I picked this up last Sat at an antique mall for $38. The control box door is missing, as well as the channel selector knob and the back.

I decided tom go ahead and give it a shot. I don't have any info on it right now, and I can't find a Sams on ebay for sale (214-2), so I'm starting out blind.

I found several spare tubes laying around the chassis, and the hi voltage cover is also missing. I'm assuming the set has hi voltage troubles and someone gave up after trying some replacement tubes.

I went ahead and replaced the 2 main electrolytics tubular units under the chassis. One was a 4 section and the other a 3 section. I decided to try a power up on the variac. Sure enough, no hi voltage. I can get some noise out of the spkr but never could get a station to come thru.

I going to start on the paper caps tonight.

You should change that white tubular cap that is blown apart at the top right of your under chassis picture.

Are you sure that's a cap? It looks more like a Gravel Gertie (sand coated flat resistor).

I've got a mahogany model a year or two earlier. It's also missing the control door. Good find though!

It is a sand coated resistor. There is no markings on it, but think it is working for the moment as it does get warm. As soon as I can get a Sams, I will replace it and the other sand resistor.

I have made SOME progress. First, my 75/300transformr was bad. Trying another one gave me sound, but the volume control is not working. It looks like someone has tinkered with that section also.

There is a electrolytic cap in parallel with an 8 ohm power resistor coming off the 6BQ6 and going to ground. No voltage on the pos side. That my be why I have no high voltage. They both look like replacement units. I need to find out exactly what goes there.

The cap with the end blown open next to the chassis wall.

Ok, now I see what you a talking about. That is in the audio circuit directly on the 3 prong connection for the audio transformer. Yes, definitely one of the next caps to get replaced.

I can't find a Sams on ebay for sale (214-2), so I'm starting out blind.It may be more expensive than eBay, but you can always order the Sams manual from Sams:

https://samswebsite.com/

Regards,

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Doug, I've got a spare 214-2. $5 mailed sound okay? PM me.

The 6BQ6 area of the schematic...

Jim, thanks a bunch for posting the thumbnail of the horiz output section. I've definitely got the wrong parts going to pin 8 of the 6BQ6. Someone has put in a 5 ohm 10W resistor in parallel with the capacitor, and the schematic says I need a 220ohm.

Would you do me one more favor and look at the parts list and see what size that resistor is. Its R97, a 220 ohm.

PM Sent also

Sure, 220Ω @ 2-watts.

Someone has put in a 5 ohm 10W resistor in parallel with the capacitor, and the schematic says I need a 220ohm.
Sounds like they were trying to get more width out of it. Have they played with the values of the G2 resistors R98 and R99?

Yikes! All I had was a 1 W, and I put that in there. I'll see about getting a 2W. I don't have any voltage on that pin anyway, and I should have 15V. The rest of the voltages on that tube are messed up as well so have an idea where to start troubleshooting

I do hear the oscillator running, so I'm somewhat confident its not the problem.

Funny thing, EVERY paper cap I have seen in that set is 600V unit. You normally see sets with a variety of voltage rated caps from 200V to 600V. Either they got a good buy on strictly 600V units or the just went for overkill.

Check H out tube grid bias to make sure your osc. drive is making it to the output. If you have proper grid drive and no screen grid voltage issues, then check your flyback.

Pin 4 of horiz output tube is way off. It SB 150v then goes thru a 6.8K, then a 4.7K to a 330v source. I have 295V at pin 4 all the way thru the resistors and at the source.

I replaced the 6.8K resistor. The 4.7K checks about 5.3K and I have to get one of those.

The 1st paper cap I replaced was the .05 coming off pin 4 to ground. I have also replaced the .05 coming off pin 2 of the flyback.

A fellow member is mailing me a Sams for the set, so I can't do too much until I get it. I did notice that I have no negative grid voltage on the 6BQ6. I should have -8V. I have about -.5

The 82ohm resistor on the grid measures about 95 ohms, so I'm sure it's good,

Right after my last post, I found part of my voltage problem. Instead of a 6BQ6, there was a 6DQ6 in place. Putting the right tube in gave me the propr negative voltage.

The screen grid voltage is still way off. I should have 150, and I have about 55 volts. The 330V source is only reading about 220V. I'm going to star tracing where the source voltage comes from and see what's wrong.

Some Success:

I decided to try another damper tube. The one in there was the original CBS. I now have a horizontal line across the screen. Most all the paper caps have been replaced except a couple in the audio section. I'll start tracing the vertical section tomorrow.

I think I've located my vertical trouble. The primary in the output transformer is open. Does anyone have a Stancor A-8141, Merit A 3039, or Chicago TSO-12 for sale?

Thanks
Doug

My vertical output transformer came in, but I don't have full vertical deflection. Picture goes about 3/4 to the top and bottom. I've found that my B+ is down 90 volts. I should have 340V, and I have about 250. I've been unhooking things trying to find the problem, but it is still a mystery . Later on today, I will post part of the schematic to see if anyone can shed light on this .

Ok here is where I'm at. I've been waiting on a new damper tube which arrived today, and that did not correct my voltage problem. Something is pulling the 340B+ down to about 240V.

I finally discovered when I disconnect pin 8 on the flyback, the voltage returns to normal, however the 330V then drops to about 125v.

I feel the flyback is working since I have HV. I've posted some closeups of the SAMS to show where the 340V is distributed.

Can you post the part of the schematic showing the power supply? Need to see if the center tap of the 5U4 winding goes thru some resistor(s) or directly to ground.

Sure thing. Here is the power supply. The 60 ohm resistor R106 is one of those sand coated ones that have not replaced but is checking good. If you think that could be the problem, I'll order a new 60 ohm resistor.

If the 60 ohm resistor checks good it's not the problem. Is it running unduly hot by any chance? Have you subbed the 5U4 with a known good one? What's the B+ voltage directly at the 5U4 filament?

Voltage directly off the filament of 5U4 is 268V. Have tried another 5U4. R106 SB 60 ohms and it measures 66 which is close enough. I did order another one, since the one in there is the old sand coated unit. I had planned on replacing it anyway. BTW the voltage at that resistor on the center tap is -12V.

Ok, I'm stumped. It seems the flyback on connection 8 is what is pulling down the 340 volts. I feel like the flyback is good because I have plenty og high voltage.

In the power supply circuit, C3 SB a 25uf at 12 V. I had a 160V in there, and it shorted out. Today, I bought two 35 volt units. I put one in, and it exploded after about 40 seconds. Right now I have a 450V unit in there.


Here is the raster on my screen currently. The power supply and Hv section of my Sams are a couple of posts back, if someone could look and see possibly what may be wrong.

Thanks

Have you checked 47 ohm resistor R100? If it's open, it would blow up C3.

What's the AC voltage at the plates of the 5U4 (measured from ground)?

OOPs! Scratch that. I forgot the 5U4 is mounted on top of the power xfmr. And you probably don't have a Pomona adapter.

You do not have the polarity of the replacements backwards, right?

Here's what I found out. With pin 8 f the flyblack disconnected, it puts full B+ across that Cap C3 which caused it to explode. Connecting pin 8 back up pulls the B+ down to 250V BUT only puts about 3V across that cap. The original cap was a 12V unit.

R100 has been replaced

When I started on this set, I 1st replaced C1A and C1B. I have since re replaced them but that hasn't helped.

Could it be in the flyback even though I have good HV?