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I'm a cheapskate!

6 years ago,on a whim,I fished a 12" Quasar TV out of a dumpster,took it home,replaced a bad power switch and put some screws in the case to hold the top when the plastic tabs that normally do that broke. It ran fine for 6 years,had a nice picture,then 2 weeks ago,there was a POP,a loud SHHHHHH,and lots of smoke.The raster was shrinking down and I hit the OFF switch. It was made in NOV 1986 according to a tag on the back.

I opened it up,looked for smoked parts and couldn't find any.There was a electrolytic cap next to the flyback that the heatshrink had shrunk and discolored,but it didn't look burnt.Then I thought,maybe the flyback itself went,and the SHHHH was the HV discharging thru the flyback. Ordered one and the cap from ACME here in Orlando,got it today and installed it. SUCCESS! Cost;$18.00 (here also was a blown 800ma 5mm fuse in the area of the switcher xstr.)

I examined the old flyback and it must have been "repaired" on the manufacturing line,as there was that red HV insulating paint right in the area where the arc discharged to the ferrite core,and I took the core out,and it was applied in 2 places,didn't look like a TV repairman job. It also looked like they didn't pot the coil properly.

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Jim Yanik
jyanik
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Jim Yanik
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Damn straight, Jim. That's the way to do it.

I fish junk out of the pile all the time, and either fix it or scavenge from it. Result: I have a junk box that wont' quit, and frequently build a new project or repair something someone wants to keep without paying for a damn thing. My Mother-in-Law and an old black friend of hers both think I'm made of magic. If I don't have it, I can frequently fabricate it. A pair of calipers and a box full of the right tools can do a lot with an empty tin can.

Thank you for the inspiring post. And don't let anyone tell you that whatever it is, it is a piece of junk. Half the world is made of junk.

Best to you...

Dave

Reply to
Dave

dumpster,took it

case to hold

ago,there was a

down and I

any.There was a

shrunk and

flyback itself

Ordered one and

it.

switcher xstr.)

the

right in the

the core

repairman job.

too bad you aren't near Jim, i had an old '94 DEC/DIGITAL VRC21-HA 21" flat, antiglare coated, monitor that had the R,G,B,Vr,Hdcomp BNCs on back plus the SVGA port.

had a great, bright display, (minimally used) and it started whistling (i was informed as i could not hear it) for about month and then one morning it was dead the power light was on but no activity. i thought it was probably something simple.

it was a monster as it weighed about 100 lbs... i could not find anyone interested in bringing it back to life , I was trying to give it away, woiuld you have saved it from the dumpster ?

everyone wants flat screen ... robb

Reply to
robb

I too collect - well am usually donated - lots of electronics - tvs, stereos, computers, you name it. I'm running out of room at the present so I quit collecting for now. But I either repair them OR scrap them for parts - also. When I get some spare time - and rummage through my old Electronics and Ham radio Magazines and find something I think is worth having - I'll use those parts to build it. OR - I'll bread board stuff - just to do it.

I've built some test equipment for the bench which didn't take a lot of time to create - but when used, it sure saved me a bunch of time. WELL worth the time to research and build the item. In those instances - using the "used" parts where the "newness" doesn't really matter - as long as they're in tolerance to do what is needed - they save me money and well - if experimenting and they should go poof - nothing lost.

I also bought out a closing RS store not too long ago. I've bought out Computer, TV, CB and 2 way shops and so on. Got lots of decent test equipment and parts - that way. Picked up 3 decent scopes for $25 a piece. I'm talking Dual Trace - 100 MHz or higher trace.

Reply to
radiosrfun

I used to, but then it got so that so much "junk" was offered to me that there was no point in trying to fish it out of the trash anymore. I wish I had a use for all the nice TVs I see get scrapped, that problem will be a heck of a lot worse in the next few years.

Reply to
James Sweet

"robb" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

I doubt I could lift it out of the dumpster.... :-)

well,I already have 3 analog TVs for a one bedroom apartment....

25" in the living room,,the 12" next to my PC in the dining room,and a 19" JVC in the bedroom that I repaired,had a bad cap in the vertical,caused foldover.

I don't think I can use anymore TVs..... :-)

When 2008 ends,I'm going to get converter boxes for the 25" and 12" TVs.

--
Jim Yanik
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Jim Yanik

:

Has anyone seen a convertor box? I haven't seen anything at my local big box stores. Also, when the coupons become available sometime next year, what do folks think will be the best strategy? Get one early, while they're available, or wait and get one later so that the guarantee (if any) runs longer.

Bob Hofmann

Reply to
hrhofmann

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