Philips Magnavox Cooling Fluid Headache

[YamahaFreak]

Thus begins my first thread on the new forum...

So I rescued a model year 2000 55" Philips Magnavox rear-projection television set two nights ago, fully five minutes before the trash truck came rolling by. I couldn't bear to see the TV suffer the same fate as the nearby range, you know me.

So I get the beast situated outside the garage the next day. I plug it in and immediately get HV whine and sound. However, as soon as the screen is bright enough to see, I am horrified to see the infamous fuzzy picture associated with bacterial growth in the CRT cooling fluid in these sets. Off goes the back cover.

Being relatively inexperienced with how to actually deal with this problem, I proceed to remove the lens from the blue CRT (it was surprisingly the only one with growth in the fluid), not realizing that the same screws that hold the lens on also secure the fluid tank seal. Cooling fluid goes everywhere, including all over the mainboard. Realizing my grave error, I immediately replace the seal and lens, then set about using the nearby leaf blower to banish the fluid from the circuitry. I hope I got most of it off, as I have been told that it will not evaporate.

So after waiting about ten minutes, I plug the set back in and try it. Sound, but no picture at all. I can hear the HV but there are no CRT filaments burning. Five minutes later I get faint wisps of white smoke coming from somewhere over the mainboard, so I freak out and unplug the set again. So now I have a 30 percent loss of cooling fluid in one CRT AND no picture. Worse than what I started with! Is there hope, or should I just part out the set and get it over with?

Another thing: The cooling fluid (Glycerol, apparently) is nowhere to be found. I was able to locate exactly one supplier online that had it, and they had discontinued it and were out of stock. I have been told that the process of replacing the cooling fluid is long and tedious, but as I need only replace one CRT's worth, I might try. Help!