Movers to deliver my old 1950 Admiral TV tomorrow

[wa2ise]

Along with about 6 tons of other junk that's been in storage since 2001. I did a wax cap recap of the Admiral TV, but the electroytics were okay back in 2000. I suppose I should expect to re-reform the electroytics, as nearly 4 years of sitting idle might be too long?

[Chad Hauris]

I'd vote for new electrolytics! often times those old ones are hanging on by a shoestring if they are still working and time doesn't do them any favors. The short checker lamp would probably be a good way to test the set in a protected fashion. I don't believe in re-form for old electrolytics...if it's bad, high ESR or low capacitance replace it! and you'll be set for many more years of good performance. On something from the 50's I wouldn't even check the electrolytics, just replace.

[Bill Cahill]

I totally agree! I re-formed electrolytics in my 9T246, and they lasted exactly 2 weeks, then,"POP!". Then, a raster came on with smoke, smoke, smoke!!!!!! The acrid smell of burning carbon resistor isn't much fun.... Nasy old filters!!

"If it lights, and leaves you with a warm glow, it's tubes."

[wa2ise]

It's here, and the bakelite cabinet, at first glance, looks to be not broken, and the knobs are still present (I taped them down before it went into storage). I have to unpack some of my test equipment before I mess with this TV just yet. AES is in the next town north of here, so getting new caps should be that hard. Have to see what the specs are first.

[Bill Cahill]

Hi. What size is it? 10", or 12"? Does it have a power supply in bottom , or is it part of chassis?


"If it lights, and leaves you with a warm glow, it's tubes."

[wa2ise]

It's the one at the top of my web page http://www.geocities.com/wa2ise/radios/tv.html Power supply is part of the main chassis. Rectangular CRT. Think it's the 12 incher..

[Bill Cahill]

Nice site, nice tv. Your close-up picture looks best, Nice, sharp picture like I'd expect out of Admiral. Nice tv, and a little un-common, too. I'd re-cap it. Keeep it alive. Great little set!

[wa2ise]

I brought it up last night, it works except the horizontal frequency is wrong and I can't adjust it to correct it. I can get horizontal sync lock but I get multiple images across the CRT. The images are nearly the correct ratio of left-right and up-down (no badle squashed people) which means that I'm running at say 5/4 the correct frequency, or 3/4 or some such ratio. or 6/5ths. Looks like I'll have to remove the chassis and start checking resistors, caps and etc. I diddled with the adjustable coil in the back, not just the user horiz hold control. I do have the diagram. Could electroytics with bad ESR cause thus?

[Chad Hauris]

I wouldn't think electrolyitcs would cause this problem but you never know....would probably be good to replace them or check ESR...you want to remove all trouble spots that cause trouble due to aging such as bad electrolytics or weak tubes so you remove those from the trouble chain so to speak. How is your DC supply voltage to the horiz osc?

[Bill Cahill]

I urge you to unilaterally replace all paper capacitors. They are going to cost you alot of time, trouble, and headaches.... I also agree you should replace electrolytics, check resistors, etc. to make the set more reliable....Bill


"If it lights, and leaves you with a warm glow, it's tubes."

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by Bill Cahill

I urge you to unilaterally replace all paper capacitors. .

That's been done already, maybe I missed one, I'll have to take another look.
[QUOTE=Bill Cahill]
They are going to cost you alot of time, trouble, and headaches.... I also agree you should replace electrolytics, check resistors, etc. to make the set more reliable....[QUOTE]

As soon as I get unpacked. Like the DVMs, supply of parts, etc in a few out of about 200 boxes that just arrived... I feel confident that I'll find the problem, just a matter of getting set up.

[wa2ise]

Pulled the chassis last night. Messed with some of the adjustments, the horizontal phase adjustable coil semed to make the biggest diffeerence. I get a decently locked picture now, though somewhat jittery on weak signals and if the user horiz hold knob is turned to one end of its range. I have the diagram http://www.geocities.com/wa2ise/radios/tv.html or more directly http://www.geocities.com/wa2ise/radios/adm.gif but I need to find the rest of the Sam's or Beitman's for the horizontal circuits adjustments to get it more correct. In one of 200 unmarked moving boxes.....

[RetroHacker]

Originally Posted by wa2ise

In one of 200 unmarked moving boxes.....

Hehe, yeah, I've been there. When I moved, all the boxes were marked, but the movers didn't know what the hell 90% of the stuff was, so the markings weren't very helpful. I had boxes of "Records - 38's", "Steirio speakers", and forty cartons labelled "Computer" or "Comp.".

Dispite the mispellings, and somewhat offtopic, the move went very smoothly. Everything was packed carefully and extremely well, and the only casualties of the entire lot of stuff were an Apple Multiple Scan 15 computer monitor, and a plastic diskette storage box. The monitor probably wasn't anyone's fault, seeming as though that model seems to get exceptionally brittle with age. But, both items fall under the "I don't care" category, being mundane, insignifigant things. New World Van Lines rocks!

-Ian

[wa2ise]

Here's the Admiral playing the ball game. The horizontal isn't quite right yet, but watchable.