I think I am coming close to being able to do anything with nothing.

This is the second time I've had this paroblem: it arcs between the two
focus pins. This socket is peculiar to their IDTVs, a bunch of the
Proscan line and a few regular CTC169s. Obviously a CRT socket
replacement was in order but there were none to be had. I was told to
do whatever it takes. This means almost unlimited resources, as long as
it's done today. We can't wait for a socket or we risk the need to
refund.

When I need to be a hillbilly I try to be the best one I can.

After disassembling the socket and removing the electrodes I cleaned
the plastic with acetone. In one of the tunnels in which the focus
electrodes reside there is still a brown spot. As Alex Harvey said "I
flipped open a packet of cigarettes and considered the situation".

Removing all the material between the pins and replacing it would do
it, but there is no facility for that, nor is there time for anything
to dry overnight.

I always look for the safest, most effective, reliable and REVERSIBLE
modification possible.

I removed the pingrabbers from the socket assy, and had a good hard
look at them. I then decided to straighten the bend they put in it, put
in my own to retract the grabber about 3 mm from where it used to be in
relation to the plane of the socket. I then found some 16 ga. wire with
thicker insulation (like the thicker yoke wires). I took just about 3mm
of insulation from that and put it on the CRT pin.

I felt the insulation engage the body of the socket when I reinstalled
it. It kinda dropped when I got it really aligned. I checked and there
was no gap between the pin protector and the socket. The "drop" was
about the same as the length of the insulation.

Set fired up and did not arc. I effectively moved the arcing points 3
mm away from each other.

In your opinion, did I come up with a solution or did I make a mess
waiting to happen ?

Thanks in advance.

JURB

If it can work for a number of days with no arcing, maybe you have a
solution that works. There is not much else you can do, if you cannot have
the original or equivalent parts.

--

Jerry G.
======


wrote in message
oups.com...
I think I am coming close to being able to do anything with nothing.

This is the second time I've had this paroblem: it arcs between the two
focus pins. This socket is peculiar to their IDTVs, a bunch of the
Proscan line and a few regular CTC169s. Obviously a CRT socket
replacement was in order but there were none to be had. I was told to
do whatever it takes. This means almost unlimited resources, as long as
it's done today. We can't wait for a socket or we risk the need to
refund.

When I need to be a hillbilly I try to be the best one I can.

After disassembling the socket and removing the electrodes I cleaned
the plastic with acetone. In one of the tunnels in which the focus
electrodes reside there is still a brown spot. As Alex Harvey said "I
flipped open a packet of cigarettes and considered the situation".

Removing all the material between the pins and replacing it would do
it, but there is no facility for that, nor is there time for anything
to dry overnight.

I always look for the safest, most effective, reliable and REVERSIBLE
modification possible.

I removed the pingrabbers from the socket assy, and had a good hard
look at them. I then decided to straighten the bend they put in it, put
in my own to retract the grabber about 3 mm from where it used to be in
relation to the plane of the socket. I then found some 16 ga. wire with
thicker insulation (like the thicker yoke wires). I took just about 3mm
of insulation from that and put it on the CRT pin.

I felt the insulation engage the body of the socket when I reinstalled
it. It kinda dropped when I got it really aligned. I checked and there
was no gap between the pin protector and the socket. The "drop" was
about the same as the length of the insulation.

Set fired up and did not arc. I effectively moved the arcing points 3
mm away from each other.

In your opinion, did I come up with a solution or did I make a mess
waiting to happen ?

Thanks in advance.

JURB

wrote:
I think I am coming close to being able to do anything with nothing.

This is the second time I've had this paroblem: it arcs between the
two
focus pins. This socket is peculiar to their IDTVs, a bunch of the
Proscan line and a few regular CTC169s. Obviously a CRT socket
replacement was in order but there were none to be had. I was told to
do whatever it takes. This means almost unlimited resources, as long
as
it's done today. We can't wait for a socket or we risk the need to
refund.

When I need to be a hillbilly I try to be the best one I can.

After disassembling the socket and removing the electrodes I cleaned
the plastic with acetone. In one of the tunnels in which the focus
electrodes reside there is still a brown spot. As Alex Harvey said "I
flipped open a packet of cigarettes and considered the situation".

Removing all the material between the pins and replacing it would do
it, but there is no facility for that, nor is there time for anything
to dry overnight.

I always look for the safest, most effective, reliable and REVERSIBLE
modification possible.

I removed the pingrabbers from the socket assy, and had a good hard
look at them. I then decided to straighten the bend they put in it,
put
in my own to retract the grabber about 3 mm from where it used to be
in
relation to the plane of the socket. I then found some 16 ga. wire
with
thicker insulation (like the thicker yoke wires). I took just about
3mm
of insulation from that and put it on the CRT pin.

I felt the insulation engage the body of the socket when I
reinstalled
it. It kinda dropped when I got it really aligned. I checked and
there
was no gap between the pin protector and the socket. The "drop" was
about the same as the length of the insulation.

Set fired up and did not arc. I effectively moved the arcing points 3
mm away from each other.

In your opinion, did I come up with a solution or did I make a mess
waiting to happen ?

Thanks in advance.

JURB

Given the situation (time pressure and lack of spares) I think you have
done a good job, cetainly it's hard to think of anything better in
those circumstances. CRT sockets can and do cause problems. Leave it on
and see what happens. At best it'll be Ok; at worst you'll have to look
at getting a new part if the mod fails.

Cleaning all the socket and pin contacts with alcohol or brasso may
help also. (make that a JAR of brasso ;-))

Ben

wrote in message
oups.com...

In your opinion, did I come up with a solution or did I make a mess
waiting to happen ?

