My first Silvertone
 

I picked up this little Silvertone yesterday in LA. Don't have a model number and not sure of the year. Has the back and all the knobs and PB door. I did an internet search but couldn't find anything on it. Any input would be appreciated.

That set is a 1952/53 model. Sears used the same knobs and control door on several models. You need to show a chassis view to identify. Our family set was 21" console with the same knobs and control door. The chassis was made by Stewart-Warner. Your set might be a Pacific-Mercury. That was one of their suppliers on the west coast.

Thanks, I was able to find a silvertone set from 1953 with the same knobs so that helps identify the year. I'll need to get back home and take some decent pic of the chassis and measure the CRT.

Looked high and low for a model number. What I found was a catalog number 1299 and a chassis number. I measured the CRT from the outside cabinet glass diagonally it's 15 inches but it could be a 16 in CRT as there were very few 15" CRTs to look at in my testing book. There were no markings on the neck of the CRT. The end cap had a chunk missing but otherwise is intact. I tested the CRT and it has low emissions even after sitting for 20 minutes or so, infact the longer it sat the lower it went. I zapped it once and that helped momentarily but then it started to sink again. Anyone have a CRT that would work in this set that they are willing to part with? It's rectangular

Look for a number like 132.41000 or 569.32440200. (3 digits, decimal point, 5-8 more digits). Sears often used those types to identify sets, and a Sam's search may then find a match.



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I found these numbers on a metal tag on the back of the chassis. 456.150-1,
Does that look like the model number? The chassis number is 47180.

I believe 456-150.1 is the chassis number and it's covered in Riders vol 14.

Also found in Sam's Photofact #230-10 from February 1954.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/263/img0069gj.jpg

Thanks I"ll check it out.

If someone would be so kind as to look at the info above and help me identify the CRT in this set I would appreicate it. I don't have any reference materials on hand. Also if some one has a good one I'm still looking for one.

Thanks

The Sams manual says 21MP4 (noting that some models may use 20HP4 or 20HP4A).

Phil Nelson

That set looks to me like a 17" set. Probably a 17HP4, or simular. The console pictured is a 20 or 21 inch model. They probably used that same chassis in 17, 20 and 21" models.

I'm going to take some better pics of this set and post them.

I was finally able to pull the chassis out of the Silvertone. For sure it's a 17" CRT. Too bad it's just about dead. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to find one. I took some pictures of the chassis and it looks to be fairly undisturbed although I can see where some work was done. I'll have to make some tough decisions on this one. Obviously not very valuable but I do like the looks of it and I'm sure it would be fun to watch.

Good Eye!

I think I found one it's a NOS from Bob. I think I will restore this set knowing that it will have a new CRT. Bob has some other large CRTs as well incase anyone is interested. If I had the gold I'd buy all the 16, 17, 18, and 19" CRTs.

I looked at the chassis and it looks like it might be one that I could replace the caps on. It would be my first.
what are the odds that it would work well if I just did that part? Can someone direct me to a copy of Riders 14 or Sam's Photofact #230-10 from February 1954? Neither one is available from the county library of San Bernardino or Los Angeles.



http://antiquetvguy.com/Web%20Pages/...or%20Sale.html

I looked on the ETF site but didn't find the Riders or Sam's listed there so I'm asking Sam's to do a search for me. Using their search engine it didn't find anything on either the model number or the chassis number. I did find a very dereriated label on the back that has the date 1950 on it. So We'll see what Sam's search comes up with. I believe the chassis number to be 47180 and the model number to be 456-150-1.

After looking at the bottom of the chassis and seeing only 15 or 20 caps there I'm really tempted to try and do this one myself. The component arrangement is very open...what could go wrong?...

According to the code date on the original CRT, it shows 1952, 47th week. It must be the original CRT. Made by National Union. Also looks like a 17HP4, which wasn't out in 1950. I never saw a Pacific Mercury set in the midwest.

Correction: 17HP4 30th week of 1952. 247 is the EIA code for National Union.

Well that nails it! It must be a 1952 or 1953, assuming that it was permissable at the time to use up remaining stock from the previous year. For sure it's not a 1950 as I was believing based on the label on the back. Perhaps at some point we'll find out if it's a Pacific Mercuray or not.

Thanks

Just got the bad news from Sams

"SAMS Technical Publishing was not able to locate the manual you requested in our database nor in our search with our partners. Sorry we could not assist you in this instance. Please check with us for future repair manual needs, we have access to over 230,000 repair manuals and are adding more every day."

Model 1299 and chassis 4561501 are covered in Sams 230-10.

https://www.samswebsite.com/en/photo.../samsid/230_10

: Riders #14 has a lot of coverage on that model. It shows several different variations of that chassis. Three different tuners. All the part numbers start with PMA or PMB. :scratch2:

Big Thanks! I'll order them both after I find out if Bob can deliver on the new CRT.

Bob was sick but he's better now and he says he's got the CRT boxed up and he'll send it out when he gets the check. The checks sent so now it's a waiting game. NOS it's gota be good.

Bob realy delivered on the CRT. Really well packaged and appears to be NOS as advertised. It tests "very good" on the meter.

