RCA Portable 14PD lives, untouched so told.

I've been eyeing this since October and finally had to have it. I'm told I am owner number 3. Also bought a variac today so I can feel more confident.

This may actually be a fun project. And it's black and white, small chassis, should be more fun to tackle and train before working anything larger. Had success with two tube radios now, feeling more confident but not crazy.


Edit: 14 PD 9030 Downloaded the SAMS, the disassembly is easier than I thought. The capacitor listing is much more manageable than I thought, also apparently it is a 'Silverama' kinescope, which is the same as my 'Normal' 21" corner console, the contrast and brightness are really strong. NO more turning on! There are some newer Sprague capacitors though...I think. Orange caps and whatnot. Also- did lytics in smaller chassis just slide in as a standalone little tube, rather than clustered in a can? It has the same hum that I hear in other poorly functioning items with old parts. Swapped one 6AQ5 for the Vert, didn't clear up lower frequency hum and folding. I remember the same issue on my 21 D Norman, had to swap multiple tubes, test multiple caps, etc., before the right voltage cleared up the fold and removed the hum low freq. buzz.

The contrast knob isn't original; and, if you look at the top of the screen above center it is missing the RCA 'V' shape, though the Deluxe is still intact. Neat, big screen for a portable. This could actually be an everyday set, or a travel set with a convertor/vcr/dvd. Idk y'all do this stuff way more than I do. Neat styling, too.

[JohnCT]

Originally Posted by BandDirector

This may actually be a fun project.

Well, it's got the look...

John

Good grief that's a lot

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by BandDirector

Good grief that's a lot

KCS120 chassis. I see it has the full power transformer and 5U4GB, which is a novelty in a set that size, rather impressive!
I have one of those sets, on the to-do pile.
I see it has the tube saver thermo-switch. It's rather involved for restoring with that side mounted circuit board.
A heavy little beast!

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

KCS120 chassis. I see it has the full power transformer and 5U4GB, which is a novelty in a set that size, rather impressive!
I have one of those sets, on the to-do pile.
I see it has the tube saver thermo-switch. It's rather involved for restoring with that side mounted circuit board.
A heavy little beast!

Tube saver? Since you said thermo-switch I take that to mean some failsafe for overheating of the kinescope?

[Notimetolooz]

I think you mean the multi-section metal can electrolytic is held in a clip rather than mounted to the chassis. That isn't very unusual in a portable where things are squeezed wherever they can fit them. One thing though, the chassis would have a much better appearance if you actually re-stuffed the metal can. You can't disconnect the can and hide the replacement caps under the chassis, everything is visible. A bit more work. I recently re-capped a RCA "portable" 19 inch that had a similar arrangement.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by BandDirector

Tube saver? Since you said thermo-switch I take that to mean some failsafe for overheating of the kinescope?

I mean, the little rectangular metal box mounted on the right side of the wiring side of the set. Third picture!

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I mean, the little rectangular metal box mounted on the right side of the wiring side of the set. Third picture!

And what does it do?

Originally Posted by Notimetolooz

I think you mean the multi-section metal can electrolytic is held in a clip rather than mounted to the chassis. That isn't very unusual in a portable where things are squeezed wherever they can fit them. One thing though, the chassis would have a much better appearance if you actually re-stuffed the metal can. You can't disconnect the can and hide the replacement caps under the chassis, everything is visible. A bit more work. I recently re-capped a RCA "portable" 19 inch that had a similar arrangement.

Oh no, that was confusing wasn't it? There are little dark grey, cylindrical looking caps, I think I associate that look with oil caps? I thought, how clever, to simply build little standing lytic caps, but then after the fact saw the one large can.

Keep in mind I am new! Trying to learn

[damen]

The little box contains a thermistor and a heat sensitive switch. When cold, as when first turned on, the thermistor has a high resistance and it limits the inrush of power to the tube filaments, as it heats up, the resistance drops and the filaments receive more power as the thermistor heats up. At a certain point, minimum resistance is reached and tubes are at full power. At this time you can actually hear the switch in the metal box "click" and the B+ supply is turned on.

[Notimetolooz]

The best way to make sure you don't miss any electrolytics is to check the parts list. Pretty much the same for the paper (plastic or wax cased).
It could be that all the electrolytics are in the one large can.
See the article on Phil's Radios about re-stuffing the cans.
https://www.antiqueradio.org/recap.htm#replacing
The can in clips can have the wires un-soldered and the can removed to work on them easier. On the one I did earlier in the year I cut the can open about a quarter of an inch from the sealed end and pulled the end off ( I think I put in the freezer first to make it easy to break free of the tar in the end of the can, or I might have used a heat gun to melt it). The end terminals have short aluminum straps that are connected to the capacitor guts. You can pull the guts away from the end terminals just far enough to get a knife or other cutters between and cut the straps. I drilled small holes in the end disk to put wires through between the new caps and the terminals outside the can. I put the cleaned out top of the can over the assembly and fastened it on with some aluminum tape that almost matches the can.

Originally Posted by damen

The little box contains a thermistor and a heat sensitive switch. When cold, as when first turned on, the thermistor has a high resistance and it limits the inrush of power to the tube filaments, as it heats up, the resistance drops and the filaments receive more power as the thermistor heats up. At a certain point, minimum resistance is reached and tubes are at full power. At this time you can actually hear the switch in the metal box "click" and the B+ supply is turned on.

Holy crap, yes!