Wanting to clarify the theory of tube swapping...

TheDrewster

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So I just recently performed my second successful tube swap and it got me thinking...

The original tube I started with was a G-A63ADG25X, a 25" tube from a K7000. After scouting for tubes, I came across a G-A63ADG27X, which was a 25" tube from a Sanyo TV. The pinout and key on the neck were the same, and although I was unsure about using a slightly different tube number, given the close similarities I tried it anyway. Sure enough it worked just fine.

So I guess what I want to clarify is, will a tube swap be successful as long as you match tubes with like keys, such as a CR23 to a CR23, etc, or are there other factors to consider?
 
Usually if the neck pinout is the same, it will work. The problem comes when you get some tubes that are deep and others are shallow. This causes the yoke not to sit properly and causes degauss problems.

If you check the "K4900 swap" thread here, you'll see another issue I just had - the TV tube had a bonded yoke, so it could not be removed. Luckily I was able to make it work with a K4600, and I'll use the TV tube I had with that chassis (who's yoke CAN be removed) for the med-res project I'm working.

Another issue I had with that tube was that the mounting tabs were slightly smaller, so they didn't reach all four mounting holes of the frame. I ended up putting the two bolts in the top, and did some McGruber work to secure the bottom...
 
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