I have recently bought a really old and cool Majestic tv. It's a 17" tube and heavy. The only thing I can find so far for a model is model 70 (leatherette). And nothing on Google comes up for that. I can only find the 170a which looks similar but not it. I love the looks of this tv. I want to repair it but need help. When I found it in a antique store it was $35. Too hard to not buy. The seller did try to power it on and had a note on the tv. The note was made a loud buzzing and small flicking light on screen. I figured it would be easy to fix. Arching flyback and General resistor and cap replacement. The flyback is great looking. But the outlet on the back of the tv is shorted out. Both plugs have about 1.5-2ohm resistance(the phono motor outlet. Not the plug coming into the set. That's cracked but not shorted yet). There is a blown out what looks like a mov on the outlet(phono motor plug). I don't have a picture of it because I don't want to flip it right now. If I can't fix it then it makes a great piece for looks. Or maybe gut it and try to add like a tv inside the cabinet to keep looks but upgrade it. Have the DVD come out where the brass door for the front controls are. I thought that would be cool. Saw it on tv(my hero):yes:

Gotta love only being able to upload one image at a time.

Here's the inside.

Here the back showing the outlet I was talking out. Both sides are shorted. I think it has something to do when the mov looking part blow and maybe something else. I will get a picture of that sometime in the next few days.

Hi, Your MAJESTIC(GAROD) 70 is series 106 from 1952 could not find a sams on it but you will find it in BEITMANS TV-6 pages 85 to 88 (84 to 87 pdf). Hope this helps. All the best, Tom.j.Fla

My vintage PF index (1984) says that it is in #153-8.

jr

ETF has a copy here: http://earlytelevision.org/tv_schematic_diagrams_m.html

It looks like it's missing the Damper tube (empty socket on right rear)

This set will probably just need the usual recap and cleanup.
It's the same chassis as my 20" Wilcox-Gay (made by Majestic)

The Color socket on the rear was for an adapter to be used with a format that never came to be, it can be ignored.

I've got a console with the same chassis. You will need to replace all the paper caps (including the mica-mold-papers that disguise themselves as the high reliability mica caps), and the electrolytic caps.

If the CRT lit up that confirms that the parts that are most difficult to find and expensive are still usable.
Here is a more direct link to the schematic. http://earlytelevision.org/pdf/Majestic-70-sams-153-8.pdf I could probably make a caps to replace list off of it if you need.

It looks like it's missing the Damper tube (empty socket on right rear)

This set will probably just need the usual recap and cleanup.
It's the same chassis as my 20" Wilcox-Gay (made by Majestic)

The Color socket on the rear was for an adapter to be used with a format that never came to be, it can be ignored.

There are two tubes missing. I pulled the tubes which was there but they are the wrong ones. The horizontal high voltage rectifier before the high voltage in the cage is a 6w4. The tube that was there was like a 6ax4? The other is one of the two under the crt. I have found them online but have yet to order. I have only messed with this set for one day. I fixed a missing screw on the front panel. That thing is heavy! I was able to drill and then tap into the chassis where the original was. I then found a nice long screw to hold the panel on. That works great.

A 6AX4 is listed as a substitute for a 6W4, so it is likely a valid swap ... what were the other "wrong" tubes?

jr

Well I just checked. I was wrongs bout the tube being high voltage rectifier. Whatever though. Just have a hard time remembering things from late nights. But it is a 6ax4 in place of the proper 6w4. The other wrong tube is a 6cb6 in place of the proper 6ag5. I need to order prpoper tubes unless these tubes are interchangeable. I got a picture of the one blown part. It looks like a mov and cap in one. Guess it must be the cap. It goes from power line to ground.

So what's up with the one color input? Isn't this black and white? Was it a connection which never come or never used before better technology came out? And could it in any way be used as a video input. Cause that would be cool.

Thanks for all the help so far. Need to work on ordering parts..... after I finish all my other projects that sit in pieces. But I'll still order parts. Just can't start working for awhile. I need to finish his my great grandmas zenith, a garod 5a3, eico 1020 power supply(may scrap for awhile), Meissner phonograph recorder and more.

A 6CB6 is listed as a valid substitute for a 6AG5 with a note "may not work in all circuits". I suspect that it will work ok in most (with possibly some touch-up of alignment), however. Likely your two "wrong" tubes were working fine.

jr

I would go back to the origional 6AG5 The 6W4 sub is probably
OK. Almost always better to stick with origional #'s.

The burned part is probably a disc cap across a high ohm resistor.
I dont think MOV's were around til the 70's.

Symptoms sound like a wide open electrolytic in the power supply.
After the burned part I would change them & see if the set
works somewhat. Its BEST to have it going so when you recap
you can check your work after every few caps.

73 Zeno:smoke:

I would go back to the origional 6AG5 The 6W4 sub is probably
OK. Almost always better to stick with origional #'s.

The burned part is probably a disc cap across a high ohm resistor.
I dont think MOV's were around til the 70's.

Symptoms sound like a wide open electrolytic in the power supply.
After the burned part I would change them & see if the set
works somewhat. Its BEST to have it going so when you recap
you can check your work after every few caps.

73 Zeno:smoke:

You talking about the shorted outlet issue? I need to order some parts and buy myself a variac to test with. I want to test it to see the symptoms so I can explain them and get help. I enjoy electronics and only started working on them this last year. I don't know much about electricity beside the basics. I will check out the parts and order. How rare is this set? And how much is it worth? I don't plan to sell just really like to know what I have. Thanks for all the help so far.

Just looked up the SAMS on the Early Television Org. Website. It's available for download as a PDF. Nice. simple power supply, and good, straightforward circuits, unlike that accursed Emerson I'm now fighting with (model 698-B, with a partially "upside-down" power supply. You will have a much easier time with that nice Majestic! :yes:
Kevin

The blown part is a ceramic disc capacitor, seldom bad so I don't know what happened to yours.

Is it connected to the antenna terminals? Perhaps it was hit by lightning,

Just looked up the SAMS on the Early Television Org. Website. It's available for download as a PDF. Nice. simple power supply, and good, straightforward circuits, unlike that accursed Emerson I'm now fighting with (model 698-B, with a partially "upside-down" power supply. You will have a much easier time with that nice Majestic! :yes:
Kevin

Upside down?
Yea. Looking at the underside of the chassis it looks easy. Analog tv's are simple from what I've seen. Nice and easy is good. But I would love to have this working to watch tv with if I can get a digital converter to work or use a 75ohm coax to 300ohm adaptor. I searched that up and I wonder if it will work.

The blown part is a ceramic disc capacitor, seldom bad so I don't know what happened to yours.

Is it connected to the antenna terminals? Perhaps it was hit by lightning,

The part I don't think was ever connected to an antenna. The blown parts goes from the photo motor outlet to ground. I would assume it also has another on the other power line side to ground from what I saw in the schematic.

This interesting set has a power transformer, so each side of the 120 volt mains should be connected to chassis ground via a Y2 safety capacitor, about .05 mf.
Check the Justradios.com website about the safety caps there is a good tutorial on them.
If you get just the power supply recapped, then you can power it up slowly to check progress as you replace all the paper caps.

This interesting set has a power transformer, so each side of the 120 volt mains should be connected to chassis ground via a Y2 safety capacitor, about .05 mf.
Check the Justradios.com website about the safety caps there is a good tutorial on them.
If you get just the power supply recapped, then you can power it up slowly to check progress as you replace all the paper caps.

I think I can understand that now. I have read the justradios Pages many times before and after I first started trying to repair electronics. The articles are really good. And I think I will add at least two y2 safety caps. Since those can be used as both y and x then I would have one filtering the line in and one from line to ground.

When powering on as replacing parts what would you check? And like how long would it take?

I found a BK crt model 400 tester online. Is that tester able to test the tube in this set? I want to see how the tube is. That way I can determine if I will repair the set or do other things with it. I don't know what tube is in the set right now. I never tried looking for a model number.

That tester should test the CRT, it about as old as the set itself so it may need recapped too.

The picture tube appers to be a 17bp4 from the internal tube chart sticker.

Something I had been forgetting to ask about is this weird silver colored open circle on the top inside of the cabinet. What is it? If I remember right I took my multimeter and measured about 3ish ohms on the two terminals. It looks kinda like a internal antenna.

Something I had been forgetting to ask about is this weird silver colored open circle on the top inside of the cabinet. What is it? If I remember right I took my multimeter and measured about 3ish ohms on the two terminals. It looks kinda like a internal antenna.

That's exactly what it is. Many sets came with them, very few were used.

I have purchased the bk crt 400, a variac with a 1.4kva rating and a isolated transformer of 250w. Hope that can let me safely test my vintage electronics without "shocking" results.

When it comes to variacs and isolation transformers one thing to keep in mind is the failure mode is overheat....If you need to run a set with a higher power consumption than they are rated for it is perfectly safe to do so for several minutes provided you monitor temperature and avoid overheat.

When it comes to variacs and isolation transformers one thing to keep in mind is the failure mode is overheat....If you need to run a set with a higher power consumption than they are rated for it is perfectly safe to do so for several minutes provided you monitor temperature and avoid overheat.

Not sure if that'll affect me right now. I got a variac with what seems to be a 1000w rating. It's 1.4kva and that factors over somehow. I forget which math brain melter formula it is(for me at least, math is not a favorite of mine.) As for the isolated transformer that's got a 250w rating. It's a tripplite model whatever. Seems really nice and sturdy. I have always enjoyed their products not being plastic crap but instead being nice, strong metal boxes. The tv has a sticker stating 170ish watts. Should be safe there.

I may end up building a dim bulb tester to go with this as well. I saw it on antiqueradio.org. The variac is plugged into the wall to meter voltage if the isolated transformer can handle that. Otherwise it's the other way around. Then the dim bulb tester is plugged in to control current. Then my watt meter is plugged in to measure volts, amps and of course, watts. Then the poor, doomed test subject. Err I mean TV set.:D

Next on my list. Finish my zenith and Meissner projects then start this. What should I begin with? I saw on antiqueradio.org this guy would start with power supply then test set if he was brave enough. Should I try that route?

Some sets are worth a variac power up with no parts replacement....That majestic probably ain't one. Mine had a blown 5U4 (white gether, and glass came off the base when I tried to unplug), some of the lytics were shot on mine others were marginal. Every paper cap including the square ones that look like micas, but aren't tested leaky, many were practically dead shorts in my majestic. Until you have lytics and most of the papers replaced don't expect much from it.

Some sets are worth a variac power up with no parts replacement....That majestic probably ain't one. Mine had a blown 5U4 (white gether, and glass came off the base when I tried to unplug), some of the lytics were shot on mine others were marginal. Every paper cap including the square ones that look like micas, but aren't tested leaky, many were practically dead shorts in my majestic. Until you have lytics and most of the papers replaced don't expect much from it.

Ok thanks. I was just wanting to see what it does since the previous owner tried a power test and it had a buzzing and flickers of light. I wanted to see what it do for that buzzing. If I knew the problems better then they could be fixed easier.

Got new tested tubes to replace the replacements. The fit in just right. Now I have two boxes for them which which I doubt I'll ever use. Now to think. What do I need to do next? Beside order a lot of parts. I want a nice proper paper schematic for the TV set. One which doesn't cut off the sides like the digital sent earlier does.

I have now gotten my variac, isolated transformer and crt tester 400. Now to finish my other projects then hello Majestic! Well after I get the crt tester working. It's just got a lot of electrolyic capacitors in it. And those baby's are pricey!

So I am kinda thinking about restuffing all the capacitors on this set. Even if it a lot of work and not worth much I want to try it. I was going to try melting down some of the old wax capacitors(heat gun) to see how much old wax can be reused and how easy it is to remove the guts. May not be worth it but I want to try so I can do it to something more valuable one day. Well, not like I'm going to sell any of them.

Alright. I finished my meissner project. So now I'm letting myself begin this one. I was going through the schematic to get the parts I need to start this. After seeing how much a pain it is on that I decided to remove the chassis. I cleaned it up as best as I could with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. And my toothbrush. No Im not brushing with it.:D

Well my flyback is pretty nice! No burns, arcs, or melted anything. The only thing wrong in the high voltage cage is that a fuse broke. Someone repaired it before with "jumpers" (look like (S)'s) to connect a new in parallel of the broken. The fuse is pigtail? and solders in. I was prepared and bought a 5 pack new a while ago. Well nothing looks burned, broken and otherwise massively wrong beside that fuse, burned out ceramic capacitor(phono motor outlet to chassis) and of course, wax capacitors. I won't restuff after all. I did melt down all my old ones I removed before. Was super bored that day.:boring:

I'll in the next couple days get to taking down a parts list and order parts for everything that I need. Might as well as kill 4 birds one stone right? Well it shouldn't be hard to work on. The chassis pulled out really easy. I thought I'd have to remove the crt then the chassis. Nope. The chassis and crt come out as one. And I was nervous removing the crt from the chassis. Never worked on a crt TV before. Well I never messed with something this size(9" Mac and 5" portable before. Only removed Marc's monitor). And of course thinking about how it has no implosion protection. Could just be me overreacting, you know those like whole like 3 tube implosions on workers a year means these things explode at even the slightest look at them. :sigh:

So if the flyback isn't arcing that's good. But now what I wonder is why the seller said there was flickers of light and buzzing? What could it be? I'm thinking speaker buzzing(bad filter(s)) and maybe the horizontal sync is off? That sure seems to make sense. Fast rolling picture and all could look like a bad flyback on paper, but not person. Eh, whatever. This just means it should be an easy repair! And now I've jinxed myself. Well then, hopefully I didn't screw myself there. And there I go again.

Feel free to tell me what to do at anytime. I should be able to chime back with my babbling nonsense within a few hours. And try suggestions within the day. Thanks, once again.

Here's my perfectly not burned and happy looking flyback! Looks almost brand new after a quick and very careful cleaning so as to not damage the thin wires. Why's weird is my high voltage anode wire looks like it was white. Was. But now it's stained with the lives of millions of dust particles from decades past.:nono:
(That's the wire is the bottom right)

Well it doesn't look damaged. If it was I'd order at least 15-20kv rated wire. If the anodes voltage is 10.35kv normally this allows me much safety headroom for if it was high. It don't have any equipment to test that high. Most I got is a vintage Laffeyette TE-12 multimeter at 6kv. But I wouldn't even feel safe at that voltage. Learned from my grandfather, well not really but known as that for most of my life. That's why they went from 6kv to 1kv highest setting on multimeters. The meter could handle it but not the leads. Makes sense. And there I'm going with the babbling again.