucks Site for any tips on this but none sound to promising as it says I will come up with new four letter words while trying to service it. plain and simple it acts like the oscilator tube just stops working??? any thoughts or ideas are appreciated before I am forced into possibly wreaking this trying to service it, this was not one of Philco's better ideas!!!
:Thanks
:Elton

Elton, I have the 37-650 and have been in the sub-Chassis twice. After the last time I put the set aside and have not gone near it for the last three months. I found other projects to work on to get my mind off it. I'm not trying to scare you off but you have to understand that I'm a newbie to this and the fustration got to me. If your chassis is the same as mine you can proceed as I did. Place the band switch in the Broadcast band position. You can remove the bandswitch shaft by removing the two screws on the front of the mounting ring on the face of the chassis then you can remove one of the three sections (Ant, RF, OSC) by unsoldering the three wires going up through the chassis to the tuning condensor (two wires on one section). There are maybe two more wires coming from the main chassis to each section that have to be removed. One screw holds each sub-chassis in, remove that and you have the section out to replace the caps/resistors and check the Xformers and clean and adjust the band switch. Be careful removing and replacing the band switch shaft. To keep the switch aligned there is a nub on the shaft and a corresponding notch in the rotors of the switch. Also the mounting plate on the front of the chassis has a lug which goes into a hole on the chassis so it also only goes in one way to keep the switch aligned. I mention this because even if you remove the sub-chassis from the main chassis you still have to do the above to get at the parts. I left the sub-chassis in place. PL PS: I hope you find the problem before you go through this.

:Need some suggestions, earier I posted for a 2 meg volume , but I found one in my junk box and modified it to fit , it worked great , but now another problem as poped up. the radio acts as if the oscillator section is intermittent, sometimes if you turn it on it works great , other times nothing , even if I put a finger on the grid of the oscilator or the RF all I get is static and no stations on all bands and very low voulme, I tried a couple different 6A8's I had lying around and it would work a while and thought it was the tube but then the next time I turn it on it quit again, voltages seem to be with-in the norms even while not operating?? I have not changed a couple of the paper caps in the tuner as they are buried along with the coils up in the sub-assembly, I can't even check these relibly without a major tear down,I know most of you will tell me I have no choice but to tear into it, but I was hoping I might be missing something obvious . Has anyone ever delt with these sub-assembly tuners I do not even know how to begin to start if I have to tear into this,it appears the coils are riveted into place? I checked Chucks Site for any tips on this but none sound to promising as it says I will come up with new four letter words while trying to service it. plain and simple it acts like the oscilator tube just stops working??? any thoughts or ideas are appreciated before I am forced into possibly wreaking this trying to service it, this was not one of Philco's better ideas!!!
:Thanks
:Elton

Hi Elton,
From your descrption I would take a hard look at tube sockets. It seems lately I am running into more bad tube sockets than bad tubes. Octal tube sockes are usually quite reliable, but you can get bad ones even in ocatal.
Probably the best way to check is to wiggle the RF and converter tubes and see if you can control the frequency of cut out or to look for distortions on the sockets on the RF and converter tubes. Since the problem is intermittant ohmic tests will work only intermitantly.
If you find a bad connecting pin on a socket, replacing the socket would be nice, but the socket is probably as inaccessable as those capacitors. Recently I had this problem and soldered a wire to the tube pin which was failing contact. I now have to remember never to put that tube in a tube tester, but the radio works fine now.

I also noticed the many switches in htis radio's front end. I expect that they have been sprayed with tuner tonic.

