Pamphonic 365 transistor table radio.

[Amie]

Hi.

Quick question.

What batteries are supposed to be used in the Pamphonic 365 radio?

Thanks.
Amie.

[radioman]

Hi Amie,
Originally, this set was designed to use the Ever-Ready B126, which is a nine volt battery with a centre tap.
An alternative would just be two 4.5V batteries in series or 6xAA's in a holder and add a wire at the centre point.

Edit : Hmm, just checked and I'm not sure about that battery number (from the service data) - it might be a mistake.

Regards,
Andy

[Amie]

Hello.

Thanks.

I think that the B126 was a 90volt battery so I doubt it would have been used in this radio. Possibly a single PP11?

Someone has "fitted" press stud connectors to this set and it had two corroded PP7s, which I'm certain is also wrong. (9volts each)

I haven't tried the set yet but I'm thinking it may have had PP1s (6volts) fitted for those connectors to be in there. Also wrong but possibly survivable if the set should run on 2 × 4.5volts.

I'll have to get a trader sheet for it....

Thanks.
Amie.

[ppppenguin]

B126 was definitely a 90V HT battery. The 126 was 4.5V battery with screw terminals.

[Amie]

So two separate 4.5 volt batteries?

Would make sense.

Thanks Jeffrey!

A

[ppppenguin]

This is the 126: https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/ever_battery_126.html
I used loads of them when I was a kid.

This is the B126, one of the smaller HT batteries. I remember buying one when I was about 10 (mid 1960s) to experiment with valves.

A few years later I saw a stack of about 10x B126 in series as a low cost supply for photomultipliers. A lot cheaper than a professional EHT regulated PSU and 100% guaranteed free of hum and noise. Not sure what current they could deliver but it wouldn't have been pleasant to get a belt off that.

[Mike Watterson]

Maybe a PP11 or 2 x 126.
A PP11 seems to be a PP9 split internally to give 2 x 4.5. Obviously I'd make a replica using 6x Alkaline AA cells.
The "126" without a B is indeed a 4.5V bell battery and I have seen a transistor set using two of them. I'd obviously do a replica with 3x Alkaline D cells in each.

I think very few battery packs were NOT used! Continental sets often used 2 x 1289 (3R20 now?) as two 4.5V packs with a special clip, or later as 9V instead of the PP9.
I've one set that uses 2x 996 packs for centre tapped 12V. The wires sort of clip on and the batteries slide under a board.

The 126 originally used "E" cells and later they changed to D cells. I think also that the early AD35 might have used E or G but later ones used 2x D in parallel. The 7.5V LT pack and most non-layer HT packs used the same cells as in 1289 (3R20 now?), the "B" cell, which is still made in Zinc.
Old pre 1918 cells still made: AA, B, C, D and F. All in Alkaline and Zinc, though the B and F are only inside packs.
http://www.blaukatz.com/tables/other-batteries/

[chriswood]

Interestingly the R&TV service data gives the battery as a 4 of B126 which is clearly wrong it is as others have said a 126 which is 4.5V  battery and uses to two. My usual way of powering things is to build batteries from AA cells using the readily available plastic holders you can match any voltage and use what are the cheapest cells and with alkaline still get decent lifespan.
for holders buy something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TruPower-33-1...2935599857 and just solder the wires on.

Chris

[Crackle]

Depending on how the circuit is arranged, if it is like the KB VP21 which used a PP11 you can get away with a single 9 volt battery like the PP9. But check any electrolytic capacitors in the speaker circuit are good.
Just found the circuit on the Radio Museum and it does not have the 2 capacitors across the batteries, to the speaker.

Mike

[chriswood]

The output on the Pam 365 uses the batteries to split the power for the output stage, it would probably be safer to stick with 2 x 4.5 volt batteries. See attached circuit.


Chris