General Electric C-480A

5/3/2009 7:42:46 PMVinny

Greetings, hopefully someone out there has a schematic for a General Electric C-480A, or even the variant colors were C-481A or C-482A.
This is my first clock radio, In the blind on this one. I tried looking on this site , but to no avail, I even tried beitmans, I must be missing something
Has a lighted dial, according to face of clock but I am unsure how. There is a tiny bulb that barely illuminated and flickered but did not light the dial. I cannot see how this would light the dial but it must, I can not find another bulb. This tiny little bulb has 2 thin wires on it going through a tiny see through tube and I would need a microscope to see if there is any writing on it.
Thank you for any help anyone could offer.
Vinny A.

5/3/2009 10:53:53 PMEdd

Here ya’ go on that Genteel Electrified 480 . . .a la circa 1956. . . .chassicateur, you just additionally have a
switch on your clock radio which is either used as the manual on-off or the timed switch associated with
the clock. . . .along with the units mechanical , delayed switch. . . aka . . . snooze feature.

73's de Edd

Gentle Electric_Model 480. . . . . . SCHEMATIC :

5/4/2009 7:04:04 AMVinny

Edd, your better then money in the bank, you must have a library. Thank you so much once again. This radio baffles me, I found the main bulb but I can not determine what the tiny bulb on the inside of the radio is. It's flickering and a faint glow.
Vinny A.

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:Here ya’ go on that Genteel Electrified 480 . . .a la circa 1956. . . .chassicateur, you just additionally have a
:switch on your clock radio which is either used as the manual on-off or the timed switch associated with
:the clock. . . .along with the units mechanical , delayed switch. . . aka . . . snooze feature.
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:73's de Edd
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:Gentle Electric_Model 480. . . . . . SCHEMATIC :
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5/4/2009 10:41:40 PMEdd

I additionally consulted SAMUELS and found the info bit on the clock switching, which I have added on as an
Info block.
If you are stymied
on the “ lamp ” situation I would expect a conventional radio dial pilot lamp as
is show, it being switched on with the radio active.
NOW. . . additionally, with this being a clockus radiumus, resplendently complete with a Telechron movement,
I would additionally expect a “FREON” . . .aka. . . neon lamp to be incorporated at the end of a clear vinyl tubing
insulator, where a current limiting resistor could also be tucked away inside, and the unit clamped next to a
LUCITE faceplate, such that the clock face would be illuminated at night time.

This is usually a bare wire leaded, sub peanut sized, and titted NE-2 or its hi bright counterpart the NE-2H.

A NE-51 if socketed, but I don’t expect it !

With t i i i i i i i i i me these get weaker and get the flickers. . .or intermittent operation at the best. Should just be the
lamp with probably no fault with the series current limiting resistor, rely upon its marking for the value.
I ‘m sure that the original part has just finally became marginal.

HOWEVER on new equipment I am seeing the same flickers. . . .AC power strip indicators. . . .seems like the new kids on the block are not aware that a mystical –magical design aspect is required. e.g. the presence of a sub-micro- mini- miniscule
trace of radioactivity such as to remarkably enhance ionization, on striking and then running.

GENTLE ELECTRIC_Model 480A. . . . . . CLOCK BLOCK SCHEMATIC :

73's de Edd

5/5/2009 7:58:11 PMVinny

Edd, I am on a quick lunch break and just saw your response.
Now I can see what the bulb does and is a little different then the 430A.
My resistor in the 480A is 33.00 kilohoms, so I should try and get the NE-2? there is no writing on the bulb or any place around it.
Do you know where a bulb like that should be sold?
Thank you so much for your help, this project would have been scraped without your help.
Thank you again,
Vinny A.

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:I additionally consulted SAMUELS and found the info bit on the clock switching, which I have added on as an
:Info block.
: If you are stymied
:on the “ lamp ” situation I would expect a conventional radio dial pilot lamp as
: is show, it being switched on with the radio active.
:NOW. . . additionally, with this being a clockus radiumus, resplendently complete with a Telechron movement,
:I would additionally expect a “FREON” . . .aka. . . neon lamp to be incorporated at the end of a clear vinyl tubing
:insulator, where a current limiting resistor could also be tucked away inside, and the unit clamped next to a
:LUCITE faceplate, such that the clock face would be illuminated at night time.
:
:
:This is usually a bare wire leaded, sub peanut sized, and titted NE-2 or its hi bright counterpart the NE-2H.
:
:A NE-51 if socketed, but I don’t expect it !
:
:
:With t i i i i i i i i i me these get weaker and get the flickers. . .or intermittent operation at the best. Should just be the
:lamp with probably no fault with the series current limiting resistor, rely upon its marking for the value.
:I ‘m sure that the original part has just finally became marginal.
:
:
:HOWEVER on new equipment I am seeing the same flickers. . . .AC power strip indicators. . . .seems like the new kids on the block are not aware that a mystical –magical design aspect is required. e.g. the presence of a sub-micro- mini- miniscule
:trace of radioactivity such as to remarkably enhance ionization, on striking and then running.
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:GENTLE ELECTRIC_Model 480A. . . . . . CLOCK BLOCK SCHEMATIC :
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:73's de Edd
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5/5/2009 8:05:12 PMVinny

Edd, here is a link to radio daze for bulbs, I am a little confused as to the resistor set up, does this mean that I would have to change the resistor to 100k if I buy the NE-2 from them?
Well, back to work.

http://www.radiodaze.com/lampfuse.htm

Thank you again,
Vinny

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:I additionally consulted SAMUELS and found the info bit on the clock switching, which I have added on as an
:Info block.
: If you are stymied
:on the “ lamp ” situation I would expect a conventional radio dial pilot lamp as
: is show, it being switched on with the radio active.
:NOW. . . additionally, with this being a clockus radiumus, resplendently complete with a Telechron movement,
:I would additionally expect a “FREON” . . .aka. . . neon lamp to be incorporated at the end of a clear vinyl tubing
:insulator, where a current limiting resistor could also be tucked away inside, and the unit clamped next to a
:LUCITE faceplate, such that the clock face would be illuminated at night time.
:
:
:This is usually a bare wire leaded, sub peanut sized, and titted NE-2 or its hi bright counterpart the NE-2H.
:
:A NE-51 if socketed, but I don’t expect it !
:
:
:With t i i i i i i i i i me these get weaker and get the flickers. . .or intermittent operation at the best. Should just be the
:lamp with probably no fault with the series current limiting resistor, rely upon its marking for the value.
:I ‘m sure that the original part has just finally became marginal.
:
:
:HOWEVER on new equipment I am seeing the same flickers. . . .AC power strip indicators. . . .seems like the new kids on the block are not aware that a mystical –magical design aspect is required. e.g. the presence of a sub-micro- mini- miniscule
:trace of radioactivity such as to remarkably enhance ionization, on striking and then running.
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:GENTLE ELECTRIC_Model 480A. . . . . . CLOCK BLOCK SCHEMATIC :
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:73's de Edd
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5/5/2009 10:14:57 PMEdd

Ah yes. . .I see. . . been on your appointed rounds. . .curing and saving the world !

Nope. . . .that probably would drop the brite much more than you would want.

Lamp Life expectancy:

At 120 volts AC, traditionally 20,000 or 25,000 hours
with a 33K resistor

5,000 hours
with a 22K resistor.

At 120 volts AC, a resistor of 39K or 47K usually results in current close to the main or highest valley current - going higher in value extends life no more than proportionately.

Attempt for acquirement from a local sourcing. . . .check below :

NE2H is sometimes aka a C2A. There is also a shorter-mini-NE2H sometimes aka a A1C,
which is Radio Shack 272-1102, even though the catalog claims that it is a C2A.

Also appliance repair shops use them. . . .curling irons, clothes irons, coffee pots, toaster ovens, etc
used as power on / cycling indicators and I also jolly well might expect to find one at a full service,well stocked ACE hardware store.

73's de Edd

5/6/2009 1:10:11 PMVinny

Edd, god your a walking encyclopedia. What a learning experience this has been.
The bulb life at minimum is 2+ years of everday use.
On my next day off after I order the caps and needed resistors and get the bulb(s) I will give this a try.
Thank you Edd, I could not say thank you enough for sharing your knowledge, time, effort, and care for us newbies. I can't believe how much you and the other gentlemen have taught me in almost a year.
I will let you know how this works out.
Thank you, again, and again,
Vinny A.