I was told this was due to humidity, but I need to verify.

This is the second time the set has done this and I was lucky enough to have the back off to take a look. The set is making a strange low screeching sound from around the HV area. I turned off the lights and noticed that the second anode lead plugged into the chassis has a blue arc coming from the top of it. I've attaching a picture of the plug and circled the area of the arc. It's too faint to get a picture of it and it tried jump to my finger when I got too close.

I don't remember a lot about these sets but I think that is the Focus Divider, if it's arcing it's bad, this might be causing your Jail Bar problem as well.

I think that is anode bleed down and or focus divider. It may be going bad. is it constant or does it change as it warms up? Maybe a crack in the insulation.

Not sure if this is the right one for your set but:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ZENITH-FOCUS-DIVIDER-REPLACEMENT-KIT-Replace-63-9897-63-9898-02-/121155653879?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c357090f7

Those focus dividers were high failure parts and arcing is one of the failure modes. You could probably insulate it heavily with silicon; but, it's only a matter of time before it fails. The HV tripler is another high failure area.

If this were mine, I'd remove the focus divider and tripler and replace both of them with an ECG526 or NTE526 tripler. The 526 tripler was used in later versions of this chassis and contains both the focus divider and HV tripler in a single package (it's also more reliable).

I think that is anode bleed down and or focus divider. It may be going bad. is it constant or does it change as it warms up? Maybe a crack in the insulation.

I've only heard it three times. The first time the back was closed up and I just turned it off and back on a few times and it went away. I was told it was humidity. The second time it started, but stopped when I started looking for it. This time it was constant and it went after my finger.

It's not doing it now, though.

Those focus dividers were high failure parts and arcing is one of the failure modes. You could probably insulate it heavily with silicon; but, it's only a matter of time before it fails. The HV tripler is another high failure area.

If this were mine, I'd remove the focus divider and tripler and replace both of them with an ECG526 or NTE526 tripler. The 526 tripler was used in later versions of this chassis and contains both the focus divider and HV tripler in a single package (it's also more reliable).

Is it easy to switch to the single unit? Are all the piece there and I just need to do a little soldering or something?

Not sure if this is the right one for your set but:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ZENITH-FOCUS-DIVIDER-REPLACEMENT-KIT-Replace-63-9897-63-9898-02-/121155653879?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c357090f7

It sure looks the part. Don't know about the resistor as I don't see one, but the wires and socket look the part.

I'm attaching a close up pic of it.

The 526 tripler will have four solder connections: IN, REF, CTRL, and FOCUS (or, simply F). You'll connect the HV lead from the flyback to the IN terminal, There is a fairly big power resistor in which one end of the resistor connects to the REF terminal, The F or FOCUS terminal connects to the focus lead that goes up to the CRT socket, and the remaining lead that goes back to the focus control connects to the CTRL terminal of the tripler.

The 526 tripler will have four solder connections: IN, REF, CTRL, and FOCUS (or, simply F). You'll connect the HV lead from the flyback to the IN terminal, There is a fairly big power resistor in which one end of the resistor connects to the REF terminal, The F or FOCUS terminal connects to the focus lead that goes up to the CRT socket, and the remaining lead that goes back to the focus control connects to the CTRL terminal of the tripler.

Think I'll order the all-in-one tripler today. It's only 7 bucks more than the replacement focus divider thingy.

use a 526 or 556 tripler.the focus is inside the tripler eliminating the seperqte focus block.routine failure type on this set.the new one will last forever.

I ordered the NTE526A. So you all know what this means. Yep, I'll be asking for assistance in going from the separate focus to integrated. Figure I'm better off getting help than doing it myself and risking damage. :yes: