What do you guys consider to be essential est equipment for repairing TVs?
Right now I have a Central Electronics CRT tester. I have a Sencore CR-161 in the mail that I finally pulled the plug on after debating for ages over it. I'm waiting a few days to get a B&K 1076 television analyst for cheap (Hoping that it doesn't' need too much work) I have a Heathkit HO-10 scope that needs recapped, but I haven't done anything to it because they aren't that great and finally I have a really old "frequency calibrator" that I think is from the 1930's and needs recapped to be functional...

How am I doing so far? I desperately need to get at least a cheap emissions tube tester, a good oscilloscope, and a Capacitor analyzer. But I think that stuff will wait until next time I get payed.. .

If you do not have a multimeter (Volts, Ohms, Amps) that is a VERY important device to have...Almost more important than the rest combined.

A HV probe or meter are also useful to have.

Yes, I have a multimeter! I have a few actually!
I didnt think about a HV probe... Thats another one to add to the list of things to get.

Tube tester, CRT tester, HV probe, and meter. That's all I've ever used.

Do you have a specific brand/ model that you would recommend?

Like others have said, a good quality multimeter is the most essential bit of test gear in anyone's arsenal. I'd add that there are times when analog is preferable over digital, and vice-versa, so one of each is handy.

My "go-to" bench meters are the ol' Simpson 260 (analog) and Fluke 8000a (digi). They're hard to kill and don't cost a fortune. I'm not crazy about using handheld MMs on the bench, they seem to always either get in the way or end up on the floor for some reason :-) Do like my Fluke 87 for when I need the portability, though...

I'm curious to see what people suggest for HV; that's the one thing I don't have (yet).

-Steve

Get an isolation transformer, for hot chassis sets.

I second the vote for the Simpson 260, I've got one too.

Depends on what you're working on I guess. My top priority is an ESR meter, what with all the caps in my sets.

Edit: ^ Not one of my better decisions. I later sold the thing. Now I'm a lot better at selecting what I need.

You need at least 2 good meters, VOM, a 260 is good, but for circuit loading you need a digital, or VTVM. A reasonable scope that is capable of measuring DC as well as AC. A HV Probe is good to have, there are ways around a crt tester, get it if you want. Tube testers are too expensive, you could much better put money towards replacement tubes for those you suspect. Capacitor testers might be much more useful than a tube tester, but then again you may need more than one type.

Then before you get this stuff think about what you are going to do.....

Are you going to trouble shoot problems, or just replace parts until you finally replace the bad part....? If you are going to re-cap everything you get if it needs it or not, eliminate the cap testers..... If the screen is smooshed at the top, are you going to figure out what is going on, or replace stuff till its fixed...? Eliminate the scope..... If you are not going to learn exactly what is going on in the IF sections, Sync, and Demodulator, Oscillator circuits, and understand bandwidth, Roll off, etc, then you don't need a tv analyst box, or marker generators, because you'll just make that part of the set worse..... So replacing caps in critical signal areas should be approached with re-alignment thoughts in mind.....

Hot chassis sets require some extra safety.... If you attach something that plugs in to the wall, and grounds to the tv, you have to check first if there is 120V across the grounds, if so reverse the power cord and re test, or get a isolation transformer as stated above...

A good approach is to get 2 good meters, then get the rest as needed, and as a good deal presents itself....

Alright, I think that I can forgo the scope and tube tester for now. I'm still going to get the analyst as its only 10 dollars and even though I don't fully understand all of its capabilities I can still use it as a test pattern generator... I don't really need the extra CRT tester being that I already have one all though it would be nice... I would really love to learn how these sets work and everything about them but I guess I can out that off for a while..

Talk about cutting ack :scratch2:

Ditto the isolation transformer. Makes working on live-chassis sets much safer and is easier on test equipment probes...

I'm with others on the tube testers, kind of nice to have but not absolutely essential.

Alright, I think that I can forgo the scope and tube tester for now. I'm still going to get the analyst as its only 10 dollars and even though I don't fully understand all of its capabilities I can still use it as a test pattern generator... I don't really need the extra CRT tester being that I already have one all though it would be nice... I would really love to learn how these sets work and everything about them but I guess I can out that off for a while..

