Zenith Cragslist Find
 

$20.00 CL find! My first color tube set. Just got it home a few minutes ago. Zenith, 20BC50. Set looks great so far. It's going to need some attention, lots of static and no color.... I just couldn't pass this up for the price considering people want $50-$75+ for sets in much worse condition.



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That is a neat looking set. They look more vintage than they are, thats like a 71. The tubes in the tuner go bad and that set may have a color demodulator IC, they do go bad. Its one of those round metal can ICs with the legs in a circle that plugs into a tube socket. Could also be a bad crystal or tube in the color circuit. Address the static issue first and the color may come in.

The great thing about these sets is the flyback and crt last forever so you just got to deal with working the small problems out. The capacitors almost never fail in these either, you really do not need to recap this set.

Dont forget to adj the fine tuning, old color sets are very sensitive to that.

Very true dave. It started to get a hint of color after messing with the adjustments for a while. The static seemed to clear up after a bit too. I have a feeling this set hasn't been fired up for quite some time. I'll have to mess with it later.

things I have run into on static/snow

Dirty tuner, if you can get better pic by turning turner just off the channel or any improvement at all while changing channels (can be cleaned)

Weak RF tube in tuner (try wiggling tube in socket look for improvment)

cheap 300/75 ohm transformers for hooking up coax signal (try another)

cheap coax (I prefer the screw on types not the push on cheap stuff)

lighting blown baluns in the tuner (they will looks smoked)

AGC adjustment (if it was fiddled with)

You should resist making adjustments to any of the coils in the set, unless you know what you are doing AND have the right equipment you can really goof things up. About the only adj that you can do by ear is the quadrature coil on gated beam audio detectors. This will help get the buzz out of the audio, but again only applies to gated beam type.

I have read about tuner subbers, you can quickly plub the IF feed from the tv into one and see if the tuner is the issue. I suppose if you had a shop and wanted to check this area that would be a fast way to do it.

That set was a great score. I don't think that model is that common. The color demod chip was temperature sensitive when they were going bad.

Yes, that is a great find and it is a '71 model. I would have given $20 in a heartbeat had something like that shown up here. Around here, Zenith tube TV's used to be very common; but, that all changed overnight. They went from being common to impossible to find overnight.

great find.i have the same set with a full floor cabinet.crt will never wear out,chassis built like a tank,and generally easy to repair and get repaired.color is common issue and change out ic as mentioned earlier.this is a great daily watcher

'57-'59 Chrysler 300 on the screen, picture can't be that bad, lol.

huummmm I got one like that, mine is a 20CC50 What is the difference? Looks pretty close.... Great set! I have had 2 in this life.... Couldn't keep the first due to a cross country move, Jumped on the second for $50. original owner only bidder on ebay 2 years ago.

I have a 20BC50 as well. Never did get the issue it has fixed. Still think I have a bad yoke. I was dumb and replaced a faulty 10v 47mfd cap backwards and screwed up something.

I worked one one of those sets several years ago. Does that set have twenty tubes as the chassis number suggests? The one I worked on needed a flyback. Can't remember the set much, as I only seen one.

I resolved most of the static issues by replacing a couple weak tubes. Also replaced the demodulator and BAM problem solved.

I spent a good amount of time cleaning the grime off of this set, knobs shine like new. Did this set originally have silver and gold knobs? The power and color knobs are silver, the tint knob is gold, Maybe one was replaced?

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Only issue left is the cabinet. Someone went over it with a coat of stain at one time. They did a poor job and didn't wipe of the excess stain. So its a bit uneven. I may be able to buff it out with some patience.

try some restrofinish, if you have not tried it before. works well.