Emerson ECR1350 cold start issue

[technoman9]

Hello all,

I recently acquired an Emerson ECR1350 13" TV from a local thrift shop. I asked the shop owner if we could test it, since he had several cable feeds for other TVs. The set came on and had a good picture, so I decided to buy it. I didn't have much to lose, since he only asked $15 for it.

At home, however, I began to experience a problem with the set turning on. When I push the power button, I could hear the relay click and the tube power on. But then the set turned itself off very quickly, and a relay (or circuit breaker?) began clicking inside. Unplugging the set and plugging it back in cleared the clicking, and playing with the power button resulted in the set coming on and staying on. I shrugged this off at first, because it only happened occasionally, and I figured that it was just an old thrift store set.

Tonight, however, it took me quite a while to get it to come on. The set would come on, click back off just as the picture warmed up on the screen, and the internal clicking could be heard. Unplugging it did not clear the issue, and only after turning the set on and off for several minutes did it finally turn on and stay on. When the set is on, there are no other operational issues. The picture is uniformly lit and the color is excellent and smooth (I tested the TV with a test-pattern DVD). There is nothing noticeable in the audio, either.

My suspicion is there is a weak relay in the power circuit or some internal circuit breaker is tripping, but I am not 100% sure. The set does this whether it is cold or has been on for an hour or so. I am an electrical engineer-to-be, so i have some experience with electric circuits, but I figured I would ask you guys first to see if you have any ideas or suggestions on where to start looking. I do have the service manual coming, just in case.

Any and all help will be appreciated. Thanks!