Fairbanks Morse 21"
 

Hi guys,
First post here.

I got hold of a Fairbanks Morse 21 console TV, this afternoon I recapped all the capacitors and it is "fully" working now, well, except two problems, the first problem is: it has no color :banana:, but I can live with that.

But the second problem is more serious, there is no sound, I can hear the 60hz hummm, so the speaker is good I think, and I can hear a very very low sound from the speaker if I stick my ear to the speaker and turn the volume to the maximum.

The power tube is a 6W6, is it shot or somewhere in the front stages has problems?

Thanks!
Hexar

Congratulations on the find and getting it working!

You haven't given us much to go on. I'll let the experts give their suggestions on trouble shooting.

It would help if we knew your experience/knowledge level.

John

Black, white, and gray are colors. :D

Sorry can't help with the sound - maybe some one else can lead you through a diagnosis.

If you have a scope, see if you can find sound at the grid of the audio amp. If no sound there, trace backwards until you see it. A schematic is helpful here. If you're lucky the sound is out of alignment or you have a dead audio detector tube -usually a 6AL5.

Hi,

FBM is an old as the hills company, they used to make huge diesel engines during WWII for the war effort. I happen to come from the town of FBM's (engine division) world headquarters: Beloit, WI. Perhaps the guys there might be able to shed some light on this. I could stop by and ask some questions, next time I'm there? I would assume that this is some kind of clone set, but it never hurts to do some digging. OP: where are you located? HQ might be interested to have this set as a showpiece, you should send me a PM.

Thanks John,
I am a tube beginner, only restored a Grundig radio, and made 3 amps. This is the first tube TV I am trying to restore. So far no shock yet. :)

old_tv_nut, I shoot Black and white film, to me, it is much more powerful than color! :)

Thanks Jpdylon, good advices. I have swapped out a couple of 6AL6 last night, the sound is a little "louder" now, I can make out the conversation if I stick my ear against the speaker... haha I also swapped out the 6AV6 and a 6AU6A, not much difference, I will check today to find out if I missed any caps...

PM sent.

The picture tube is a RCA 122XXL, so maybe it is a clone of some other company's TV? I googled Fairbanks Morse, and indeed, lots of links about diesel engines turn up. :)

Made in Canada perhaps:

http://www.tvhistory.tv/1950s-CAN-Fairbanks-Morse3.jpg

From the tv history site (75 years of Television)

http://www.tvhistory.tv/

jr

I've been collecting and restoring TVs for 33 years, and never seen/heard of a TV set made/branded by FBM! And what makes it even more interesting, is that I have an interest in antique "hit & miss" engines, which Fairbanks Morse was also famous for. Now I have to get hold of a FBM TV!

Thanks for posting that!

Charles

Yes, Thanks! mine is 4HW417.

here are some more pictures. :)

Huh, guess it was made in Canada.

Still, I would think world HQ in Beloit would be interested in it, simply for the historical value to the company.

What are you using for a signal source? My Apex DTV converter would make you think you have bad audio.

John

I see that www.justradios.com has schematics for Fairbanks-Morse sets. That might be a good place to start if you don't have one.

If you do have one, please post a scan of the audio section.

John

Never heard of a Fairbanks-Morse factory in Montreal before. Great find, where are
you?

I may have a schematic for you in my collection of RCC TV manuals, give me a
few days to look for it if you are interested.

Don't forget we still have NTSC OTA signals in Canada (until this coming
August 31, in principle).

My parents had a Fairbanks Morse Truck Scale at their Wrecking Yard back in the 70's-80's. My Dad bought it used, moved it and reinstalled it at their place, it was quite old even then but worked fine.

It's actually still there but no longer in use.

Very nice TV by the way, definitely an oddball worth saving. :thmbsp:

I'm jealous!

That F-M set is a canadian Admiral. I saw pictures of them somewhere on the internet. Those knobs are a dead giveaway. Also showed 21 in. bakelite table models.

I get the signal from the air. :), there is a set of wire looped under the cabinet, and I plugged these to the signal input from the TV set, and I watched a hocky game last night. :)

We have channel 2, 4, 5, 9, 13 and 16 (french) here.

too bad I don't have a schematic. From the back panel, the tube replacement diagram shows 4 tubes for the radio section, 6AL5, 6AU6, 6AV6 and a 6W6 (6Y6).

Hi Electroking, nice to hear from you here. It is the same Hexar in the AudioKarma.org, You have answered some of my questions there. I just registered here yesterday (or Friday?) I live in Calgary, AB.

If you have the schematic, it would be much appreciated if you could please take a picture of it and post it here. :) Thanks!

cool. Thanks! I will google Admiral more.

It's nice to see that Fairbanks-Morse was still operating in the 1950's.

I have a 1936 F-M radio that I love.

I got sound. I think a couple of legs from two reisistors touched each other, where they should not. But after fixing that, the sound came out, very lound! I can only turn up the volume a tiny bit, otherwise it will be, well, too loud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs377MScExc


Thanks guys!

Nice!

I'll let you know what FBM HQ has to say about your set sometime next week, I'd be surprised if they didn't have interest in it.

Nice video on youtube, just watched it. As for the dreaded digital transition, be
sure to get a converter with RF output. I got one (a Zenith refurbished unit,
would have to look up the model number). I did not try it with one of my B/W sets,
but with a small late eighties Toshiba color unit, and believe me, it yields a fine,
ghost-free picture on the CRT! The right thing to watch a classic B/W movie, or
whatever modern fare the networks will be providing.

I don't believe converters will be easy to get in Canada, I got mine from Addison
in Montreal, but if there is any big surplus electronics store in your area you might
be lucky. Regards, don't let that good old TV go!