View Full Version : Magnavox from Auction


Eric H
12-12-2010, 07:25 PM
Here's a couple pic of the Maggie, it's really clean also, on the outside at least, inside there's a lot of that white corrosion on the plated metals, it could be cleaned but it'd be a lot of work.

I need to test the CRT, hopefully my other tester will work on it.

That little rub on the top edge, just left of center is where the door on the Admiral opened up and rubbed it on the trip home.
It's really minor, less than the picture makes it look like and would touch up fine.

RobtWB
12-13-2010, 01:10 PM
A bit homey looking but still not bad for an old Maggie - nice to see the old Magnavox shield logo over the tuning knob and the old banana shaped knob.
Is that one of the remote sets that uses the Phantom? I see a ?sensor on the lower left grill.

DaveWM
12-13-2010, 01:16 PM
that looks like the eye thing that adj the brightness.

Eric H
12-13-2010, 02:00 PM
It's a sensor, this set is a non remote model.

I tried to test teh CRT last night but my B&K tester had the same results as the Admiral, nada, so I tried a Sencore, same thing but I don't trust the Sencore at all because I haven't really used it in 30 years, lastly I tried my Accurate Instruments Tube Tester, it's primarily a tube tester but it does have leads for testing the basic CRT types.
It took a little warming up but it did crawl up into the good range on this tester so I'm assuming it's at least usable.

I'll have to check into the chassis a little more, the corrosion issue doesn't seem to be as bad as I first thought, the speakers and brackets are the worst.

If nothing else I'd like it to work when I take it to the Thrift Store, then it'll have a chance to survive as a TV not a Fish Tank, not that the flimsy cabinet would support a tank anyway. :no:

DaveWM
12-13-2010, 02:23 PM
Mine had a crt that was weak, still displayed ok. On mine the doubler caps were bad (at least one was) other than that you just have to make sure the PCB grounds are good (they rely on screws that just hold the board into contact with the chassis. So if you get a slow hula, check there 1st. cleaning up the contact point would prob be enough, I used some solder braid to make a GOOD ground. Mine had the issue on the deflection pcb.

there are taps that sensor goes to to select how effective it is, so if its too dark in a darkedn room you can try a different tap.

Tubejunke
12-14-2010, 11:01 PM
lastly I tried my Accurate Instruments Tube Tester, it's primarily a tube tester but it does have leads for testing the basic CRT types. It took a little warming up but it did crawl up into the good range on this tester so I'm assuming it's at least usable.


If your Accurate tester is anything like my model 257 then you use the diodes OK scale for crts. In other words you get a whole lot more green! I'll just tell ya, I recently found my Accurate tester and I couldn't be happier. It is small and lightweight and is capable of testing what I call first and second generation black and white crt types (40-60s) and first generation color "roundie" crts. Also, it can test newer regular tubes like I will find in my 1964 Zenith color set and Compactrons. This is perfect for me as it suits every need that I can imagine, based on my collection interests.

I have two Hickok testers that seem to have a dozen settings for every tube and don't have CRT capability. Someone told me that the Hickok stuff is the stuff you want to have. I think that they are like a DuMont TV in that they are super well built with a lot of overkill bells and whistles to market as high end equipment. For years I used an old Sylvania tester from the fifties, but eventually I became limited to the timeframe in which it was built and could not test a lot of tubes. It is a great standby because it is old enough to test the old "light bulb" radio tubes like the 01A.

Eric H
12-15-2010, 12:25 AM
My Accurate is a 257 I think, it tested good on the Diode scale but it did have to warm up a while, second time it went up to good fairly quickly.

I pulled the chassis out today during lunch at work, it had lots of that white powder corrosion on it, hopefully ZInc and not Cadmium.

Anyway it was too nasty to work on, a shower of white came off it with every bump, my nose started burning.

I took it to the Janitors Closet and put it in the tub, sprayed it all over with Purple Cleaner, brushed the worst areas (though most of it just washed off) then I rinsed it thoroughly with hot water, it looks sweet now!
I won't be able to do that with the speakers though and they are just as bad!

It'll be sitting for days before it gets powered up again so it should be good and dry by then, I also took a heat gun and compressed air and dried it as good as I possibly could.

Some of the electrolytic cans have been changed before, there are paper labels on them but they are faded so I can't really make out what they say.

The two rectifier diodes check good, I don't know what popped the other day, possibly some B+ arcing to ground.
There is one electrolytic tacked on the back side, replacing one section of a four section cap, I'll replace all of those and restuff the can, after that I think it'll be ready to power up.

ctc17
12-15-2010, 01:01 AM
If nothing else I'd like it to work when I take it to the Thrift Store, then it'll have a chance to survive as a TV not a Fish Tank, not that the flimsy cabinet would support a tank anyway. :no:

I hope this is a joke..? or did I miss something. It doesnt stand a chance, if you dont have room part it. Someone will pop up who is restoring one and needs the yoke or something.

Eric H
12-15-2010, 01:13 AM
I hope this is a joke..? or did I miss something. It doesnt stand a chance, if you dont have room part it. Someone will pop up who is restoring one and needs the yoke or something.

Not a joke, just desperation, I'd rather find someone to take it but out here in Cali that's hard to do.

My space situation is critical, this Maggie is currently being stored at my work in an upstairs parts room while I work on the chassis.

I promised to have it out in a couple weeks, or at least before I retire, in 10 years or so. :yes:

I probably wouldn't have the heart to give it to the Thrift Store anyway unless the CRT was bad or something.

Giving away the parts here would be a better idea.
I'll keep you posted on it in any case.

ctc17
12-15-2010, 01:39 AM
I maybe interested in playing with it. I have kinda wanted a maggie for awhile.

Eric H
12-15-2010, 08:37 AM
I maybe interested in playing with it. I have kinda wanted a maggie for awhile.

It's yours for the taking :yes:

Eric H
12-21-2010, 09:07 PM
Update:

A few days after giving the chassis a bath I powered it up, no popping or snapping this time but the HO tube started glowing purple and then started arcing inside, I replaced it and tried it again, this time I had plenty of HV coming off the anode connector.

Today I put the chassis back in the set and fired it up, I got a nice full raster with strong snow and white noise from the speaker, I'm sure it would work if I had a signal for it.

The CRT seems adequately bright and sharp so I think it's in decent shape if not exactly new.

I need to clean up the inside of the cabinet and button it up properly so I can test it more, maybe when some of my other projects are done.