UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post

TonyDuell · 2nd Aug 2017, 1:32 pm

I think it's a wonderfully complex recorder and totally 'Philips' (meaning unconventional, but it will work very well). I've wanted one ever since I heard it existed, I was very lucky to find it (and the seller, not on this forum, was close enough that I could collect it, which was a definite avantage).

I also have the simpler N4510, and in that machine 4 of the 6 AC128s in the flip-flops were leaky. So I changed the lot. I will probably change the lot in the N4450 too. Based on my experience with the N4510, I suspect silicon transistors, like the 2N3906, will work fine there. I am not sure what you mean by the PC mount electrolytics in the flip-flops. If you are looking at my photo of that module then the 4 metal cans are AC128s, not capacitors. I can't see any electrolytics on there.

I've not tested the reel motors. If all else fails I'd have a go at rewinding them. Small DC motors are not hard to do most of the time. The do spin freely though (at least after I cleaned off the Evil Goo...)

I felt that using woodscrews was a nasty cost-cutting measure, hence my replacement blocks and plates. Still better to cut costs on something like that than on the rest of the machine (which looks to be very well made).

2nd Aug 2017, 1:32 pm	#23
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,208	Re: Philips N4450 I think it's a wonderfully complex recorder and totally 'Philips' (meaning unconventional, but it will work very well). I've wanted one ever since I heard it existed, I was very lucky to find it (and the seller, not on this forum, was close enough that I could collect it, which was a definite avantage). I also have the simpler N4510, and in that machine 4 of the 6 AC128s in the flip-flops were leaky. So I changed the lot. I will probably change the lot in the N4450 too. Based on my experience with the N4510, I suspect silicon transistors, like the 2N3906, will work fine there. I am not sure what you mean by the PC mount electrolytics in the flip-flops. If you are looking at my photo of that module then the 4 metal cans are AC128s, not capacitors. I can't see any electrolytics on there. I've not tested the reel motors. If all else fails I'd have a go at rewinding them. Small DC motors are not hard to do most of the time. The do spin freely though (at least after I cleaned off the Evil Goo...) I felt that using woodscrews was a nasty cost-cutting measure, hence my replacement blocks and plates. Still better to cut costs on something like that than on the rest of the machine (which looks to be very well made).