1954 Admiral C2226 project

[Kevin Kuehn]

Models CA2236 and CA2246 are both covered in Sams 266-1. CA2236 uses chassis 19L2, while CA2246 uses 19WB1. CRT's listed are 21WP4, 21ZP4A,B and 17BP4. Doesn't say which CRT goes in which chassis. [edit] Looking at the Sams, it looks like these sets only use 3 controls behind the center pencil box door.

[Ncotham]

Originally Posted by Kevin Kuehn

Models CA2236 and CA2246 are both covered in Sams 266-1. CA2236 uses chassis 19L2, while CA2246 uses 19WB1. CRT's listed are 21WP4, 21ZP4A,B and 17BP4. Doesn't say which CRT goes in which chassis. [edit] Looking at the Sams, it looks like these sets only use 3 controls behind the center pencil box door.

Hey Kevin,
The guy that had the C2246 called this morning, and he confirmed that there were only 3 controls in the pencil box, so your assessment was spot on - thanks for saving me some major heartache. Prior to reading your post, I had assumed that all the 1954 models had 4 controls. I'm learning that one cannot "assume" anything in these endeavors...
Cheers,
Neil

[Ncotham]

Thanks to Kevin K who tipped me off to this jewel, I now have a complete, one owner Admiral model C2226Z. Had to drive to Rochester Minnesota and back this last weekend to pick it up, and the last 200 miles to get there was through blowing snow that started in Des Moines, Iowa and didn't let up until we had nearly arrived. The set belonged to a retired couple who said they bought the TV new. It was working up until a few years ago, at which time a friend of theirs who used to be in the TV repair business fixed it for them. It worked a little while longer before going dark again, but by then their friend had passed on sadly. So, they put it on Craig's list where Kevin saw it and kindly notified me. Good thing he did, because I had very nearly written this project off!

The set has sound but no picture, and no static can be felt from the front of the CRT. Initial inspection without removing the chassis with the set turned on revealed that all the tubes that I can see that are not in cans are lit, and the CRT glows at the rear.

You can see some plastic residue laying on the chassis below the CRT in the pictures, and it looks like it came off a cover from around a copper coil(?) toward the back of the tube that has deteriorated. Forgive me as I'm not versed in the vernacular of all the various parts yet.

Kevin mentioned that all the set may need is to be recapped. I could see a couple of the old paper caps and they don't appear to have been replaced as part of the previous repair.

Would y'all agree that recapping the set should be the first step, or does that plastic residue indicate another problem?

Thanks!!

[Ncotham]

Thanks to Kevin K who tipped me off to this jewel, I now have a complete, one owner Admiral model C2226Z. Had to drive to Rochester Minnesota and back this last weekend to pick it up, and the last 200 miles to get there was through blowing snow that started in Des Moines, Iowa and didn't let until we had nearly arrived. The set belonged to a retired couple who said they bought the TV new. It was working up until a few years ago, at which time a friend of theirs who used to be in the TV repair business fixed it for them. It worked a little while longer before going dark again, but by then their friend had passed on sadly. So, they put it on Craig's list where Kevin saw it and kindly notified me. Good thing he did, because I had very nearly written this project off!

The set has sound but no picture, and no static can be felt from the front of the CRT. Initial inspection without removing the chassis with the set turned on revealed that all the tubes that I can see that are not in cans are lit, and the CRT glows at the rear.

You can see some plastic residue laying on the chassis below the CRT in the pictures, and it looks like it came off a cover from around a copper coil(?) toward the back of the tube that has deteriorated. Forgive me as I'm not versed in the vernacular of all the various parts yet.

Kevin mentioned that all the set may need is to be recapped. I could see a couple of the old paper caps and they don't appear to have been replaced as part of the previous repair.

Would y'all agree that recapping the set should be the first step, or does that plastic residue indicate another problem?

Thanks!!

[Phil Nelson]

Before replacing caps, I usually do some preliminary inspection, cleanup, and tube testing/cleaning:

http://www.antiqueradio.org/FirstStepsInRestoration.htm

The following page lists articles about restoring various old B/W sets. None of them is exactly like yours, but if you skim a couple of the B/W articles, that should give you an idea what's usually involved in getting an old TV to work reliably:

http://www.antiqueradio.org/restoration.htm

Some plastic flaking off a coil doesn't seem like a big problem. If you have never restored a tube radio or TV before, consider practicing on a simple tube radio before tackling a TV.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

[Ncotham]

Funny you mention starting with an antique radio, Phil. The same couple also gave me an old RCA 9-X-571 radio that's not working.

Sorry about the earlier duplicate post, everyone - not sure how that happened. I hit the back button a couple times after the first post and somehow ended up with a duplicate.

[Phil Nelson]

The 9-X-571 is a much more appropriate beginner's project. This article has advice about recapping:

http://antiqueradio.org/recap.htm

Phil Nelson

[Kevin Kuehn]

Hey Neil, glad to hear you got yourselves and the set back home safe and sound. Sure was not the nicest weakend for TV retrieval.

Hard to tell from the photo where that black plastic came from.

Take your time and try to resist jumping into the TV restoration too fast. Good idea to tackle the radio first. Do you have any experience working on any type of electronics? Hopefully you have a digital or analog multi-meter for taking voltage and resistance measurements?