I purchased the Sam's package on a download so I have that now. with the set turned on I did a quick visual inspection. With my Dim Bulb Tester plugged in I could see that two tubes weren't lighting up, the 1G3GT and the 6AV5 GA. I have some spares. The CRT is dark although I know it has some life left in it. I can hear the a raspy low volume humm. No sparks no smoke.

Here is a list of the capacitors. When I look at the list I see some of the voltages are not listed. Is the listing above it continued down until you get to a change? I don't see any listed as electrolitic does that mean there aren't any? I'm guessing that the part numbers won't be of much use since those parts aren't made anymore. Which caps should I replace? All of them? Is there one supplier that will have most or all of them? Thanks in advance.

C1 - C6 are the lytics. Any cap without a voltage spec is likely a ceramic or mica and (unless it is a mica in the deflection stages) should not need to be replaced. The ones that have a voltage ratings are either lytics or paper type and should be changed. Sam's always gives the first 'C' numbers to the lytic caps and you can tell the lytic from the paper because the capacitance value don't have any leading decimal points in the lytic values (Sam's also uses a different symbol for lytic caps than other types on their schematics which is helpful to know at times).

The ones that aren't lytics or papers (they usually have no voltage rating) and have values that don't contain decmal points are micas or ceramic and have their values listed in pico farads as opposed micro farads (like papers and lytics).

Thanks Tom, I'm guessing that C1A and C1B are in a silver can. Since the cap rating doesn't have a leading decimal point they are Lytics. Same with C2A,B,C. All five should be replace as they all show voltages. They are lytic also, and they are in a silver can to right ? Then C4-C6 Lytics.

C7 through C37 are probably ceramic or mica so those don't necessarily need to be replaced?

Since C38 has a leading decimal point It's not a Lytic. Same with C39. C40 doesn't have a leading decimal point so it would be a Lytic? Same with C41? Each of those shows a voltage rating so they should be replaced?

Thanks again.

If you've got room for it, I'd keep it. It looks fairly simple in design, and should be a good set with a little TLC and parts.

I've never had a set of my own of any kind that had a rectifier installed on the power transformer.

It's a set that I think I can work on. The layout is pretty clean not like a lot of sets that the components are so tightly packed in that they would be difficult to replace. It also looks like a set that would be fun to watch on a reqular basis. If all goes well this will be my first restoration. I don't have much is the way of equipment, just some basics. I'll see how far I get before I have to buy any or take it to an expert for help.

Rather than use the parts list to plan what to buy and replace, I recommend that you look at each part on the chassis itself to read its value and make your own list. That way, you will easily see what type each capacitor is, and you will get lots of hands-on practice with the parts as well. As you do this, also try to look for repairs done in the past-often, shinier solder blobs, parts that look cleaner or not matching most others, parts with wires twisted inline with the old ones, etc. The one item where this will not work is with any electrolytic capacitors that have cardboard covers over them. Their values are marked on the can itself underneath the cardboard.

C1 and C2 are multi-section caps and are probably in metal cans.

C39 and C40 are NOT lytics they have too high of part numbers to be. They are likely to be ceramics or micas, and I'd not worry about those* unless after replacing the papers, lytics, bad tubes, and off tolerance resistors there are problems in the stages containing those parts.

*The three digit or less caps are almost always micas or ceramic and you need not worry about them, BUT the four digit and higher MAY be paper types with pico farad value labeling (ie 2200pF -> .0022uF/MFD). You will have to be wary as paper types with 4 digit pF labeling often are packed in mica style cases and are tough to tell apart from micas.

This article explains how to identify old caps and order replacements:

http://antiqueradio.org/recap.htm

As Chris noted, you need to look under the chassis in addition to looking at the parts list. The article shows photos of paper capacitors, electrolytics, micas, and so on.

If you have the Sams manual, that usually includes photographs of the chassis with arrows pointing to every component. That will help you match up what you see under the chassis with components in the parts list.

The basic drill is to replace electrolytics and paper caps (including plastic-coated paper caps). Leave mica and ceramic caps alone until you get the TV showing some signs of life.

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

Thanks everyone. Is there one supplier that carries most of the caps?

http://justradios.com/ and http://www.mouser.com/ are two good ones.

Phil Nelson

Thanks again.Can you recommend an all around good tube tester that would cover most or all of the tubes I would find on sets pre 53 and might be available on ebay for a good price?

You'll do fine ! The Tech Gurus will be here to help you, & when you get it done, we'll ALL be happy for you !!

Sencore "Mighty Mite." I spent about $25 for mine. It's new enough that it didn't need any restoration (unlike many old testers you'll see for sale).

It's an inexpensive emission type tester, nothing fancy, but all I want from an everyday tester is a basic dud-or-not reading. Post-WWII TVs don't use the really old tube types (4- or 5-pin, whatever), so there's no advantage to getting a really old tester, which will need the same restoration as a radio or TV of the same vintage.

I also own older, fancier tube testers, but as collectibles, not working tools.

I imagine there are others comparable to a Mighty Mite (there was more than one version, by the way), but I just happen to own this one.

Phil Nelson