Found an RCA CTC5

[DavGoodlin]

And its a DELUXE, with the 7-tube color stages. Nice treasure there!

[ohohyodafarted]

Very curious! It appears that the original US Factory power transformer is on the main chassis. So just exactly how does this 25hz transformer chassis interface with the main chassis. Is the original 60hz transformer just sitting there disconnected? or is the 25hz chassis interconnected in some way as a step up to supply the primary of the 60hz trans on the chassis.

I don't understand why they would leave the original 60hz trans on the chassis.

[old_coot88]

cancel post. bad info.

[Glenz75]

Bravo! Another early RCA Colour set saved! And the fact its got a strong CRT is even better. If Miniman hasn't seen this thread yet, when he does I'm sure he will be grinning from ear to ear! What an awesome find! Congrats!

[Spinning Head]

Wow. Excellent find. You wonder how many more are yet to be discovered. Maybe I'd better to move to Canada, it seems there has been a lot good stuff found up there this summer.

[Kevin Kuehn]

Originally Posted by ohohyodafarted

Very curious! It appears that the original US Factory power transformer is on the main chassis. So just exactly how does this 25hz transformer chassis interface with the main chassis. Is the original 60hz transformer just sitting there disconnected? or is the 25hz chassis interconnected in some way as a step up to supply the primary of the 60hz trans on the chassis.

I don't understand why they would leave the original 60hz trans on the chassis.

I'm going to guess that's just an empty can acting as a hole plug on the main chassis.

[Penthode]

The spot where the US transformer sat does appear to be just an empty can. I haven't taken the set apart yet but the can is held in place by the unique Canadian Robertson head screws. The rest of the chassis has Philips, slot or hex head screws but the dummy can has the Robertson head screws.

I have a number of other early Canadian manufactured sets from the '30's onwards with massive 25Hz transformers. They now run a cool life on 60Hz with no problem. But I am curious for a set this late (1956-7) with a 25Hz power transformer implies that there were still pockets of 25Hz regions as late as then.

The set seems to have spent all of its life in an older section of Toronto which was perhaps late to switch to 60Hz. I suppose the only difference with this CTC5 is that an already heavy TV set is that much heavier (by about 10 to 15 pounds).

[reeferman]

Nice.

[miniman82]

It's a nice scroe, a la AK. lol

[kvflyer]

Glad that you got it. I really like the results on the CRT tester

[NewVista]

25hz right into the 50s ! what were they thinking ?
Could have been worse: Canada could have adopted PAL

[old_coot88]

Originally Posted by NewVista

25hz right into the 50s ! what were they thinking ?
ek:

Surprizingly, the town of Roosevelt, AZ was on 25 cycle from the adjacent Roosevelt Dam hydro plant until 1974.
Some kinda interesting notes on the Salt River Project's upgrade to their antiquated hydro system..
https://www.srpnet.com/gallery/trd/1971.aspx

[Penthode]

Originally Posted by NewVista

25hz right into the 50s ! what were they thinking ?
Could have been worse: Canada could have adopted PAL

You have to consider that Toronto was one of the first electrified cities in the world. 25Hz was the first alternating current frequency. Once you establish a standard, it is always difficult to later change.

The availability of Niagara hydroelectric energy was very early (before 1900). Niagara power was transported via perhaps the world's first long distance high voltage corridor to Toronto. It was an enormous undertaking to make the switch to 60Hz in the '50's. I am surprised that 25Hz lasted into the color tv era!

In Toronto, the street railway system was fully electrified by 1893. I recall reading that the last horse drawn street railway car retired in that year. Eaton's Department Store building on Queen Street in Toronto, built in 1892-1893, was also fully wired for electrical lighting.

And also consider that the Rogers Radio company in Toronto was the first to sell fully 25Hz AC powered radio receivers in 1925: this was two years before RCA sold their first AC powered sets.

In hindsight 25Hz was a poor choice. But when you are an early adopter you must pay the price.

[Penthode]

I got around to pulling the chassis on this set today. It is pretty well preserved with no tar on the HV components.

I looked at the power transformer(s) on the main chassis and second chassis. The main chassis mounted box is indeed a transformer and not an empty box. This being a 25Hz set, it appears as if the outboard transformer augments the main chassis transformer. I'll trace out the power supply circuit to see what modifications the Montreal factory did. Perhaps the Toronto Reference Library has the notes for the Canadian version of the CTC5-P?

The "Series 700 Notes" posted on the earlytelevision.org website suggests that to service the set, extension cables be employed between the removed chassis and the CRT. I am sure this has been discuused before in this forum: does anyone here know of the thread?

The cables look as if they should be easy to fabricate except for the convergence socket and plug. Does anyone have an extender to loan? Or alternatively, does anyone have the socket and plug to spare from a scrapped CTC5 chassis?

Cheers, Terry

[ohohyodafarted]

Try to find an early Admiral scrapped chassis from a model 30A14CC1 or similar with the separate power supply chassis. The cable that connects the power supply chassis to the main chassis on that set uses the same plug and the socket. The one on the chassis can be removed to use as the female end. This is a very common B&W set and there are probably a number of parts chassis around. Else you will need to find a CTC5 parts chassis and a CTC5 convergence yoke to obtain both the socket and the plug to make up the needed cable.