RCA CTC-16XL Suggestions/Tips

[Yamamaya42]

Originally Posted by Rocket

I may have found it or one of them. Takes about 15 minutes for it to warm up before it starts.

Killed the lights, could not see any arching or light peaking into the holes on the HV cage. Then I saw a decent sized blue arch coming from that big plastic cap of the HV regulator tube behind the HV cage. Got a picture of it even. it seemed a bit loose, so I cleaned up the cap and got it to fit snug. I no longer see the blue arch. I can still hear some hiss, not near as bad. I can't seem to find it or see it. I believe I am smelling that ozone smell, boy it kinda stinks.

I did notice that a 6BK4-C was installed so I tried the RCA 6BK4-B that I happened to have on hand and has the correct base on it. No change on that end, but it does glow a pretty cool green! Never seen a tube glow green before O.o

It's a bit late today for me so I am going to call it a night. Tomorrow I am going to look in the HV cage and take a closer look at that flyback and see if I can see anything, clean up that wax stuff on the top of that fb and see if I can figure a way to run this thing with that cage door open.

un related but interesting as I've been monitoring the current draw and when first turn on and its cold it hits about 320ma for a split second before it settles in around 197-201ma

6BK4C is a newer version with better voltage rating a radiation protection.
that "green glow" is x-ray radiation NOT SAFE, for long term exposure.

the wax in the top of the FB is a bit disturbing...
cant really understand how it can get in there.

"figure a way to run this thing with that cage door open. "
one COULD drill out the 2 rivets holding the socket assembly at the top, but then you would have to come up with a way to hold it in place with the tube in the correct position in the FB when testing... and WARNING,,,
Running like that is a grater x-ray hazard than peeking at the HV reg...