"Jason D." bravely wrote to "All" (26 Jul 04 06:09:35)
--- on the heady topic of " TV tube, hissing, fizzling crackling noise,
arcing."

JD From: (Jason D.)

JD On 25 Jul 2004 04:18:56 GMT, (LASERandDVDfan)
JD wrote:

Well I plan doing that although if all the black stuff is conducting I might
end up doing more damage than good unless i am careful.

JD Huh uh, no no...See what others has explained and one thing they
JD didn't bother to say that I'm adding to this. More on this below.


The voltages that run a picture tube is typically at the kilovolt range. On
average, a tube requires around 25,000 to 30,000 volts to power it, and that
voltage is generated by the flyback transformer.
Remember, electrical transformers can be made to step up or step down
electrical voltage. Flyback transformers are designed to upstep power up to
several thousand volts to properly drive a cathode ray picture tube.

Anyways, with that much voltage is a lot of potential for arcing to the
nearest
ground, so proper and effective insulation for the anode cap, flyback line,
and
flyback casing is essential. If the insulation is faulty or substandard, then
you will have an arc problem during operation. The final arc-snap that's
mentioned happens when the final arc uses the air as a bridge to ground
through
the insulation towards a critical part on any of the circuit boards,
destroying
it and causing more damage to the TV, possibly disabling it completely and
creating a new problem in the process.

If you've wondered why the inside of a picture tube must be a perfect vaccum,
this is why. Any air that's inside the picture tube will act as a bridge for
high voltage electricity and will make the anode feed arc to the nearest
ground
inside the picture tube instead of properly powering it.

This kind of problem really requires proper servicing to correct it reliably
and safely.
The set should not be used ever again until the problem is corrected. -
Reinhart

JD Right.

JD The thing they didn't tell you over time with arcing and hissing, etc.
JD The arc is very hot temps (this reason arcs looks bluish molecules it
JD get excited are is very HOT to glow blue) and will carbonize the paths
JD arc takes and will finally stay this way (snap snap snap! Pow! POP! TV
JD dies.) and may take a part out or overload the flyback and kill it or
JD burn out the HOT. Seen this happen *many* times. Often the final
JD kill happened so fast that you hardly blink and utter "huh?".

JD Get it fixed while it's good! :-)


I second that. Just wanted to add that the blue arcs produce ozone,
which is a molecular form of oxygen containing 3 atoms instead of the
usual 2. The extra oxygen atom causes the molecule to be unstable and
the ozone gas very reactive. Ozone is thus extremely corrosive, and
damaging to organic things, i.e. plastic insulation. When inhaled
ozone is extrememly damaging to the lungs by directly attacking the
thin lining of the tiny sacs where air is exchanged with the blood.
Ozone is associated with the electric smell that is sometimes noticed
when a thunderstorm comes or in electrical sparking. In summary,
operating a defective TV which generates ozone into the atmosphere of
an enclosed room is not a very wise decision.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... You mean 15" sparks are SUPPOSED to come out of this thing?!?