Philips Radio.

[Joe]

Posted on behalf of Maitiu.

This is a Philips that Joe Guilfoyle brought me to repair.
       
First thing was a wall switch stuck on the side, wired up to the feed in. I removed it and fitted a cable joiner.

Set works for local stations, but needs full volume for distant stations. Having said that I got some stations out on short wave.

There are 6 piano keys involved here. Trouble is the set won't switch off now; I have to pull the plug from the wall socket. Otherwise working.

Any advice on this one welcome.

Best regards
Maitiu

[Joe]

The contacts of the original switch could well have welded themselves shut so if you can take it to bits you'll probably be able to free them.

As for the lack of sensitivity, the first thing is to replace the old caps and make sure that the HT is reasonable.

The other obvious thing is: has it got an internal aerial and if so is it connected properly and not damaged?

Good luck with it.

- Joe

[Yorkie]

That old light switch, with its ceramic patress, is quite the most surreal mod I've ever seen on a radio! As a child, we had such switches on the wall of the Victorian house we lived in, and at a guess, I'd say that the switch is twice the age of the radio. Rather a shame that the set has been attacked in this way - why didn't whoever did this, instead use an in-line switch of the type used for table lamps etc?

I think Joe is on the right lines - the main on/off switch contacts have probably welded together preventing the switch from operating, which is no doubt why the light switch was fitted as a Heath Robinson modification. Whether the piano key switch can be repaired is quite another thing. I've got a couple of piano key radios to tackle (A Telefunken Ducato and a Grundig) and it's the switchery that puts me off.

Hope Maitiu makes some progress with it - it does look like a set worth preserving, and the holes in the side where the switch is mounted could be repaired with Milliput or car body filler and painted in to match the Bakelite, given that it's not in a noticeable position.

[standunmj]

hi guys, many thanks for that, ive already removed the switch, there were three tiny holes which i blocked up and filled with dark umber artists tube paint, it looks well , ive brasso'ed it and its polished up dandy,aldi's kitchen spray cleaner onto the speaker cloth, melted the sons brown crayon into the scratches on top of cabinet , will take chasis out of cabinet to see if i can free the 'off' switch , its the piano key to the extreme left,also ive to replace the dial bulb, i think its the bayonet type.thanks also to david hope your back at the restoring again, regards maitiu.[p.s the model no is b5if72a] an irish version ,

[Joe]

Hi guys

Here's the Philips with the switch amputated, cabinet brasso'ed, scratches filled with a brown crayon, speaker cloth cleaned , [with kitchen cleaner], and gold paint around frontage. More to do.

   

Head-on shot:-

   

Set needs to be recapped, receiving local stations on long wave, medium a bit iffy, needs full volume, some stations on short wave.

Best regards

Maitiu

[standunmj]

hi guys, myself and joe guilfoyle[my second in command] turned the philips upsidedown on the kitchen table this morning, we have a schematic for the set,

very difficult to see the off switch, but we did notice a little spring at side of' off switch'
also a plate inside that should slide down and protrude slightly from the case of the switch, but which has to be operated manually and does switch the set off, we cant see how the spring is connected to the plate reason being its inside its case, joe took the set off with him to get a third opinion or more , would'ent like to risk taking the whole piano arrangement off the chasis as there are about twenty wires attached to it , meanwhile if anyone has come up against this situation in the past sees this i would be grateful for any info or ideas to affect a repair without having to dismantle this unit , best regards, maitiu.

[Refugee]

A good focused photo would help us a lot when it comes to ideas for fixing the switch without taking the whole set to bits.
I can understand why the light switch was screwed onto the side of the cabinet.
Perhaps a repair shop refused to fix it because fitting a new switch was too much trouble at the time.

[standunmj]

hi guys, joe worked at the set at his home , he discovered the spring had a piece broken off and it was not reaching into the hole on the sliding arm , he bent a safety pin and cut off the catch on it [the safety pin], i've not seen it yet, but he says it works , dont know for how long but ill go with it and see, thanks for all , maitiu.

[standunmj]

hi guys, sorry for the delay, in responding with the philips off switch repair picture, radio playing away albeit on full volume position.

   

next thing is a complete recapping and swop a few valves to see can i get more poke out of it, lots to do yet
maitiu.
,

[Refugee]

Is the cotton some kind of safety belt?
It looks like it could still reach the mains terminals should it get free.