Hello All,
I just replaced all 27 capacitors in this table radio. Unless a very very long antenna wire is attached to the radio it will receive nothing. When it does receive FM, the stations past the middle of the band come in ok, they sound very clear, but the radio cannot be blasted.
I think I should hear FM hiss even if there's no antenna attached but I don't. It's pretty much silent between stations. I can also tune in all AM stations. It doesn't blast as loud as a 50L6 usually does. It should overload at full volume, but it doesn't. It also takes a little to long to warm up. So my guess is that the selenium rectifier is a little bit weak.
I'll replace it and let everyone know if that made a difference. I haven't tested the tubes either. I'll do that too, even though they appear to be good, judging by how the radio sounds.

Thanks,

Dave

Dave:

Before you go to the trouble of replacing the selenium unit, have you checked the level of the B+?

One way to see if the selenium is bad is to check the radio operation "cold" or at startup. Usually, as the selenium unit heats up it gets lossier, causing a drop in B+.

BUT I would not rush to change it. You should check all of the tubes with a reliable tester. You may also have some blocking effect with a bad cap as installed (yes - it happens).

Lou

:Hello All,
: I just replaced all 27 capacitors in this table radio. Unless a very very long antenna wire is attached to the radio it will receive nothing. When it does receive FM, the stations past the middle of the band come in ok, they sound very clear, but the radio cannot be blasted.
: I think I should hear FM hiss even if there's no antenna attached but I don't. It's pretty much silent between stations. I can also tune in all AM stations. It doesn't blast as loud as a 50L6 usually does. It should overload at full volume, but it doesn't. It also takes a little to long to warm up. So my guess is that the selenium rectifier is a little bit weak.
: I'll replace it and let everyone know if that made a difference. I haven't tested the tubes either. I'll do that too, even though they appear to be good, judging by how the radio sounds.
:
:Thanks,
:
:Dave
:

Lou, All,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I replaced the selenium rectifier and it made a huge difference. Now the radio receives all stations nicely all through the FM band. AM is also a lot better.
There were a few other problems problems. Someone peeled off the antenna loop from the back. So I had to replace it using some magnet wire. Also someone connected the FM line cord antenna to the AM antenna connection. I moved the link back to FM and FM works very well without any external antenna. And with the new AM antenna loop, AM is perfect too.
The flexible resistor that limits the current to dial lamp was broken too. Also the dial cord was broken and someone tried to "fix" it by gluing it to the tuning shaft. I got the glue off and it took me about 2 hours to get that extremely complicated dial cord back on.
The grill cloth was loose too but, using the same rubber cement I used to hold the AM antenna loop on, it was a easy repair. So the radio is as close to perfect now as it can get. I think it works better than when it was new.
This is one amazing radio. It was made in 1948 and the FM doesn't drift at all. Amazing! This is a radio to buy if you can find one. Stromberg-Carlson made some very high quality stuff. I rarely see bakelite so thick on a radio cabinet.

Dave
:Dave:
:
:Before you go to the trouble of replacing the selenium unit, have you checked the level of the B+?
:
:One way to see if the selenium is bad is to check the radio operation "cold" or at startup. Usually, as the selenium unit heats up it gets lossier, causing a drop in B+.
:
:BUT I would not rush to change it. You should check all of the tubes with a reliable tester. You may also have some blocking effect with a bad cap as installed (yes - it happens).
:
:Lou
:
::Hello All,
:: I just replaced all 27 capacitors in this table radio. Unless a very very long antenna wire is attached to the radio it will receive nothing. When it does receive FM, the stations past the middle of the band come in ok, they sound very clear, but the radio cannot be blasted.
:: I think I should hear FM hiss even if there's no antenna attached but I don't. It's pretty much silent between stations. I can also tune in all AM stations. It doesn't blast as loud as a 50L6 usually does. It should overload at full volume, but it doesn't. It also takes a little to long to warm up. So my guess is that the selenium rectifier is a little bit weak.
:: I'll replace it and let everyone know if that made a difference. I haven't tested the tubes either. I'll do that too, even though they appear to be good, judging by how the radio sounds.
::
::Thanks,
::
::Dave
::
:
: