hello, im jerryjg-Listen Im calling on an expert of 50 to 57 17 inch console tv sets. In my lust to buy a old tube amp, i got hosed for 50.00 buying and old non working Bendix console tv because i saw this huge transformer in it, with a tube amp section, and i thought...well, I can make a guitar amp out of this like i did with an old Bell and Howell speaker amp guts. Well, once i got it home i realised i hade made a double whopper of a mistake. That huge transformer in the back of the Bendix - what is it?/-i thought it was an audio power transformer and that there was another nice output transformer in there.Please understand that i know zip-zero-zilch about electronic, except to try and figure out how to wire a n input jack into a noice old tuibe integtaed amp to make a guitar home brewed amp.I m pretty sure i bought a pig ina poke. Can that great big massive Transformer be used in a different application as an audio power transformer? that way i could at least have something to have for a tech to build an amp in the future> where would i find the vlaues for this Transformer?AS you can tell, I am confused..but i would certainly apprecitate any feedback on this . Thank you.

The really big heavy transformer in these old TVs would be the power transformer (for stepping up the AC voltage before it goes to the rectifier tube (usually a 5U4), as part of the power supply. It would have an audio output trans. but this would be much smaller (to find it just try and find a transformer connected to the audio output tube). An old TV would probably not make the best audio amp. as most of the stuff in there has nothing to do with the audio, and most of these old TV sets don't have very powerful audio amplifiers anyway, unless it is one which also has a radio, in which case the audio amplifier is usually on a seperate chassis from the TV. You could put the Bendix in the TV swap board here, maybe you can trade it for an amp??

The audio transformers on old TV's are usually not too puny, they should handle a single 6V6. You can use the TV components to make an audio amp but you will need to do some engineering work on the design.

I don't know how a power transformer would work as an audio output...theoretically you could do it but some property of the power trans core seems to be that it would magnetically saturate and cause distortion.

If you are inexperienced it would be tough as you will need to design the circuit and experiment with it to make an amp....an old PA amp would be a lot better conversion.