LyonsArcade
Well-known member
Hi guys;
I just bought a Sencore 161, it's an older one that came out before the 'big mack' series. I was able to wire up an adaptor no problem, but I'm having trouble understanding what's going on.
I've done 4 tubes.
The first one, after setting the heater voltage to 6.3v, and setting the gun balance up, the blue tested low, in the bad area. This machine has a 'bias' setting, which it says low equals 25 volts, normal equals 50v, and high equals 75v. I've been setting it on 'normal', not having the right setting for any of these tubes (I signed up at sencore.com but they haven't answered yet). The manual says this is the grid bias.
When I zapped the blue, I used "r1", they have three. R1 is the regular voltage +15 percent, r2 is +25 percent, and r3 is +35 percent. I've been using only r1 so I don't over do anything. The red and the green both tested 'good' on the meter, and after zapping, the blue tested good as well. Nothing tested with any shorts. I checked the color tracking, and it said it was bad, but all three guns said they were good. Monitor board works great and has been recapped, but still I get a bad picture. Way too dim.
After I put everything back together, the monitor looked about the same, really no better.
Tube #2, was on a U2000. Horribly dim, monitor has already been rebuilt. I tested it, none of the guns said they were 'bad'. I zapped all three with the r1, and when I put it back together, everything looked much brighter. Not perfect, but much better. When I checked the color tracking, it said it was bad. All three guns said they were good, though.
Tube #3, was another U2000 tube. I tested it, none of the guns said they were bad. image looked horrible, though. I zapped all three with the r1, then checked the color tracking. Still said all three guns were good, but the tracking was bad. Put it back together, the image still looked bad.
Tube #4, was a K7000 tube, with no red. I tested it, and the 'red' was in the questionable area. Zapped it with r1, the green, and the blue, and the red fell into the 'bad' area. tested the color tracking, tested bad. Hooked everything back up, and the monitor has a nearly perfect picture now.
So my thing is, what the hell is with the color tracking? I can't get ANY tube to tell me that the color tracking is good, and when the guns are said to be bad, sometimes they look good, and when they say they're good, sometimes they look bad. It's as if the meter is useless and you get the best picture by just zapping each gun with the r1. I haven't tried the r2 or 3 yet.
Anybody have any experience with this model? I have a heathkit coming as well I'm going to experiment with.
I just bought a Sencore 161, it's an older one that came out before the 'big mack' series. I was able to wire up an adaptor no problem, but I'm having trouble understanding what's going on.
I've done 4 tubes.
The first one, after setting the heater voltage to 6.3v, and setting the gun balance up, the blue tested low, in the bad area. This machine has a 'bias' setting, which it says low equals 25 volts, normal equals 50v, and high equals 75v. I've been setting it on 'normal', not having the right setting for any of these tubes (I signed up at sencore.com but they haven't answered yet). The manual says this is the grid bias.
When I zapped the blue, I used "r1", they have three. R1 is the regular voltage +15 percent, r2 is +25 percent, and r3 is +35 percent. I've been using only r1 so I don't over do anything. The red and the green both tested 'good' on the meter, and after zapping, the blue tested good as well. Nothing tested with any shorts. I checked the color tracking, and it said it was bad, but all three guns said they were good. Monitor board works great and has been recapped, but still I get a bad picture. Way too dim.
After I put everything back together, the monitor looked about the same, really no better.
Tube #2, was on a U2000. Horribly dim, monitor has already been rebuilt. I tested it, none of the guns said they were 'bad'. I zapped all three with the r1, and when I put it back together, everything looked much brighter. Not perfect, but much better. When I checked the color tracking, it said it was bad. All three guns said they were good, though.
Tube #3, was another U2000 tube. I tested it, none of the guns said they were bad. image looked horrible, though. I zapped all three with the r1, then checked the color tracking. Still said all three guns were good, but the tracking was bad. Put it back together, the image still looked bad.
Tube #4, was a K7000 tube, with no red. I tested it, and the 'red' was in the questionable area. Zapped it with r1, the green, and the blue, and the red fell into the 'bad' area. tested the color tracking, tested bad. Hooked everything back up, and the monitor has a nearly perfect picture now.
So my thing is, what the hell is with the color tracking? I can't get ANY tube to tell me that the color tracking is good, and when the guns are said to be bad, sometimes they look good, and when they say they're good, sometimes they look bad. It's as if the meter is useless and you get the best picture by just zapping each gun with the r1. I haven't tried the r2 or 3 yet.
Anybody have any experience with this model? I have a heathkit coming as well I'm going to experiment with.