Pilot radio

spudato7

Hi I have my grandads old pilot radio and I am trying to fix it is there any way of identifying what type of pilot radio it is because it doesn't say it on it or is there a website for this type of thing?
Thanks for any help

martinsvi

can you post some pictures here? Open it up and make some shots of the circuit see if there are any serial numbers on the PCB, sometimes they can help to identify the device

spudato7

martinsvi wrote: »

can you post some pictures here? Open it up and make some shots of the circuit see if there are any serial numbers on the PCB, sometimes they can help to identify the device

I've figured out it's a model 63 I'm fairly sure but I have no clue where to wire the power cable or if it'll work at all thanks for the reply

martinsvi

oh, wow, that is old! good luck with it and if you don't mind, can you let us know how you get on?

tonyham

DO NOT connect mains to this set just yet. :eek:
This radio is of 1939 vintage, the electrolytic capacitors (condensers) are old and more than likely leaky , i.e. they will have little capacitance and will draw a lot of current causing them to heat up and maybe even explode. The high current could also cause a burnout of the mains transformer.

By right all capacitors should be replaced before applying mains voltage as the old paper type and the wax covered type will most likely also be leaky. (All mica capacitors and variable and trimmer capacitors should be OK and usually withstand the test of time, providing nothing gets between their plates to short them out.)

At the very least, it is best to connect a 100w bulb in series with this radio when powering it up as the bulb will act as a current limiter. if the radio is drawing a lot of current due to a fault then the lamp will glow bright.

here is link to circuit diagram for LAMP current limiter....

http://www.vintage-radio.com/projects/lamp-limiter.html

Also for circuit diagram of the T63 Pilot Radio to see where to connect the mains input to the mains transformer see the following links...

http://www.radiomanuals.info/information/400%20to%20799/s0400.pdf

http://www.radiomanuals.info/information/Broadcasters/sPilot%20T63.pdf


sorry for the very long post,
good luck with the project

watty

go
http://www.radios-tv.co.uk/
http://www.forum.radios-tv.co.uk/

Real experts on Vintage Radios and plenty of Irish Members.

Before adding mains:

1) the capacitor feeding final valve grid MUST be changed or it risks damaging valve, audio transformer and mains.

2) Do NOT use a lamp limiter unless you have checked other stuff first and know how to repair electronic equipment. They are too crude. Better to carefully unplug all valves and feed main HT connection (cathode of rectifier valve or Metal rectifier) from about 30V with a current limited (< 5mA) PSU to start with.

Other capacitor will need changed. Most resistors except at cathode of output valve can be +/-25% or more and it doesn't much matter.

spudato7

tonyham wrote: »

DO NOT connect mains to this set just yet. :eek:
This radio is of 1939 vintage, the electrolytic capacitors (condensers) are old and more than likely leaky , i.e. they will have little capacitance and will draw a lot of current causing them to heat up and maybe even explode. The high current could also cause a burnout of the mains transformer.

By right all capacitors should be replaced before applying mains voltage as the old paper type and the wax covered type will most likely also be leaky. (All mica capacitors and variable and trimmer capacitors should be OK and usually withstand the test of time, providing nothing gets between their plates to short them out.)

At the very least, it is best to connect a 100w bulb in series with this radio when powering it up as the bulb will act as a current limiter. if the radio is drawing a lot of current due to a fault then the lamp will glow bright.

here is link to circuit diagram for LAMP current limiter....

http://www.vintage-radio.com/projects/lamp-limiter.html

Also for circuit diagram of the T63 Pilot Radio to see where to connect the mains input to the mains transformer see the following links...

http://www.radiomanuals.info/information/400%20to%20799/s0400.pdf

http://www.radiomanuals.info/information/Broadcasters/sPilot%20T63.pdf


sorry for the very long post,
good luck with the project

Thanks for the post but do you know where I could find a manual or something to show me where to wire it into a plug and other things like it because my grandad had it working about ten years ago but he disconnected it for some reason and it's meant to still work it's just in rough shape

watty

No, it may burn bits out if you just plug it in. This radio is too old to try on a lamp limiter without replacing capacitors first. A lamp limiter is really for 1950s and 1960s TV sets. Not so useful for a radio.

Likely it needed parts changed and may have already burnt out a transformer or worn out the output valve due to a leaky capacitor.

very likely your grandfather stopped using it for a good reason.

Go
http://www.radios-tv.co.uk/

http://www.forum.radios-tv.co.uk/

Post photos of it in http://www.forum.radios-tv.co.uk/

If you are near an Irish member you can get local help too.

I've been repairing old valve radios since 1970s. Almost none made before 1960 will run without damaging themselves without at least replacing the capacitor feeding the output valve grid.

Capacitors are cheap and easy to replace with a new one. A Valve may be €10 to €200 depending on type and only very few types still made. Most are 50+ years old. Replacement Transformers may be unobtainable.

Also that is 1930s and uses an irreplaceable "field" coil loudspeaker (no magnet). So if not checked the field coil can be burnt out by a leaky capacitor that only costs 50c

This is absolutely an important set that needs expert help to get it going without damaging irreplaceable parts.

tonyham

spudato7 :eek:
I urge you to heed Watty's Warnings about plugging the set in.

The fact that it worked 10 years ago is of no help, as 10 years is a very long time for capacitors to age and become leaky.

Plugging it in and seeing what happnes is too late, you will have already caused the damage, just by plugging it in.

I agree with Watty... the current limiter is a crude instrument and can still allow large enough currents to pass which will damage irreplaceable parts if you plug this set in.

Capacitors are very cheep, easy to source and not difficult to replace, the list of capacitors required are in the links already given.

but even so, Please, Please, seek expert help local to where you live ... this radio is to important an item to just jump in without expert guidance.

spudato7

Cheers for the replies luckily I haven't plugged it in yet so ill look into what you've told me thanks A lot