Admiral 30A1
I purchased this set from a fellow collector along with a Zenith Porthole. This set is from about 1948 and has a 10" round picture tube (10BP4). I had wanted one of these sets because this model is featured in one of my favorite films, "Avalon". This set is complete except that the person I bought it from said he used this set to scavange knobs from to finish up some other Admiral sets of his. There is a complete set of knobs on it but they don't quite match. I think some paint will make them more uniform.
I brought this set home and cleaned up the cabinet a little bit. The finish isn't perfect but it doesn't need to be stripped and refinished. I tried bringing it up on a variac but the filter caps are shot and only caused sparks in the 5U4 rectifier. This set has 30 tubes on two separate chassis'. One chassis is the receiver chassis and the other is the power supply / audio output. Something that was kind of a mystery is that the chassis is stamped with the number 30A1T but the T is crossed out. The T indicates that the chassis has a 94C9-2 tuner, according to Sams 57-2. This tuner covers channels 2-13. However, the channel decal on the front indicates that this set has channel 1. I have only had the receiver chassis out of the cabinet a couple of times but have verified that it has an A-1528 tuner using three 6J6s and covering channels 1-13. So, this set should in fact have channel 1. This is a very small console measuring 18"W x 20" D x 34" H.
May 8, 2004: I pulled out the power supply / audio chassis and decided to go ahead and rebuild it. There are 5 paper capacitors and 2 electrolytic cans. Three of the paper capacitors are original Dumont units with some type of ceramic looking seal on the ends. I have decided to restuff the capacitors. I gutted the original Dumont caps and installed new metalized film caps inside. To simulate the end seals I used some Elmers wood filler that comes in a tube. I am in the process of restuffing the cans. I have one can done and am finishing up the other one. When I get the power supply finished I will try to bring the set up on a variac again.
The 5U4G that was installed on the chassis was bad so it will need to be replaced. I had installed a NOS 6SJ7 to replace the tube that was missing and I need to dig up a 5Y3. The 6Y6 audio output also tests good.
I have also located an original 1948 sales brocure advertising this set. Click on the image to see the full size scan.
May 10, 2004: I finished up the power supply chassis. Well, everything except for rebuilding the two paper caps that had been replaced in the past. I have tacked in a couple of replacements in the meantime. I brought the set up on a variac and got a raster. It is about 3 inches high and about 5 inches wide. So the flyback is still good. I'll have to go through and recap the receiver chassis sometime.
This site created and maintained by Sean Barton.
Last updated 5/8/2004.
