Tube Swapping - Advice and Support

ItsJustaGame

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I can't find a burn-free monitor in my area. Guys on the internet want a lot of money for their nice monitors. I have both a WGk4900 and a 4600 working chasis and monitor rigs and both have badly burned tubes. I've done my homework and found compatible 19" T.V.s.

I'm using this as a guide:

http://www.junknet.net/tube-swap-diy-part1

I'm a little scared of this. My first attempt.

Any last minute advice? Links to more reading I should do?

I'm planning on attempting this in the next few days.
 
Make sure you make a good HV discharging tool, and don't forget the ground to the neckboard.. EVER
 
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I got a Burn free Go7 tube for my Ghosts N Goblins Conversion. The original was burned pretty bad by Mr. Do's Castle.

When looking for a tube I always look to see the fat neck right before the Neck board. If the glass is kinda big and fat chances are it's a CR-23. That's the best your gonna have to go off of unless the seller will let you take back off the TV and measure the ohms on the yoke. That might be asking a bit much.

Like that guide said take a flashlight with ya so you can see inside the TV. Compare the model numbers with numbers on there even if they are off slighting you might want to get the set. They haven't figured out all the tubes so chances are you'll get a tube that'll work if it's close to the model number they state on the guide. In my case anyway it was.

I got a Hitachi TV set that the frame was made of wood. It's number was a little off from model number on the site. The site said you'd have to change the connector to the yoke and that's all I had to do on mine. The ohms were pretty close to the same as what was on that site.

I wouldn't try switching yokes if you can keep from it. I tried on my first tube swap attempt and I couldn't seem to get it to work. I'm gonna go back to it someday cause I got the picture just couldn't get the yoke aligned right though.

It's gonna be hard but try not to give the seller any info on why you want the tube or if you think it'll work. Soon as you do they'll jack the price up on you. I had a lady saying she consider an offer on 2 TV's for 15. Then few weeks later I came back and said I think one might work and how much she wanted for it then she was like 25 for that one. People are just throwing these things away I won't pay alot for a old 80's TV and it's always a gamble in the end.
 
Hit the local Salvation Army. I bought 10 19" tv TV's for like $2 a piece

I took the lazy way out and OHMed the yokes and found one that was VERY close to my 4900. I swapped the whole tube and yoke...and is it ever pretty!

Of course my camera sucks..there's a very slight convergence issue in the upper right hand corner that you probably wouldn't even notice if I didn't point it out
 

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Okay, I worked on this last couple of nights. Here's the report.

I went to the Goodwill stores and found two TVs that would work. Total cost: $17.95 plus tax.

I decided to give it a shot. I had the time to swap TWO tubes.

The ohms didn't even come close to matching, so I had to swap yokes, as well.

I marked everything, measured everything. Took great care with discharging the monitors. Took great care of keeping the rings aligned.

Followed the process. Double and triple checked all the grounding and wiring. Plugged them in. I then actually hid behind an old dresser when I flipped the switch on the power strip because I was scared of explosions. No, I seriously did that. :)

Results?

TWO PERFECT PICTURES. About an hour of adjustment (I had no idea what a horizontal width coil was) and my two "new" monitors make me very,very happy. :D

Had to shift the yokes a bit. Had to get them looking right, but they look GREAT and now I can play Bubbles without having to look at Berzerk burn-in.

Long story short, I will never have a problem with burned monitors again as long as I can buy old TV picture tubes. Every time I hit the thrift stores and the flea markets, I'm taking my tape measure, my flashlight, and my list of compatible picture tubes. I plan on fixing every bad monitor I own and buying at least five or six "back up tubes" if I can find them.

Another skill learned and another problem solved with help and support of KLOVers.

Thanks, guys.
 
Oh, and I wanted to tell this story ...

I walked into a TV repair shop that was selling old TVs for $5 each. I told the guy that I was planning on taking the tubes out and switching them over to arcade monitors.

He said (and I quote), "That's impossible. You'll never be able to do that. Those arcade monitors don't match. You're wasting your time. Impossible."

Older guy. Worked with TVs as his JOB.

Foolish mortal. Don't tell me what's impossible when I've already done it ... twice.
 
Oh, and I wanted to tell this story ...

I walked into a TV repair shop that was selling old TVs for $5 each. I told the guy that I was planning on taking the tubes out and switching them over to arcade monitors.

He said (and I quote), "That's impossible. You'll never be able to do that. Those arcade monitors don't match. You're wasting your time. Impossible."

Older guy. Worked with TVs as his JOB.

Foolish mortal. Don't tell me what's impossible when I've already done it ... twice.

Well, he apparently had never done it, and some have the attitude that if they don't know how to do something, it can't be done.

My dad went by a tv repair shop and inquired about old TVs, tubes, etc.. The guy wasn't real helpful, in that he didn't have tube tvs sitting around. My dad explained what it was I was doing and he said something like - well, why doesn't he just swap LCD screens in?
 
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