On 1/19/2011 12:36, Robert Green wrote:

It's been a long time since I've opened up a CRT for anything but don't you
need a cheater cord to bypass the line cord safety interlock? Not even sure
where you'd find one locally, now that RatShack morphed into a phone store.
YMMV, but I wouldn't send a novice into the back of an open big CRT unit
with a metal freon can. That's asking for a zapping. Just opening it up
might not change the thermodynamics enough to spot a bad component.

I hope that the "CRT" you're referring to is the whole TV set and not
the picture tube. Opening it can be fatal -- for both you and the tube.

I can't recall seeing a TV with a back cover interlock in over 30 years!
I find that somewhat bizarre considering all the safety features
included in modern TVs. They must figure that if you're going to remove
all the screws to get the back cover off, any interlock won't stop a
qualified person (or fool) from powering the set. There are more
warning labels than ever before, however.