FREE! 60's Admiral color TV's!

[N9ZQA]

Yeah - I would imagine that the B+ would hurt more than the voltages around the flyback - you've got much more current available there, probably a good couple hundred milliamps or so. The flyback and yoke section is good for RF burns though; I think that was the reason for the green spark I saw.

Back when I was young(er) and dumb(er) I had a 4-tube Zenith hybrid that had been worked on quite a bit. The back was misplaced somewhere along the line and I used the set as a bedroom TV for quite some time. For a while, I had a few turns of wire wrapped around the 2nd anode lead that ran to a fluorescent tube - great nightlight... This set also taught me about the neon lamp test for high voltage. Now that I think about it, it amazes me that I never got zapped from that set, what with all of the exposed solder cones and what not.

I know I popped the belfuse a couple times by accidentally dropping the antenna lead onto the chassis. Foolishly, I traded the set to someone who wanted a color TV. I haven't seen one since then, and that was almost 20 years ago.

-Jim

[radiotvnut]

I've been shocked by charged CRT's in the past because I "just knew" that I could remove (or reconnect) the second anode without getting bit. The only time I got too close to HV while a set was on was when I was working on a 12" GE tube B&W set. My eyesight is not good at all and I have to get very close to what I'm working on. Well, I got too close to the 33GY7 HOT socket and it arced to my nose! I saw the blue arc and just barely felt it.

I had an "unexperienced" freind who thought he could fix a 19" Philco B&W that he found. The 1B3 HV rectifier tube was missing from it's socket. He didn't realize what was on that plate lead and it arced and burned a pinhole in his finger. He then decided that he better bring the set to me for repair.

Originally Posted by N9ZQA

Back when I was young(er) and dumb(er) I had a 4-tube Zenith hybrid that had been worked on quite a bit. The back was misplaced somewhere along the line and I used the set as a bedroom TV for quite some time. For a while, I had a few turns of wire wrapped around the 2nd anode lead that ran to a fluorescent tube - great nightlight... This set also taught me about the neon lamp test for high voltage. Now that I think about it, it amazes me that I never got zapped from that set, what with all of the exposed solder cones and what not.

I know I popped the belfuse a couple times by accidentally dropping the antenna lead onto the chassis. Foolishly, I traded the set to someone who wanted a color TV. I haven't seen one since then, and that was almost 20 years ago.

-Jim

This is OT; but, I can attest to the fact that those Zenith hybrid's produce one of the best pictures of any 19" set and they are getting hard to find. The console and portable versions used to be common around here in the '90's. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to get a '74 model from an old TV man. Before that, about '99 was the last one I had. I've still got a few minor details to take care of on mine before I put it to use. Needless to say, I don't plan to get rid of mine unless I find a version that I like better.

[zenithfan1]

Originally Posted by drh4683

Dang, thats a good zap there. Ive gotten my fair share over the years. I hit the 390 volt B+ on a 20CC50 chassis about 5 years ago. I cant remember what I was doing, but i touched a solder cone above the chassis and the other hand was on the metal cabinet. It was way worse than any 25kv shock.

Those horizontal solid state zeniths can be tricky. They put the pincushion control behind the flyback and if you reach around it, you are about 1/4" away from the HV terminal. I got zapped off that so bad, the arc went through my fingernail and had a pinhole. Later on, I read the service manual and it states "adjust pincushion from under the chassis to avoid shock". You think you are careful but every so often something stupid happens and your lucky to be alive!

The admiral looks great. How is the remote? Never tried it.

Doug,
The Admiral or the girls on it? I'm going to be extra careful from now on, I've become quite brave sticking my hands into tvs. I AM lucky to be alive, I was home alone at the time this happened, could have been MUCH worse. As far as the remote goes, I haven't tried it yet either. I forgot where you told me to get a battery. I'm thinking of running a 9 volt battery terminal out the hole in the bottom to temporarily hook a modern battery up to see if it works. The remote is clean inside with only a slight amount of corrosion on the negative terminal, no leaking battery damage. Someone used something abrasive to clean the contacts though, I hope they are ok. Oh, and Jim, thanks for the offer, I will look at the chassis number tonight and shoot you a PM. BTW, Your Admiral experience was almost identical to the one I just had, that spark was wierd looking and BRIGHT, oscillator dipped down and the picture went nuts for a second and a half while my thumb was cooking. Burnt flesh smells like burning hair

[zenithfan1]

The remote works!!!! The only thing is that it only works for about 8-10 feet away, I think the remote chassis could use aligning, I have no idea how to do it on this set. I am familiar with Zenith, is this similar? It is usable though the color "up" only works at about a foot away. Everything else works to 8- 10 feet away. I am happy it is working for now but I would like to get it working better.

[zenithfan1]

I also fixed the focus problem it was having. I fired it up to check the remote and again, the picture was way out of focus. It has been doing this and you have to adjust it every time it's turned on. I turned out the lights and checked inside the can and out. I could hear slight sizzling. I found that it was where the focus lead is connected to the fiberglass part of the FBT {the terminal}. There is originally a black painted on coating to prevent arcing but that was gone due to the fly being replaced. It seems humidity was making it act up, there was a corona around that terminal inside and out {looked kinda cool} But it was pi**ing me off so I put some dielectric silicone on both sides and on a few other exposed components. Readjusted focus and now the picture is sharper than it has ever been since I've had it.
Posting pics soon.