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Found the first major issue tonight. The 3.579 resonator in this set is in a tube envelope, and the tip is cracked off! I've never seen anything like this. Check out the pictures. The insides look a lot like a piezo element. But it must have been designed to be under vacuum. There is nothing else in there, not even a getter. It is labeled 3579545KC. I think the socket on the chassis is stamped XTAL93B34.
The shield for this 'tube' is missing. So I suspect that it has been broken for a long time. Has anyone seen something like this? If I can't find one, I'm hoping that a standard crystal can be placed under chassis. Who knows, maybe somebody has already done this.

Kurt,
The glass envelope on this crystal was used as a hermetic seal same as on a metal can crystal. The quartz element you see inside is the same as what you would find inside a metal can if you opened it. A standard HC18 metal crystal will work fine.

Most all early color sets had those, and they were soldered under the chassis. I may have some, but don't hold breath. It could be a decade of digging to find one :) But I'll keep an eye out. Meantime, I'd just put a blob of clear silicone over the broken off tip hole, and hope it didn't get dirty in there. Should be fine.

Charles

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telecolor 3007 (Post 2718044)

And it's a safe set, since it does have a transformer (so no live chassie!)

With 115v line voltage, you MUST use a transformer to generate the 250-300 volts B+ needed by a color set.

Our 230v line voltage allows us to generate the B+ with just a rectifier and a filter can, and that's one of the reasons why the live chassis technique is so popular in European sets.

Anyway, live chassis sets are safe to use, provided that the back panels, plastic head screws, correct knobs, antenna coupling capacitors etc are all in place and in good conditions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy (Post 2726640)

There were lots of live chassis tube color TVs made. They just used a voltage doubler to make up for the lower line voltage.

The General was known for those sets, I have a few and they work great.

It would be interesting to see a transformerless color set of this vintage. With as many tubes as this set has, it would probably require a couple of tube strings. Personally I'm always happiest when a set has a transformer, usually a sign they weren't trying to cheap it out.
I've started going through the tubes, making a list. The horiz. out (6CB5A) and focus regulator (6BK4) are still Admiral tubes. They are stamped 'Made in USA for Admiral by RCA'. It makes sense that this would be some sort of RCA reference design. But what is missing is all the RCA patent info.

I found the schematic for the Sentinel set mentioned and have been checking the tubes against it. The horiz / HV section match, probably no surprise there. But I'm seeing differences in the signal tubes. I like the theory of the original owner working for Admiral. I know that Admiral was in Chicago. Given how expensive these were new, and the modest house this came from, some inside Admiral connection makes sense. I’m really beginning to think this set was a prototype.

The 22" rectangular Westinghouse ca. 1957 was a live-chassis set.

http://www.earlytelevision.org/image...nghouse_22.jpg