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17" RCA VICTOR TABLETOP

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   THIS WAS A SCORE FROM THE 2009 ETF CONVENTION SILENT AUCTION.  AS FOUND, THE CRT TESTED GOOD.  AFTER SOFT STARTING, I HAD A BLANK RASTER AND HUM IN THE SOUND.  THIS IS A HOT CHASSIS SET.  ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS POLARIZE THE PLUG.  THE FIRST TWO SHOTS ARE THE CHASSIS BEFORE RESTORATION.

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   I WENT AHEAD AND RECAPPED THE CHASSIS.  I GOT ALL BUT TWO OF THE ELECTROLYTICS.  I GOT A LOUD HUM, BAD VIDEO AND HARDLY ANY SYNC.  I BEGAN TESTING TUBES.  THERE WAS A 5U8 THAT HAD GRID AND HEATER/CATHODE LEAKAGE.  THERE WAS A 5AS8.  ONE SECTION WAS THE VIDEO DETECTOR.  IT HAD SEVERE HEATER/CATHODE LEAKAGE.  I DIDN'T HAVE A REPLACEMENT, SO I HAD TO ORDER SOME.

  MAY 2010:  I GOT THE TUBES I NEEDED AND REPLACED THE REMAINING LYTICS.  I HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO HIDE THE REPLACEMENTS.  I DID NOT RESTUFF THE CANS.

  I HAD VIDEO AND SOUND.  THE VERTICAL LINEARITY WAS OFF AND THE HOLD WOULD NOT LOCK.  THERE WAS A 6.8 MEG RESISTOR IN THE VERTICAL SECTION THAT HAD DRIFTED WAY HIGH.  REPLACING THAT FIXED THE VERTICAL ISSUES.

 

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   THE THREE SHOTS ABOVE ARE AFTER RECAPPING.  IN RCA BLACK AND WHITE SETS OF THIS TIMEFRAME, YOU DON'T NEED TO REMOVE THE BOARDS TO RECAP (UNLIKE PHILCO PREDICTAS).   THE RECAP WAS UNEVENTFUL.  TWO NEW ISSUES CROPPED UP AFTER I HAD THE SET BACK TOGETHER (OF COURSE).

  THE SOUND WAS WEAK AT POWERUP.  A POSTER AT EITHER VIDEOKARMA OR ANTIQUE RADIOS.COM NOTED BAD SOLDER JOINTS ON THE TUBE SOCKETS.   I RESOLDERED THE TUBE SOCKETS.  PROBLEM SOLVED.

  THE HORIZONTAL HOLD WOULD GET UNSTABLE AND DRIFT AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES.  I TOOK VOLTAGE READINGS ON THE HORIZONTAL AFC/OSCIALLATOR  TUBE (6CG7).  ON THE CONTROL GRID OF THE AFC SECTION, I WAS GETTING POSITIVE VOLTAGE WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN GETTING NEGATIVE VOLTAGE.  ACCORDING TO THE PRINT, THERE ARE TWO MICA CAPS ( 47pf AND 82pf) TIED TO THE CONTROL GRID.  ONE OF THEM BECAME LEAKY ( I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH).  REPLACING BOTH SOLVED THAT.  FROM THIS, I FOUND THE RED MICAS RCA USED ARE UNRELIABLE.

  THE SET IS NOW STABLE.  HERE'S A NICE PARTING SHOT.

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