Best Regards,

Bill Grimm

::Need some suggestions, earier I posted for a 2 meg volume , but I found one in my junk box and modified it to fit , it worked great , but now another problem as poped up. the radio acts as if the oscillator section is intermittent, sometimes if you turn it on it works great , other times nothing , even if I put a finger on the grid of the oscilator or the RF all I get is static and no stations on all bands and very low voulme, I tried a couple different 6A8's I had lying around and it would work a while and thought it was the tube but then the next time I turn it on it quit again, voltages seem to be with-in the norms even while not operating?? I have not changed a couple of the paper caps in the tuner as they are buried along with the coils up in the sub-assembly, I can't even check these relibly without a major tear down,I know most of you will tell me I have no choice but to tear into it, but I was hoping I might be missing something obvious . Has anyone ever delt with these sub-assembly tuners I do not even know how to begin to start if I have to tear into this,it appears the coils are riveted into place? I checked Chucks Site for any tips on this but none sound to promising as it says I will come up with new four letter words while trying to service it. plain and simple it acts like the oscilator tube just stops working??? any thoughts or ideas are appreciated before I am forced into possibly wreaking this trying to service it, this was not one of Philco's better ideas!!!
::Thanks
::Elton
:
:Hi Elton,
: From your descrption I would take a hard look at tube sockets. It seems lately I am running into more bad tube sockets than bad tubes. Octal tube sockes are usually quite reliable, but you can get bad ones even in ocatal.
: Probably the best way to check is to wiggle the RF and converter tubes and see if you can control the frequency of cut out or to look for distortions on the sockets on the RF and converter tubes. Since the problem is intermittant ohmic tests will work only intermitantly.
: If you find a bad connecting pin on a socket, replacing the socket would be nice, but the socket is probably as inaccessable as those capacitors. Recently I had this problem and soldered a wire to the tube pin which was failing contact. I now have to remember never to put that tube in a tube tester, but the radio works fine now.
:
: I also noticed the many switches in htis radio's front end. I expect that they have been sprayed with tuner tonic.
:
:Best Regards,
:
:Bill Grimm
Thanks for all your suggestions I will check the obvious I.E. tube sockets and cold solder joints,etc, but since I placed this post the chassis has been on my bench since then and so far everyday I come home from work and turn it on and it plays great, it has me stumped so far , but I think I can make it quit again by putting it back in its cabinet....LOL.
Thanks
E.

From the Radio Troubleshooters Handbook Case Histories: A common intermittent reception problem was a defective oscillator transformer #22 or #23 depending on which code chasis you have. Check also for a snapped lead from one of the stator lugs on the tuning capacitor to the bandswitch. The break is usually at the bandswitch and can usually be resoldered with a long tip on your iron. I hope this helps.

MRO

Elton: I don't have any suggestions for your problem, but sympathy in having to work on this radio. I have a 37-620, too, and recapped it a few months ago. That sub-assembly is a nightmare. I'm not the most steady handed, either, and was in fear of damaging something in the process. I know what I ultimately did will be looked down on by folks, but for some of the caps I was able to disconnect one side and I simply left the old cap in place after putting a new one in. Only I know that they are there, but I hopefully spared myself having to try and replace/repair any coils. The coils appear to be held in place by a small screw, not rivets, but inaccessable none-the-less. This design was a very bad idea by Philco. My radio has strong sentimental value and a cool Art Deco cabinet, so I want to keep it going. Best of luck to you. Mark from Kalamazoo.

:Need some suggestions, earier I posted for a 2 meg volume , but I found one in my junk box and modified it to fit , it worked great , but now another problem as poped up. the radio acts as if the oscillator section is intermittent, sometimes if you turn it on it works great , other times nothing , even if I put a finger on the grid of the oscilator or the RF all I get is static and no stations on all bands and very low voulme, I tried a couple different 6A8's I had lying around and it would work a while and thought it was the tube but then the next time I turn it on it quit again, voltages seem to be with-in the norms even while not operating?? I have not changed a couple of the paper caps in the tuner as they are buried along with the coils up in the sub-assembly, I can't even check these relibly without a major tear down,I know most of you will tell me I have no choice but to tear into it, but I was hoping I might be missing something obvious . Has anyone ever delt with these sub-assembly tuners I do not even know how to begin to start if I have to tear into this,it appears the coils are riveted into place? I checked Chucks Site for any tips on this but none sound to promising as it says I will come up with new four letter words while trying to service it. plain and simple it acts like the oscilator tube just stops working??? any thoughts or ideas are appreciated before I am forced into possibly wreaking this trying to service it, this was not one of Philco's better ideas!!!
:Thanks
:Elton