Predicta Holiday - my first Predicta!!

[cwmoser]

Picked up a Predicta Holiday this weekend.
Its my first Predicta TV and I need all the help I can
so's I don't screw it up.

It came with some docs, SAMS, and the stand.

It uses a 21EAP4 CRT which I have not tested as I do
recall these Predicta's utilize unusual filament voltages
and the CRTs are not that durable.

I would like to remove the front plastic CRT cover and clean it.
Any advice??

Thanks

Carl

[drussell]

Originally Posted by cwmoser

Picked up a Predicta Holiday this weekend.
Its my first Predicta TV and I need all the help I can so's I don't screw it up.

Congrats! They are nifty sets.

I highly suggest you watch Bob Andersen's videos on the various predicta models he's rebuilt before you start. They are interesting and very informative and cover all sorts of things you will likely encounter while restoring your Predicta.

His YouTube channel is at: http://www.youtube.com/user/bandersentv/videos

Originally Posted by cwmoser

It uses a 21EAP4 CRT which I have not tested as I do recall these Predicta's utilize unusual filament voltages and the CRTs are not that durable.

IIRC, it's 2.35 volt filament. Be sure your tester goes that low before you hook it up. If it is still the original tube, you'll be very lucky if it's still good as the heater/cathode assemblies in the gun typically had very short lifespans compared to other tubes of the era.

Originally Posted by cwmoser

I would like to remove the front plastic CRT cover and clean it.
Any advice??

Advice? Sure... Watch Bob!
Some videos where he opens up the plastic CRT shells on Predictas are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayrRBgIDBTU (starts at about 5:00)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00TqB80cjuY (starts at about 9:30)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7IWvY5_Cbk (whole video)

There are probably others as well, but that should get you started. He's got videos of many different Predicta restorations and you would do well to spend a few hours and watch pretty much all of them, IMHO.

[cwmoser]

Thanks. Started watching. Great help.

[decojoe67]

When I got a Holiday in the '80's I had to figure-out for myself how to get the screen off and I made it much tougher than it is. It's actually very easy when you take it step by step. Nothing should be, or needs to be, forced.
BTW, if it has a rather rank smell, it is the nature of the plastic. Even after cleaning it still be there.

[truetone36]

Yep, the tenite plastic does have a smell similar to rancid butter. The moldy appearance of your screen cover is due to the breaking down of this plastic. My Briefcase 19" portable had the same issue when I got it.

[cwmoser]

It does not smell, but I have yet to remove the plastic cover.
Maybe I need to do this when the wifey is out shopping :-)

I just assumed that it uses the 21EAP4 CRT because that was what
the SAMS document stated. After viewing Bandersen's video,
I need to pull the rear cover and see if its been modified for
use with a 6v filament tube.

[Down Under]

[QUOTE Maybe I need to do this when the wifey is out shopping :-)[/QUOTE]

That's when I bring the can electrolytics inside and heat them up over the gas hotplates to get the innards out so I can restuff them! Love the smell of hot capacitor in the morning!

[bigaudioal]

Watch Bob's Predicta videos as suggested. I don't yet own a Predicta but I feel like I could start working on one after watching his videos. They are great!

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by Down Under

[QUOTE Maybe I need to do this when the wifey is out shopping :-)

That's when I bring the can electrolytics inside and heat them up over the gas hotplates to get the innards out so I can restuff them! Love the smell of hot capacitor in the morning![/QUOTE]
I just use a cork screw to yank them out...

[Gregb]

I have to agree with the advice given above. When I got my Predicta it went very smoothly thanks to Bob's videos.

Gregb

[bigaudioal]

I normally pull Bob's videos up on my iPhone through youtube and then stream them to my BlueRay player on my 46 inch modern TV in my living room.

As soon as my wife hears his trademark, "Hey guys," at the beginning of his videos she bolts for the door or upstairs.

"Not another TV video!!!!" HA!!! She just does not get it. It's been a great way to keep her out of the basement - just fill it with TVs. Now I can get her to leave the living room too. "Hey guys . . . " ZOOM!!! She's gone. HA HA!!

[StellarTV]

I would like to remove the front plastic CRT cover and clean it.

Yes. If there are no deep scratches and you'd like to add some shine and there is zero to only just a slight amount of mold, I highly recommend a microfiber cloth and some Meguiar's Cleaner Wax. Adds a high gloss 'slick' finish. (yes this early plastic formulation decomposes, similar to many radio knobs of the era. Yours appears to have some decomposition.)

I had one Predicta faceplate that was completely covered in what appeared to be a white powder... it was so thick that I had to scratch ALL of it off with my thumbnail. Soft enough as to not scratch the face. I ended up with a big pile of waxy, smelly plasticky powder but afterward it was possible to buff it out.

Jury says that in another 50 years there may not be much left of many of these Predicta faceplates that have started to decompose. We will see.

If the cover has scratches that you want to work out, that's much more involved, but can be done by feathering out deep imperfections with progressively finer sandpaper. Start with 400 (for deep cuts) or start with 800 (if there's nothing too objectionable) then progress to 1000, 1500, 2000, then a final polish. I like to apply plastic polish, which is available in stick form, to a loose cotton buff and work it over on the buffing motor.