View Full Version : Zenith Porthole Parts List


GuyIncognito
10-01-2010, 09:15 AM
Hello, All,

I recently acquired a Zenith porthole television, Model 2438RZ1, Chassis 24G26Z1.

I have a vacation coming up soon, and I'm hoping that I'll have the time (HA! HA!) to work on it.

Would anybody happen to have a parts list for this television, so that I can order any of the higher value components that I don't have in stock? I usually do radios, so I have the usual profusion of 630v caps.

Of course, if anybody happens to have a schematic for this TV that isn't working too hard, I certainly wouldn't refuse it! :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance!

cwmoser
10-01-2010, 12:01 PM
Does this look like your television:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lihm3aRpjFg

Its a Model 2538RZ1 with the 24G26Z1 chassis.
I purchased it last October and got it restored by March this year.

I have a thread of the entire restoration process if you are interested. It was the most enjoyable restoration projects I had ever undertaken. It also was my first TV restoration. Before that, I did vacuum tube radios.

I've got schematics and parts list in PDF format that I can send you -- PM me with your email address.

Tell us a little about your TV. Pictures? Where you acquired it? etc. Mine came out of Hickory, NC and had been passed through at least 2 collectors before I restored it. My TV was complete - everything, knobs, back panel, etc and the wood cabinet was solid but scratched up quite a lot. The chassis had a lot of mouse visitors and both chassis's were in poor shape and heavily rusted. I had to use rust-o-leum to remove the rust and then paint the chassis's.

Carl

GuyIncognito
10-01-2010, 01:41 PM
PM sent! And THANKS!!!

If yours is the thread I'm thinking of (over at ARF?), then I discovered it some time ago, reading it all (EVERY page) with great interest. After acquiring the set a few weeks ago, I re-read it with renewed enthusiasm, and made sure to bookmark it.

The set was purchased from a graduate student in Romulus, MI via the local Craigslist. The seller wanted to restore it, but decided that his studies would have made such an endeavor a lost cause well into the foreseeable future.

Before him, it belonged to his friends--a couple who had it in a "1950s Decor Room" for a number of years; sadly, the graduate student acquired the set as a result of the couple's break up.

Before that.....?

The set seems to be in pretty good shape. The case itself has minor damage at the feet, but is otherwise intact and the finish is good. It appears to be missing a single rectifier from the power supply chassis, which was obviously dropped at some point (the vertical aluminum shield was bent at the corner, and the visible electrolytic multi cap is broken at the phenolic base). The shield was bent back into shape, and the electrolytic cap is, of course, only decorative at this point...so that was lucky.

There is some bizarre bit of line cord that appears to be bypassing the cheater cord directly at the umbilical plug (thankfully, it was neatly done and can be easily undone). The "aspect ratio" switch on the front wasn't unscrewed before the chassis was removed by the student, causing the switch assembly itself to pull apart--the wires are still firmly attached to the connection points!

Beyond that, the set seems damage-free. I have yet to test the tubes...busy. It does indeed have the metal 16EP4.

I have a long vacation coming up, but you know how that goes: "Since you have the time, (some chore that has been languishing since time immemorial) suddenly requires full and immediate attention....".

The first three days have already been accounted for--by others--for me; quite nice of them, really...SIGH.

I am enclosing pictures from the Craigslist sale, taken by the seller.

cwmoser
10-01-2010, 05:34 PM
Oh yeah ... that slide switch in the front. I replaced it with a new one, got it heat shrinked, rewired, and looking nice and yanked the chassis pulling the wires off too. Very easy to overlook. When I got mine, I was missing one tube in the Power Supply too.

Your TV looks great and will turn out to be beautiful. Those portholes are very desirable TV's and a lot of fun restoring to playing condition.

BTW, yours has the same red colored wire antenna as mine does. That antenna works really good.

Carl

jr_tech
10-01-2010, 05:49 PM
Does this look like your television:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lihm3aRpjFg
Its a Model 2538RZ1 with the 24G26Z1 chassis.
I purchased it last October and got it restored by March this year.
Carl

Nice video! visitors to your home must really be "blown away" by the picture quality, and the relative strangeness of seeing such a large B/W round picture, in these days of 16:9 madness.
jr

cwmoser
10-01-2010, 06:12 PM
Thanks. It, I mean "Cinderella", does get a lot of attention from family and friends. This Christmas we plan on having her play "Its a Wonderful Live" staring James Stewart for parties. I love watching my old Amos N Andy, Jack Benny, etc movies on her. I use a Blonder Tongue modulator essentially as a private TV channel when I play her.

I'd like to find another one to put in another part of the house.

GuyIgcognito has found a really nice example too. It should restore nicer than mine.

Carl