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Tropic 53-960 restoration
#31

The second twistlock cap. 20uF abd 2x10uF. ItsI a bit challenging to fit it in the 1" can, so the precision is required when positioning: a millimeter off and the can won't go over. My 10uF were too fat so I found two last 12uF caps I had, slim&tall type. They gave me a couple of millimeters space to the can, but as I said, with due accuracy.

   
   

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#32

Yesterday I glued the cap back together, have just installed it. The underchassis drawing is pretty detailed and together with labeling and good layout (this one is not overcrowded) it wasn't difficult.
Whew! Done with the recap! Resistors all seem to be ok.
Now, first a bottle of Warsteiner (could you imagine, Ron, it is still the same pack from.....5 weeks ago? I really need to do something about my having cut down on beer. It's a disgrace.) Then - tube check and, should everything check out ok, the power-up.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#33

Went to check the tubes.
First, I noticed my Hickok got mold. It was standing close to the outer wall and it has seepage, and the weather's been moist for the most time.
So....alcohol wipe everything, then took my shoe fungus spray and applied it to the sutfaces.
Then...the English scale pot got tight. Deoxit + WD40.
Then came the tubes.
One of the output 7B5 is weaker than the other, but acceptable.
12AU7 was barely alive (300 both halves at 2200 norm). I found a 5963, an HP tube which is a close enough that is considered a sub.
The rest is good.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#34

nice job so far mike Icon_thumbup
really same pk of beer for 5 weeks Icon_wtf

Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift
mafiamen2
#35

Five weeks? Oh, a six pack can last me for six weeks or longer. In fact I threw out some beer not long ago that had been in the fridge since December. Icon_sad

Off-topic for a moment:

Hey Mike, about that Warsteiner...Paul from the Phorum (not Boston Paul, PA Paul) visited us just over a week ago. We had dinner at a popular local German restaurant called the Schnitzelbank. They had Warsteiner on their lager list, so Paul and I both ordered one. Guess what...this was not like the one you gave me in Kutztown...this was a dark beer. Icon_thumbdown Disappointing. I have yet to go to Liquor Barn in Louisville to see if they have the same Warsteiner that you had.

Back on topic...

I hope that your three section electrolytic holds up OK. I have not had good results using hot glue on electrolytics. It ruined some for me once...so I won't use hot glue on any of them anymore. They were Nichicons.

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#36

Ron

I never had problems with hot glue and electrolytics. I used just a dab, I dd not flood them. It holds well: when first I glued them a tad off, to take that stuff off them was a ask, it sticks real well.

The Warsteiner. It simply means that it is brewed in Warstein. They have 4 beers in Germany, Dunkel, Pilsener (we probably had a version of it for the US, its called Premium Verum), a Weissbier and an non-alcoholic Fresh.
You probably had the Dunkel.

BTW, the brewery is owned by the same family, the Kramers, since 1753 and is the largest privately owned brewery in Germany.

Oh....and in my threads off-topics are welcomed as long as they are not malicious or are totally off without any reason Icon_smile

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#37

[Image: http://philcoradio.com/phorum/attachment.php?aid=16613]

This is what I was referring to. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that hot glue on the lead ends of the two top electrolytics?

This is what caused failure of a couple Nichicons for me. I used no more than this. Probably less, in fact.

But hey...good luck to you.

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#38

RE: Warsteiner...unfortunately Schnitzelbank's lager list did not specify whether the Warsteiner they carry was Dunkel, Schmunkel, or what variety - it simply read "Warsteiner." We ordered based upon my recollection of your beer, and Paul ordered the same upon my recommendation. I felt badly for Paul when it was not the same as what you had given to me. Although if he was disappointed in the beer (as I was), he didn't let on.

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#39

Ron

Yes, I simply put a bead on top of the soldering joint to gve it some extra insulation, and while hot , some ran off to the surface of the cap. Well, hopefully it'll be ok.
Did yours failed immediately or over time?

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#40

Immediately.

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
#41

Strange. Nichicons too..... I'm not even sure I could guess why....some thermal damage, obviously, but two at the same time from a small dab of hot glue.... interesting.
For me it's a usual practice. I don't flood them, just stabilize the assembly and insulate the soldering spots. Haven't seen anything like it so far. Though I mostly use Panasonic ones.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#42

Question: my 7B6 tube tests gassy. Considering the offset is 0, is this a false reading?
Has anyone tested or possibly could test this tube? (Used in Tropics, in this one it's the 1st audio / detector and AVC.).

OK. The usual. Tested the transformer high and filaments, put all tubes in plus speaker, got the B+, touched the Audio in, got the hum, tuned to the local station, got very clean and loud reception, plus a few others. The frequency of the local is right on the money, 1160AM. This is without any antenna, the loop one is stashed separately, else the chassis wouldn't come out.
Tomorrow will attempt the alignment.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#43

   
   
   



Now, I'm trying to align the radio.
Question to those who know this one: the procedure refers to TC1A through C coils. I cannot find it.
Where is it?

PS. Ron, thanks again for that dial.

People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
#44

Hey Mike I believe they are the referring to the 3 coils that are at the top of your picture all in a row.
They show them on the schematic. page 32-92- Lower left has the tc 1a the tc1b is center and tb 1c is to the right and down on the schematic. Hope this isn't confusing.
#45

+1 what KCMike said. The 53-960 uses permeability tuning for the "spread" bands (49M, 31M, 25M, 19M, 16M, 13M) instead of the tuning condenser which is used for BC (AM), SW1 and SW2.

TC1A is the movable core for coil T6; TC1B for coil T10, TC1C for coil T14.

Glad you could use the dial. It wasn't doing me any good sitting around here. Icon_smile

--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN




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