60's color motorola - Videokarma.org TV - Video

rob Cashin · #1 12-21-2013, 08:46 AM

Picked this Motorola console up yesterday. It was pretty far away from me and more than I would of normally spent but the thing is in near perfect shape. It has a cataract like most do, but it could be worse than it is. The guy told me that he plugged it in and it didnt do anything. I got it home took the back out and gave it a look. none of the tubes look cooked, no brittle wires just dusty. Picture tube was replaced in 72'. Any ideas before it gets put into storage for another 40 years???

DaveWM · #2 12-21-2013, 09:27 AM

plug it in see what happens. maybe a popped circuit breaker. Typically I do a whole startup process that consist of..

pull Horz Out tube(s)
Pull Vert out tube
DC volt meter on B+
AC volt and AC current on variac
check B+ overall resistance (before doing any power up) should be around 7-10k
it the B+ over all is ok, then crank up the variac and watch for the B+ to come up while keeping an eye on the AC current.

if all goes well I generally go to about 400vdc on the B+ slowly with the variac while feeling the filter caps. If they stay cool and the overall current seems reasonable (about 1 amp for the filaments, the rest of the set with sweep circuits disabled will not pull much), then I will put the output tubes back in and do a full power startup, this time with a HV prob on the CRT anode and a current meter in the horz out tube cathode circuit.

All of the above sounds like a lot, its not, but I just like to play it safe. You could just plug it in, see if anything lights up, if completely dead I would suspect the power switch or a circuit breaker. If the tube start to glow then you could just wait and see, keeping an eye open for smoke.

rob Cashin · #3 12-21-2013, 09:36 AM

I did try to just plug it in after I posted. Nothing. Circuit breaker seems to me normal, I sprayed a little cleaner in case it was stuck. I dont know about the power switch. Pull on push off twist for volume. I guess I could jump it, I dont have any extra switches like that, although I have a few tv's I could snag one from...... I get a nice hardy click when I pull the switch but Im sure that doesnt mean anything.. Is it really worth trying to get to work? I know some early colors are fussy but Ive never really come across a moto.

dieseljeep · #4 12-21-2013, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob Cashin

Picked this Motorola console up yesterday. It was pretty far away from me and more than I would of normally spent but the thing is in near perfect shape. It has a cataract like most do, but it could be worse than it is. The guy told me that he plugged it in and it didnt do anything. I got it home took the back out and gave it a look. none of the tubes look cooked, no brittle wires just dusty. Picture tube was replaced in 72'. Any ideas before it gets put into storage for another 40 years???

That's the first production run of the TS908 chassis. It still uses the octal base horizontal output tubes and vertical output tube.
The CRT looks like a Sylvania rebuilt, with the yellowing resin.

rob Cashin · #5 12-21-2013, 09:43 AM

You are right it is a Sylvania tube

marty59 · #6 12-21-2013, 10:26 AM

Before going any further I would check for continuity of the primary side. Just alligator your meter leads across the A/C cord input and cycle the power switch. If nothing then short out the switch. If still an issue then you may need to pull the chassis and do some point to point checks. I would not plug it in until you find out what's open.

DaveWM · #7 12-21-2013, 11:10 AM

sometimes is just the plug too. check the AC cord out.

rob Cashin · #8 12-21-2013, 12:03 PM

It isnt the plug... I used a different one with the back off. Im going to take a peek under the chassis in a bit.

old_coot88 · #9 12-21-2013, 01:22 PM

Does the set use a thermal degauss relay? If so, it was a frequent failure point. I don't remember if it was on the primary or secondary side of the xfmr. Been a lotta years.

reeferman · #10 12-21-2013, 02:38 PM

From my years working on those, be sure to check the CRT. If bad you may want to reconsider your goals. The general consensus of the period, and my opinion, was the 23EGP was the worst (and definitely the most expensive) CRT of the period. And not all sets can be converted to the 25AP/XP CRT.
Also check the condition of the tube sockets on the main board for being brittle and bad pin contacts with the tubes. Over the years I had to replace more sockets on those sets than I care to think about.
Good luck and have fun.
Phil

rob Cashin · #11 12-21-2013, 04:00 PM

you know when you plug a tv in for the first time or after ones been sitting for a bit and the lights dim for a split second when you plug it in? it doesnt even do that. I guess id call it "charging up" but it doesnt do a thing. I was thinking of jumping the circuit breaker and seeing what happens. I dont want the thing to explode or catch on fire though.. I have a feeling thats the culprit.

egrand · #12 12-21-2013, 04:44 PM

Nice find! My parents had a B&W Moto with the same cabinet. By the time I came around it was their bedroom set and a '68 Quasar was in the living room.

Those were one of the first rectangular color CRT sets ever. They sold really well at the time. I've read in a couple of places that they even outsold Zenith color consoles for a short time. However, there seems to be few of them left, probably because of the CRT problems.

This may sound simplistic, but did you check for continuity in the power cord? Are you sure your outlet is still working? If there's a dead short in the TV it could have tripped the breaker on your outlet.

If you don't plan to keep it and you're anywhere close, let me know.

rob Cashin · #13 12-21-2013, 04:55 PM

i used a modernized version of the power cord thats interlocked to the back, back off cord in and no power at all. outlet works, I dont have any sketchy ones in my house. Is it possible to bypass the breaker? theres one thick red wire to it and a thinner one on the other side. I took the service panel off the bottom and put the set on its side. Not one melted or burnt cap. i dont know what to make of it. Im in CT, so if you are close by I will keep ya in mind...

Electronic M · #14 12-21-2013, 04:56 PM

In most sets I've seen the breaker is in the B+ line so it should not cause the filaments not to light. In your shoes I'd trace the power cord from one prong to the other and find where it is open circuit. Jumper bridge any opens you find...Except for the power transformer primary(if that is open you are more or less SOL).

If I had a 23EGP based set I'd check that the CRT still has good emission before spending much time or money on it.

rob Cashin · #15 12-21-2013, 05:27 PM

when i tipped the set on its side a round magnet looking piece fell out. i found where it was, between these 2 wires soldered on. could that MAYBE be the issue? im thinking about soldering it back in, but that seems way too easy and i dont see how a magnet would complete the entire circuit for the set? its a magnet a little bigger than in inch between the 2 wires shown in the picture