You do what it takes. I recall a popular stereo system which used a single
triode pentode as the output amplifier for each channel. After a few months
use the tubes increased in gain (normal) and started to oscillate at a
supersonic frequency, burning up the output transformers (abnormal). I used
to solder a tin shield around the bottom half of the tube base and replace
the transformers which always seemed to fix them for good. I also contacted
the maker and alerted them to the problem.
--
N

Assuming the run and standby B+ are correct, ~140V, then the focus
divider is bad. Very common failure item on these sets, especially
after B+ had been running high due to the capacitor problems in the
power supply.

After the focus block is replaced, usually the crt socket should also
be replaced to remove the carbon tracing.

Very common, fixed lots of them with this issue.

David

wrote:
I think I am coming close to being able to do anything with nothing.

This is the second time I've had this paroblem: it arcs between the
two
focus pins. This socket is peculiar to their IDTVs, a bunch of the
Proscan line and a few regular CTC169s. Obviously a CRT socket
replacement was in order but there were none to be had. I was told to
do whatever it takes. This means almost unlimited resources, as long
as
it's done today. We can't wait for a socket or we risk the need to
refund.

When I need to be a hillbilly I try to be the best one I can.

After disassembling the socket and removing the electrodes I cleaned
the plastic with acetone. In one of the tunnels in which the focus
electrodes reside there is still a brown spot. As Alex Harvey said "I
flipped open a packet of cigarettes and considered the situation".

Removing all the material between the pins and replacing it would do
it, but there is no facility for that, nor is there time for anything
to dry overnight.

I always look for the safest, most effective, reliable and REVERSIBLE
modification possible.

I removed the pingrabbers from the socket assy, and had a good hard
look at them. I then decided to straighten the bend they put in it,
put
in my own to retract the grabber about 3 mm from where it used to be
in
relation to the plane of the socket. I then found some 16 ga. wire
with
thicker insulation (like the thicker yoke wires). I took just about
3mm
of insulation from that and put it on the CRT pin.

I felt the insulation engage the body of the socket when I
reinstalled
it. It kinda dropped when I got it really aligned. I checked and
there
was no gap between the pin protector and the socket. The "drop" was
about the same as the length of the insulation.

Set fired up and did not arc. I effectively moved the arcing points 3
mm away from each other.

In your opinion, did I come up with a solution or did I make a mess
waiting to happen ?

Thanks in advance.

JURB

And its not cheap ..Ouch!
wrote in message
ups.com...
Assuming the run and standby B+ are correct, ~140V, then the focus
divider is bad. Very common failure item on these sets, especially
after B+ had been running high due to the capacitor problems in the
power supply.

After the focus block is replaced, usually the crt socket should also
be replaced to remove the carbon tracing.

Very common, fixed lots of them with this issue.

David

wrote:
I think I am coming close to being able to do anything with nothing.

This is the second time I've had this paroblem: it arcs between the
two
focus pins. This socket is peculiar to their IDTVs, a bunch of the
Proscan line and a few regular CTC169s. Obviously a CRT socket
replacement was in order but there were none to be had. I was told to
do whatever it takes. This means almost unlimited resources, as long
as
it's done today. We can't wait for a socket or we risk the need to
refund.

When I need to be a hillbilly I try to be the best one I can.

After disassembling the socket and removing the electrodes I cleaned
the plastic with acetone. In one of the tunnels in which the focus
electrodes reside there is still a brown spot. As Alex Harvey said "I
flipped open a packet of cigarettes and considered the situation".

Removing all the material between the pins and replacing it would do
it, but there is no facility for that, nor is there time for anything
to dry overnight.

I always look for the safest, most effective, reliable and REVERSIBLE
modification possible.

I removed the pingrabbers from the socket assy, and had a good hard
look at them. I then decided to straighten the bend they put in it,
put
in my own to retract the grabber about 3 mm from where it used to be
in
relation to the plane of the socket. I then found some 16 ga. wire
with
thicker insulation (like the thicker yoke wires). I took just about
3mm
of insulation from that and put it on the CRT pin.

I felt the insulation engage the body of the socket when I
reinstalled
it. It kinda dropped when I got it really aligned. I checked and
there
was no gap between the pin protector and the socket. The "drop" was
about the same as the length of the insulation.

Set fired up and did not arc. I effectively moved the arcing points 3
mm away from each other.

In your opinion, did I come up with a solution or did I make a mess
waiting to happen ?

Thanks in advance.

JURB

" bravely wrote to "All" (16 May 05 23:17:35)
--- on the heady topic of ""no matter what it takes" (CTC169/Proscan tubes)"

ZZ From:
ZZ Xref: aeinews sci.electronics.repair:48416

[,,,]
ZZ When I need to be a hillbilly I try to be the best one I can.

ZZ After disassembling the socket and removing the electrodes I cleaned
ZZ the plastic with acetone. In one of the tunnels in which the focus
ZZ electrodes reside there is still a brown spot. As Alex Harvey said "I
ZZ flipped open a packet of cigarettes and considered the situation".
[,,,]


JURB,

You were really close to the solution when you mentioned the acetone.
The idea would be to use some nail polish to cover the brown spot.
The clear stuff would be best. Definitely stay away from the sparkly
metalic finishes. Girls around the office always have some in their
purse. Who knows, you might have got a phone number too. ;-)

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... "Bother!" said Pooh, as he saw the sparks and smelled the smoke.

Jerry G. wrote:
If it can work for a number of days with no arcing, maybe you have a
solution that works. There is not much else you can do, if you cannot
have the original or equivalent parts.

Ingenious fix. One thing I would have done, is alert the owner that a new
socket was in order, that the fix 'might' be temporary...tried to get
authorization to order one (on his dime) 'just in case.'

jak

Hi- I have a 46" projo with a CTC169 chassis I'm selling as parts.
Please let me know if I can help with anything. Thanks

moonlite