How long should a restored roundie last?

[compucat]

I have finally found a place in the house for my not-yet-restored Zenith roundie to live. I plan to get a DVD recorder with ATSC tuner built-in so I can put into daily service and be ready for the digital switchover. Once properly restored, how long might I expect it to operate between repairs? I'm not looking for any guarantees, just curious about the meantime between failures of early color sets. For the purpose of this inquiry, assume the following conditions:

1. Zenith 1965 tube Tv - Chassis 25mc33
2. Picture tube with full emission on all guns
3. New tubes in Horiz. out, Damper, HV Rect and HV Regulator circuits
4. Horizontal cathode current set to proper level
5. No more than two hours average daily usage
5. Adequate ventilation
6. Plugged into surge protector
7. Electrolytic caps replaced
8. Some really cool rabbit ears
9. Velvet ropes to discourage touching by unqualified hands

How often do they need touch ups of greyscale, convergence etc. I don't expect they are as maintenance free as modern sets. I'm just wondering how often I might need pull the back off once I start putting it into real life service - not just for display.

[Chad Hauris]

When I was in high school we would use an RCA CTC-39 for 10 hrs at a time or more somedays (not round screen but still tube type)...turned on in early morning and not off till bedtime. The biggest problems I had were a burned out filament in the HO tube and bad solder joints on the circuit boards due to heat
The Zenith chassis shouldn't face the PC board problems like the RCA's.

Once the set is degaussed and purity and convergence are set up in the location it shouldn't need done again unless the set is moved.
2 hrs a day of use is pretty easy on it so if the electrolytics are replaced I don't see any problems that could crop up for a long time.

[jstout66]

ummmm.... I don't think eBay or this forum is the place to air ones "perceived" issues about anyone. Why would you put all of that in an eBay auction?

[RCAkid]

Even more importantly, can we get back on the question at hand please?

From my experience, with a set proplerly restored (red velvet ropes and all), it should deliver the same or better reliable performance as when new.

I agree, 2 hours a day of use should be pretty easy on the set. Of course, there is always a lurking issue of a flyback or a resistor or two that weren't replaced acting up but I should expect it to run for several months before needing any tubes changed. I used to have a 23" Sylvania that I replaced the flyback and HO tubes in and the thing ran 4-6 hours a day for two years until the back fell off of it and sliced the neck of the CRT. Oh that hurt to see and hear. Yes, I know, I should have secured it better. Live and learn, but that was 20 years ago.

Until that time, it worked like a champ so from a quality set like a Zenith, it should play for a good long time between touch ups.

[VinylHanger]

Uhhh, can't wait to see the smackdown that is about to unfold.

Oh, in keeping on track, I hope you enjoy your roundie for years to come.

[oldtvman]

If it is re-guned it should be as good as new. If you speaking about restoring it with a crt checker like the BK 467, your results will vary

[compucat]

It has not been re-gunned. It has a CRT that I suspect was replaced in the Seventies and still has full emission. I'm not sure of the condition of the flyback because I don't have the horizontal section running yet, that's where the trouble is just now. It sounds like it will be quite a reliable set. I know with my restored radios, they run for many years of daily service without needing anything. TV sets however have many more tubes and the law of averages suggests they will need more maintenance. My wife and kids are going out of town in another month so I plan to tear this set to pieces and restore it before they get back.