At long last, a Chromacolor II! - Videokarma.org TV - Video

MRX37 · #1 03-12-2010, 06:56 PM

It's amazing how a bit of serendipity can land you a TV you've been looking for since you heard about it. I saved a Maggie console and found someone on here to take it. And in return I finally got ahold of a 19" Chromacolor II made in June 1976. It works, and has the original rabbit ears intact. very nice cosmetically especially given its age.

It's funny how easily it all played out. The maggie console was two houses down from me, is a decent set from what I've heard, and captainmoody lives not 20 minutes from me and had a CCII that he was happy to give me. Thank you captainmoody!

Interestingly, using two pieces of coax cable and a coax coupler, I was able to connect my DTV box and use this TV's original rabbit ears on it! The DTV box rests perfectly on top. Heh, it's almost like Zenith saw this whole DTV thing coming... Probably first generation coax cable, but it works fine!

Here's a couple pics of it. The camera does not photograph the screen too well...

The retro TV channel seemed more appropriate...

Now for the bad: Well, it's a 34 year old set so I expected quirks. Tuner and pots need some deoxit... and I think I will actually go and get real deoxit this time instead of using WD-40. Um, even tapping the TV slightly causes interference in the picture. If the speaker is playing too loud the picture has interference. Could this just be the dirty tuner?

Other then that the dynamic convergence needs touching up. I'll need to get a test grid up. Wait... this is a delta gun CRT am I right? Are there dynamic convergence controls inside this TV?

EDIT: there are! And there's even a diagram inside the back cover labeling what each convergence pot does. Wow... a TV that was meant to be serviced...

radiotvnut · #2 03-12-2010, 08:19 PM

Nice! I haven't had that exact model in quite a few years. Yes, you will need to deoxit all controls and switches. Also, clean the module contacts and resolder the contacts on the modules, if necessary. I think this set is too new; but, double check and make sure it has the orange safety cap. It's right under the HOT heatsink. If you ever find one of these with the white cap; DO NOT power it up until that cap is replaced with the orange one. The white ones will suddenly open and blow the neck off the CRT. I'm sure you have a back ache right about now; but, at least that shows that you have a well made TV.

Right now; I have three 19" CCII's from '76, '78, and '79, a 17" CCII from '77, and a 25" console CCII from '79 that's probably going to get parted out because the cabinet is not in good shape. I've already used a module out of it to fix one of the 19" sets. And, I think I've got a line on a 23" or 25" steel cabinet CCII. Hopefully, that one will work out as I've been wanting to find a steel cabinet Zenith.

MRX37 · #3 03-12-2010, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radiotvnut

Nice! I haven't had that exact model in quite a few years. Yes, you will need to deoxit all controls and switches. Also, clean the module contacts and resolder the contacts on the modules, if necessary. I think this set is too new; but, double check and make sure it has the orange safety cap. It's right under the HOT heatsink. If you ever find one of these with the white cap; DO NOT power it up until that cap is replaced with the orange one. The white ones will suddenly open and blow the neck off the CRT. I'm sure you have a back ache right about now; but, at least that shows that you have a well made TV.

Right now; I have three 19" CCII's from '76, '78, and '79, a 17" CCII from '77, and a 25" console CCII from '79 that's probably going to get parted out because the cabinet is not in good shape. I've already used a module out of it to fix one of the 19" sets. And, I think I've got a line on a 23" or 25" steel cabinet CCII. Hopefully, that one will work out as I've been wanting to find a steel cabinet Zenith.

I asked Dwight about that cap. Pretty sure it's the orange one. I'll check to be sure... as soon as I can find it...

And yeah, this thing weighs a good 30 pounds at least, maybe more. BIG transformer inside it.

Electrohome · #4 03-12-2010, 08:41 PM

I got a 13-inch 1976 Zenith Chromacolor II here in North Bay in 2005-06, fully working. It has a 13-inch inline tube as well. I'm wondering if your 1976 Chromacolor II has either a delta-gun tube or an inline tube, just curious. The earliest inline tubes I saw were the Sony Trinton of 1968-69. I also have 2 1976 Toshiba 13-inch color TVs, both w/inline tubes as well as both of my 1975 Portacolors also have 9-inch inline non-black matrix tubes as well.

MRX37 · #5 03-12-2010, 08:52 PM

Oh it's a Delta gun tube. Good thing since I need to touch up the convergence, and it has all the controls in the back.

