What is the Philco and Zenith radio brittle wire syndrome?
This problem is common on many radios, not only Philco but on some Zenith’s, RCA’s and other radios that were manufactured from 1939 to 1943. The rubber insulation used on the wires in these radios turns brittle from heat and crumbles off the wire leaving them bare. This causes shorts and potentially does serious damage to the set. Radios with this problem typically need 50 to 85% of the wiring re-done. The poor quality insulation was used in power transformers too. In this case, the transformer needs to be removed from the set and the wires need re-dressing with new tubing. See the photos below. If you have a set with this problem, be prepared to spend additional dollars for labor to fix this.