Talk about cutting ack :scratch2:

Since you are into TV this much, the analyst will be a great help in isolating the problems you may find, after doing the recap. Sure, you can become familiar using it for the test patterns but after while you will have opportunities to plug signals in along the way to show you what IS working.

Tube tester, CRT tester, HV probe, and meter. That's all I've ever used.

Ditto. Plus a BK Precision 890 cap sorting meter. Just splurged on a new Fluke 87-V, and I'm pondering a capacitor/leak tester. But up to now I've made do with the basics.

You'd be surprised how far you can go with so little. You shotgun all the caps anyways, so there's little or no need to test them. And occasional Mica cap might need a test, but they rarely fail except in the horizontal sweep or osc sections.

Now that I've been doing this for 5 years or so I just want a few extra pieces of test equipment just for my own amusement.:smoke:

Not a piece of test equipment, but I've heard nothing but good things about the Hakko 808 de-soldering iron. I saw one used in a video several years ago on You Tube and it makes de-soldering a snap. I want one plenty bad.

Ditto here on the Hako 808 de-soldering iron. What a great tool. Much easier to use than my old "trusty" PACE soldering/de-soldering station with limited heat & power. Worst thing about the 808 is the price of the tips, but I think there are more reasonable ones on eBay (Chinese clones?) for about $10 each.

Tom (PK)

How well do they work on old TV and radio chassis ?

The equipment I use most often is -

Soldering station (Weller WES-51)
Isolation transformer (Sencore PR57)
DMM (Fluke 27/FM military surplus. accurate, inexpensive, tough)
CRT / tube tester (Sencore CR70, Hickok 121 & 600A)

I used a shop-owned 808 at my old job. It was nice to use. I don't know how it would serve on non-PCB applications. Nice thing about it, is the built in vac pump. You just hold the trigger and it keeps on sucking (and wind-cooling the tip unfortunately). For my personal use, I use my cheap-o manual pump desoldering iron. It suits me fine for PCB work.

On the 808 though- We had it around for probably the last 3 years before I got laid off. In all that time and probably hundreds if not thousands of components desoldered with it, I only needed a tip change once.

Bob,

I have been using the Hakko 808 now for the last 8 months on various projects. It works well on any PC boards, tube sockets, tie strips, etc. You just have to use the correct size tip (for smaller multi-layer PCB via's) or the larger tip like 1.6mm for vintage point to point de-soldering jobs (and set the heat pot for some extra umph). The de-solder braid will fast move farther and farther away from the workbench after using this tool...

Tom (PK)

Not a piece of test equipment, but I've heard nothing but good things about the Hakko 808 de-soldering iron. I saw one used in a video several years ago on You Tube and it makes de-soldering a snap. I want one plenty bad.
There's one for my electronic tools bucket list.

Get an isolation transformer, for hot chassis sets.

I second the vote for the Simpson 260, I've got one too.

Speaking of Simpson meters, anyone know how to fix one?

Friend forgot to disconnect work from meter before shutting it off and cooked something in the AC test side of it...

SR

My arsenal thus far:

Fluke 77 digital multimeter
Zenith 852-120 50Kv HV probe
Zenith 852-240 ultrasonic remote tester
Weller SPG40 soldering iron with a Dremel 219 speed control box for temperature control
Sencore PR57 isolated variac
Sencore CR70 CRT tester
B&K Precision 1479A 30MHz oscilloscope
Leader LCG400 NTSC pattern generator

Speaking of Simpson meters, anyone know how to fix one?

Simpson still services all of their large line of test equipment. They have authorized service labs all over the country. Check out their site. I think the following url will take you to the download of the user manual and schematic: www.simpson260.com/.../simpson_260-afp-1_user_manual-1969.pdf

I'm not sure what model you have, but there is a great identification part of the site where you can find your "series" and the years of its run. The url is for a 260 which is what most people have in some version. They have been making the 260 model since around the 40s up to today and it has changed little other than some genuine improvements. So that identifier page helps a lot to know what you have. A 260 is NOT a 260 despite what many of us think as I did until I looked mine up. I have a 303 VTVM that looks similar. Can't get the AC measurement right on that one. A whole different ball of wax...

I recently purchased a vacuum desoldering station for doing PC board work, but the thing is proving itself quite useful for working on old point-to-point wired tube gear as well. Much nicer and quicker than solder wick or the syringe type solder suckers. The unit is bought is reviewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft50m8UU5WQ

The build quality isn't the greatest, but it works GREAT, and is considerably cheaper than the Haako. Haako surely better for daily use, but for $165 on Amazon.com I don't think you can beat this thing for occasional hobby use.

http://www.amazon.com/Desoldering-Station-Digital-Temperature-Controlled/dp/B00KQ6PR6K/

Personally, I'd spring for the extra $30-$40 more for the Hakko 808. Cheap tools do have their place, but when it comes to a tool like this, I want something that is good quality, made by a reputable mfg, will last, and can get parts for.


Tom

personally, i'd spring for the extra $30-$40 more for the hakko 808. Cheap tools do have their place, but when it comes to a tool like this, i want something that is good quality, made by a reputable mfg, will last, and can get parts for.


Tom
+1.

I'm with N2IXK on this one. (Although I paid ever so slightly less for mine.) It does a damned good job for the money.

After having a few times where "braid-rationing" was in effect, I decided to dual-wield my 888D and the ZD985 and take a decent crack at point-to-lug assemblies. Basically my technique is use the medium tip (for best vacuum action.) on the 985, heat the joint up with the 888D, then get in there and suck! The 985 can't transfer the heat necessary to most point-to-point connections unless by some miracle you have a lead poking out in the right place, even then not so much. (Designed for board rework.) but once the joint is actively flowing, it does a damned fine job of removing the solder.

I'm for protecting one's investment. Not that I haven't fumbled this my share of times. Who knows when something like that would break and the whole thing would have to be replaced because parts are NLA. I'd rather pony up extra for a quality item. Also, my equipment has to look good to me to be worth purchasing, and that hardware is like, ewww...

Anybody here using a station that includes hot air for large surface mount parts, or should the hot air wand be a separate piece of gear from the de-solder/solder sucker unit?

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Profesional-Repair-Rework-Station/dp/B007IJVVY0/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1408047242&sr=8-16&keywords=hot+air+desoldering

Edit add: It appears that the Hakko 808 has been discontinued, so it might be prudent to buy soon if one is desired.

http://www.hakkousa.com/detail.asp?CID=50&PID=838&Page=1

Newer model Hakko:

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FR-300-Handheld-Desoldering-Tool/dp/B00K1M2HUS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408051400&sr=8-2&keywords=hakko+desoldering

no affiliation,
jr

Anybody here using a station that includes hot air for large surface mount parts, or should the hot air wand be a separate piece of gear from the de-solder/solder sucker unit?

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Profesional-Repair-Rework-Station/dp/B007IJVVY0/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1408047242&sr=8-16&keywords=hot+air+desoldering

Edit add: It appears that the Hakko 808 has been discontinued, so it might be prudent to buy soon if one is desired.

http://www.hakkousa.com/detail.asp?CID=50&PID=838&Page=1

Newer model Hakko:

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FR-300-Handheld-Desoldering-Tool/dp/B00K1M2HUS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408051400&sr=8-2&keywords=hakko+desoldering

no affiliation,
jr


I prefer my hot air wand to be a standalone unit. If I had to do it all over again though I'd get one with the fan/pump/blower/compressor/bellows/whatever in the tabletop box and just a thicker umbilical to the hand-piece. Either that or I'd buy one with a higher build quality blower in the hand-piece. The vibration from mine at *certain* speed settings makes my hands tingle after 5-10 minutes of use. I usually just pop a mechanic's glove on and that takes care of things. I'll also add "Lowest setting of ~50C instead of 100C" to my wish list next time. (Hot shouldn't automatically mean at least boiling.)


If you don't have one already, holy crap get one. Even if you only ever use it for heat-shrink, thermal fault troubleshooting, or re-stuffing caps they're awesome and affordable. (Hell, RadioShack even sells one now for $30. I can't speak for that one but it can't be terrible.)