Got in a good bit of practice doing this on a CTC 92 so hopefully it won't take long when I get around to it.

sampson159 · #6 03-12-2010, 10:02 PM

that is a really fine set.in the ten or so years in the shop,i can count the bad zenith crts on one hand.2 23 inch crts.they could have been rejuvinated but mr dixon said no.never saw a 19 inch delta gun that was considered bad or even weak.those hybrid portables and early solid state sets were just amazing.when i am lucky enough to see one these days,i am still impressed with the zenith picture and quality electronics.we will never see this again,so keep these sets going.

holmesuser01 · #7 03-12-2010, 10:20 PM

I lost a CC II console to the white safety cap. It looked great until the BANG and the rush of air. Ah well... There will never be a set like this again.

Dan Starnes · #8 03-12-2010, 10:33 PM

Pretty neat little set, congrats.

radiotvnut · #9 03-13-2010, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sampson159

that is a really fine set.in the ten or so years in the shop,i can count the bad zenith crts on one hand.2 23 inch crts.they could have been rejuvinated but mr dixon said no.never saw a 19 inch delta gun that was considered bad or even weak.those hybrid portables and early solid state sets were just amazing.when i am lucky enough to see one these days,i am still impressed with the zenith picture and quality electronics.we will never see this again,so keep these sets going.

When I was taking electronics at the local community college around '99, someone brought in one of the first vertical chassis CCII consoles that still had the round CRT cap and "instant on". The CRT was dead on all 3 guns and I offered to bring in my rejuvenator and hit it; but, my instructor said no and that I could have the set. When I got it home, it responded well to rejuvenation and I promptly sold it. Other than that one, I've only had two or three 23V/25V delta gun Zenith's that were weak; but, not dead. It seems most of those old delta gun CRT's would respond well, and hold up, after rejuvenation with a decent tester. I think the worst delta gun CRT's that I've seen were the very last 25V RCA's from '79-'80.

MRX37 · #10 03-13-2010, 07:49 AM

Tube's nice and strong in this baby. I think red comes up a few seconds quicker then green and blue, but the CRT fully warms up in under a minute.

Is this the cap I've heard so much about? If so it's obviously not white...

radiotvnut · #11 03-13-2010, 11:07 AM

That's it and since it's not the white one, don't worry about it. I think the white ones were in "E" and "F" lines, anyway.

MRX37 · #12 03-13-2010, 11:39 AM

Went and got some deoxit contact cleaner and sprayed the pots with it. Removed some of the modules, the luma and chroma ones, resoldered the contacts and re seated them. I actually like this design. You don't need tools to get the modules out, and if one went bad I could just pop it out and replace whatever went bad on it. The only complaint is they they don't seem to be keyed so you got to be careful about putting them back in right. Well, some have empty holes where contacts would be on perhaps another model so that's kind of a key.

Gonna let it sit for a bit then power it up and try touching up the convergence...

EDIT: Got the convergence... better. Not perfect though I doubt I'll see perfect convergence.

Very impressed with this set. Good picture, and it was made to be worked on! It even has its own plastic diddle stick which doubles as the focus control! Um, I have to set the focus control all the way to get perfect focus. Don't know if this is supposed to be like that or if some component is just at the edge of tolerance.

Either the deoxit or resoldering those module contacts fixed the picture interference when tapping the set. A couple issues remain:

Pressing the chroma control button next to the power button (auto color?) makes the image go almost insanely bright.

The TV overscans about maybe 1 inch on all sides. Pretty sure this is normal. I did notice a "size" control on one of the module boards. I may give that a tweak.

MRX37 · #13 03-13-2010, 07:31 PM

Another more concerning issue seems to have emerged. I keep hearing what sounds like static electricity discharging while this TV is playing. It sounds like what you'd hear on many TV's after turning them off, but it's happening while the TV is operating.

The picture nor audio are affected when this happens. I had this TV operating in a darkened room and watched the rear vents for any signs of light. Nothing.

Could the high voltage lead be arcing where it connects to the CRT? If so, how does one correct this with no real TV repair equipment?

marty59 · #14 03-13-2010, 08:07 PM

You could be hearing some corona discharge but I wouldn't go sniffing for it!! Make sure the HV lead is clean/not sticky along with the anode connection on the tube. As mentioned elsewhere, if the sticky goo around the anode has run down towards the yoke, slide it back/off if necessary and clean it all up. The HV block could be gooey too..or leaky.

And while you're at it, make sure all the CRT ground straps are secure too! You can troubleshoot this with a lack of equipment. Just be sure to be safe about discharging the anode and during your cleaning process continue to keep it discharged. Oftentimes some residual voltage will exist. The anode wire should be ok but check it out good too. There may be a screw that fastens the clip to the cup that also serves as the wire connection too. Easy to check.

MRX37 · #15 03-13-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty59

Just be sure to be safe about discharging the anode and during your cleaning process continue to keep it discharged.

That's the whole reason for my hesitance. I have never discharged one of these things, and before suggesting I use a screwdriver to discharge it... No.