Late 60's Admiral Rescued from Landfill

[classicradios]

Here's my first Vintage Color TV set rescued from a curb in the neighborhood. It's a 25" Admiral color TV Model LH5541. It's listed in Sam's folder 844-1 which dates the first run to 1966. I brought the TV up slow with my Variac and got really good sound with no hum, The picture locked in but the color is mostly red hues. Adjustments alow the picture to go from grayish green to red. Any thoughts on this set? Up until now I've only collected 40's-50's B/W sets.

Jim

[Carmine]

Hi, I'm no expert like many on the list, but the first thing I'd do is some gray-scale adjustments to get the color closer to normal.

On the back of the set you should find some adjustments labeled as "screen" and "drive" controls. Screen controls (2) will be labeled blue & green, and drive controls (3) will red, blue & green. On a Zenith, these control pots are made from Red/Green/Blue plastic.. probably the same here.

Adjust the set for normal brightness/contrast. Tint/Color settings are irrelevant without a video signal, but you might as well adjust them to mid-scale. Select a blank channel (so that signals don't affect what shows on the screen). Then reduce all five controls to their minimum settings. This will give you a dark screen.

Starting with the red drive control, increase the adjustment until you get a raster made from of red, of acceptable brightness. Then turn up the green, to get yellow. Finally add blue until the screen looks as close to white as possible.

This is the quick way to balance the output of the three electron guns inside the tube (balanced meaning the ablity to produce white). The challenge becomes the fact that your CRT probably has some miles on it, and not all of the guns will have equal performance. The red gun usually needs to be driven the hardest, as red is the least efficient type of phospher (sp?). This is the reason for the adjustments.

The blue/green screen controls are used as a method of fine-tuning... If you have decent color picture, but flesh tones are too red/green, you can try to cancel them with the screen controls. If you can get a decent white (actully gray) picture using the above method, forget about the screen controls for now and leave them turned down.

BTW, thats a good looking set. You really got lucky to find one that close to working condition in the trash.

Where are you in Michigan?

[drh4683]

Looks nice! An admiral color console is a very rare find. Im glad you were able to save it! You would be surprised how far testing and replacing tubes will go in an old color tv. If you've got any of those 6GH8(A) tube, go ahead and replace all of them. 99% of the time they will have poor emission if not, poor life test. I would replace them just skipping the tester. Should tubes be ok and grey scale alignment not help, set you tint control in the center. Then, locate your reactance coil (via schematic) and adjust for a normal skin tone. You will need a plastic hex tool to touch up the slug.
NICE SET! Keep it alive!!!!!!!!!!!

[classicradios]

Thanks for all the tips,
I don't plan on keeping or working on this set. I just don't have the space at the moment. I picked it up to save it from trash pick up in the morning. I know someone would like to have it. I emailed captainmoody, If he doesn't want it it's free to anyone who wants to come pick it up in Troy, MI. Nice TV with a solid cabinet, The finish is tired and faded in areas. The original back is there. Someday I'll make room for a color "Roundie" TV. I just finished restoring a 1938 Seeburg Jukebox and that took up the last available corner in the house. So, Who wants this TV?

Jim

[kc8adu]

looks like a good setup will cure most of its ills.
i have the 19 in table set like it.gotta swap the jug though.dead as hell.
btw where is troy mi?
i might be able to come after it.

[classicradios]

Troy, MI is about 20 miles north of Detroit.

[drh4683]

Im interested! Perhaps captianmoody can hold onto it as Im good friends with him. Admirals are a tough one to come by. Dont have any in the collection and would like to try to fit one in! Were you able to get ahold of captian?

[kc8adu]

Originally posted by kc8adu
looks like a good setup will cure most of its ills.
i have the 19 in table set like it.gotta swap the jug though.dead as hell.
btw where is troy mi?
i might be able to come after it.

might be a nice side trip after findlay next month.

[classicradios]

Captainmoody did want the TV. If I find anymore of these type sets in the trash I'll be sure to grab them. I know They'll find a good home thru this forum.
Jim