My arsenal thus far:

Fluke 8024B DMM (Had my name written all over it... well, actually my month and year of birth are in the instruction manual I downloaded, close enough)
EDS 88A ESR/DCR meter
Zenith 852-120 50Kv HV probe
Zenith 852-240 ultrasonic remote tester
A cheapie 15/30w soldering iron that I really need to get a replacement for. Got that before I got into TVs.

Does your ultrasonic remote tester have the mod to test IR remotes and System 3 drive signals? Zenith went all out with mods to the '240, with neat little articles among their service lit showing how to use it for just about everything. We had a Ziploc style bag with all of the addons for checking horiz drive, vertical drive, and some other checks that involved resistors clipped into the circuit, with the '240 attached in parallel to one of the resistors. I'll di around and see what I can find.

The IR mod added a IR diode, and you drilled a hole in the case to accommodate the diode. The drive mod added two leads and the leads came out of the case through the ultrasonic mic slats cut in the case. The rest of the "mod" parts were external - mostly resistors and a cap or two for coupling. Zenith really liked to add tasks to the remote checker. GE had a similar bitch box for checking their sets - dropped it's use entirely after the MA/MB chassis sets. I used it to check B+ right up into the 2000s. Really neat little testers...

Cheers,

a metered variac. saved all those new parts from blowing up. I to have a simpson 260

Does your ultrasonic remote tester have the mod to test IR remotes and System 3 drive signals? Zenith went all out with mods to the '240, with neat little articles among their service lit showing how to use it for just about everything. We had a Ziploc style bag with all of the addons for checking horiz drive, vertical drive, and some other checks that involved resistors clipped into the circuit, with the '240 attached in parallel to one of the resistors. I'll di around and see what I can find.

The IR mod added a IR diode, and you drilled a hole in the case to accommodate the diode. The drive mod added two leads and the leads came out of the case through the ultrasonic mic slats cut in the case. The rest of the "mod" parts were external - mostly resistors and a cap or two for coupling. Zenith really liked to add tasks to the remote checker. GE had a similar bitch box for checking their sets - dropped it's use entirely after the MA/MB chassis sets. I used it to check B+ right up into the 2000s. Really neat little testers...

Cheers,
Oh wow, and I only got it as a supplement to my ultrasonic remote collection and because I had never seen one before. The only mod done to this unit is a notch cut in the case that brings the battery connector to the outside. This was done by the previous owner.

I have found that the model-specific and chassis-specific service literature is invaluable with vintage TV and audio gear.
Instead of spending a great deal of time troubleshooting by taking voltages or injecting signals or tracing circuitry, you can really pinpoint a problem in a short amount of time regardless of skill level. Things such as I.F. alignment are virtually impossible without the SAMS or equivalent. Same goes for setting convergence/purity although this of course can be 'winged' so long as you've got the proper test gear.
Most of all, I'd say that my external degauss coils, and marker/generator are my most used test equipment. Besides simple tools such as multimeter, HV probe, hand tools etc.
You know what is really nice to have? a variable voltage supply capable of supplying many amps of current. I built one into my test bench area and have used it a lot.

Since I first cut my teeth on television work, I have always used a VTVM more than anything else on the bench. While I have owned all manner of VOM's and digital meters, I always go back to my B&K VTVM.

The shop had three of them when I bought it that were purchased in the 1960's. The range switches were almost completely worn out, but I lucked up on a new-old-stock one in the late 1990's from a local distributor. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Since I first cut my teeth on television work, I have always used a VTVM more than anything else on the bench. While I have owned all manner of VOM's and digital meters, I always go back to my B&K VTVM.

The shop had three of them when I bought it that were purchased in the 1960's. The range switches were almost completely worn out, but I lucked up on a new-old-stock one in the late 1990's from a local distributor. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

before I retired from Sony we were using Fluke auto rangers. no switch's. it auto detected what ever you used it on

Old post, my two cents. I like xelite hex driver tools for removing backs from sets. Also need chain nose and diagonal cutters. Hemostats can be handy and polarized and non polarized male to male cheater cords. I wore a tool belt with various tools back in my twenties. Couldn't wear it now unless I got a much bigger belt. Insulated hex adjust tools if your going d
To do any sweep or IF alignment. But not an estential.