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52" RCA Rear Proj. TV arcing

P

ponjica

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have a 1997 52" rear projectionT.V. We had a thunderstorm while the t
was on and I heard what sounded like arcing.So I opened it up an
everytime I press the power button i see an arc of electricity comin
from one of the components. The component has five red wires runnin
into it and is attached directly to the chassis. Can anyone help m
find this part or at least the name of it? The tv model number i
P52754AT
 
What's more you can't get them OEM anymore. You are going to have to
get it from Asti Magnetics, and they are not cheap. Also they are
aftermarket and installation is problematic, and if not done right can
blow the new part.

This is one of those cases where you might be better off going to a
competent independent shop. They are out there. Maybe walk in the door
and ask them, give them the model number and just say straight out "Can
you get the HV block for this".

On that set, I can give you a killer tip that won't hurt the business.
Save a bunch of money.

If you look carefully you will see that you can take the entire works
out of that thing in a convenient box. You unplug the keyboard and
speakers and take out four screws. Any shop should cut you a break. We
don't want to be responsible for your screen, finish and the wheels
that break all too often in transport.

They may insist that you do pay for one service call so a tech can
reinstall it and touch up the alignment etc. Also, we have a special
cleaner for the mirror in those sets because they are the stretched
mylar type. Very delicate.

Tell you this also, in my position, top tech pulling down top buck I do
not clean mylar mirrors. I REFUSE. That has been agreed since I started
this job a couple years ago. They are too delicate, and cost alot to
replace. The damn thing is only worth about $10 but they want hundreds.
Nobody else in the shop will touch them either, we make the owner of
the company do it, really. I am not kidding.

If you decide to pull the box, be very careful, don't rip the wires off
of your speakers or keyboard. I do it in five seconds because I've done
it hundreds of times. Also, they do not need your speakers or keyboard.
If the sound was OK all they have to do is make it run and check for
the usual upcoming faults. The remote reciever remains mounted at the
top of the box so they can turn it on and control it.

When you pay that money for the guy to install the box, it is more than
just plugging it in and screwing it down. Generall I check the
convergence and the control range on the crosshairs. When installed at
the final location and orientation I center the range on the crosshairs
and converge with the neck magnets, this makes the convergence outputs
run cooler. Usually have to touch up some edge convergence here and
there. Make sure the optical focus is correct. Grey scale. Things like
that.

There are also three caps that need to be changed in the power supply.
We have decided to always change them. There are two near the SMPS IC
and a 39uF towards the chopper itself. The 39uF MUST be changed if it
is original. Most of the time they will put a 47 in, which is fine.
Also the main 143V filter should be scoped and if there is excessive
ripple it should be changed now.

You see, you can see the apparent problem, sure. But you can't really
see the entire job. Like looking for cracks in the FCB (the 204809). If
the shop doesn't do all this, no matter how perfect the job of
replacing the 205064, when you see a TV not working a couple months
down the road, what you see is a non-working TV, whatever the reason.

Tell you this much, when the PTK/CTC169s came out I was not all that
happy with them. Sticking with that chassis for a while and there
market share resulted in techs getting used to servicing them. Now they
are praised because we have seen the new stuff. We know the ins and
outs, we know what goes bad.

As long as you are happy with it, keep it. I think those are one of the
last half decent bigscreens that came out, longevity wise. Also, the
true life of a bigscreen is set by the life of the tubes, and these
things are solid as a rock, characteristically. I have been working on
them since they came out, and the only CRT I have ever had to change in
one was due to focus leakage. That is very rare. And I am sure I have
fixed over 1,000 of them, and I mean different units. Not recalls.

If you're not a pro, or don't want to learn the whole damnthing, in the
yellow pages look for the small ads under TV shops. Perhaps visit them.
Ask them straight out if they still service RCA CTC169s, if they yell
to the back and get a reply "hell yes, they were the best thing
designed in decades", you may be onto something.

When the bill is $200 don't think it is high. They have to look for
coolant, check the bellows and maybe even bleed one or more of the
coolant chambers. Messy job but.....if not done you can have really bad
problems. Even if the bill is $300, so be it, as long as it is done
right. I know a company that will actually still sell service contracts
on these sets. Despite their age.

So, as long as you are happy with it, try to keep it. When you get a
bug up your ass for an HDTV, well, it will probably still be running.
As long as it is fixed right this time.

JURB
 
205064 HV Divider available from Union Electronics These are genuine
RCA Parts & install easily I don't recomend after market (generics )
unless can not find origonal. Charles Grob Grob TV ( If you like
I 'll email their Email address to you)
 
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