Quote:
Originally Posted by ctc17
I have a table top with that chassis. If you bring that set up on a varic you will damage it. The horizontal osc doesnt start till you hit 115 volts or so. Plug it in and let it rip.
Ditch the instant play thing.
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That's interesting, especially since soft-starting a vintage/antique TV through a Variac is ordinarily standard procedure. What will be damaged if this set is powered this way? You mention that the horizontal oscillator will not start until the line voltage reaches 115 or thereabouts; could that be one of the reasons not to power this chassis through a variable-voltage autotransformer?
I second your advice as to disabling the instant-on feature. I grew up in the '70s and saw quite a few of these instant-on sets; however, at the time I didn't realize the feature was shortening the life of the CRT, by virtue of leaving that tube's filament (and all others in the set) lit while the TV was supposedly off, nor did I realize that such an arrangement could have been a fire hazard. One thing I do remember about the instant-on feature of 1970s-vintage TVs is that, if the diode across the set's power switch shorts for any reason, the set will remain on even with the main AC switch in the off position. The only way to shut the TV off under these circumstances is to unplug the AC cord from the wall socket. Some people got so fed up with the instant-on feature, even when it was working, that they actually had a TV service person remove the diode the next time the set required service or repairs. Not to mention that the instant-on feature, by virtue of leaving the tube filaments on at low power (but lit nevertheless), consumed energy (albeit a small amount) even with the set "off", which was a no-no in the '70s because of the so-called "energy crisis" of that decade that had us turning our thermostats to 68 degrees and turning off all unnecessary lights and appliances.
The instant-on feature disappeared from TVs by the 1980s for just that reason, and even today's flat screens are for the most part Energy Star compliant to use as little electricity as possible, even in standby mode. My 19" Insignia flat screen, for example, uses just 25 watts when operating and well under one watt in standby; however, I read online just last night of a 50" plasma set that was a real power hog: it draws at least 500 watts when on! Hardly the kind of TV one would want if one wanted to conserve energy. That set reminded me of the three-way stereo combination consoles of the '50s through the '80s, and even standalone televisions of the '50s, that were rated for a power draw of 300+ watts (RCA's 1950s-vintage b&w consoles could draw as much as 325 watts).