RCA CTC-5 "Wescott" restoration
 

Found this RCA model 21-CT-7857 from 1956 at an estate sale. Perched up on the 3rd shelf about 7 feet off the ground!

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Getting it down was an interesting challenge!

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Big thanks to Doug for helping out
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Safe and sound back at my place. Also, grabbed a blonde Zenith porthole.
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Looked around but could not find the legs.

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First peek inside. The 21AXP22 is a replacement and dated mid 1963.
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Just tested the CRT and am happy to say it tests like new! Excellent emissions on all guns and needle does not budge under life test.

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Shiny getter.
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Peek inside the HV box.
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Won't be getting to it for a while, but it looks very promising

Congratulations. It should be interesting as you work through the set. This model is in Elvis Presley’s piano room at Graceland.

Is that radio console next to it a Capehart turnover changer console?

No idea - I couldn't reach it

We have legs. Found some NOS on eBay. Not quite the same as the originals, but they'll do.
A small step in the project, but it's sure nice to get off the ground.
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Finally got this set inside with a little help.
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Chassis is filthy but all there. I only spotted two old repairs done from the topside.
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The circuit board are wire-wrapped (with some soldered) on the underside and cannot be easily removed.

So, I'll do my best to work on them in place with this massive chassis up on the workbench.

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Did a few clean test spots to see what I'm dealing with.
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The boards are so dirty I'm having trouble reading the component values and resistor stripes.
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So, I will try unmounting the boards. The unwrapping tool I use on Predictas also works with this set.
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Looks like RCA decided to save a few pennies and used a metal can crystal.
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I have a few glass types I've saved over the years. Ah, that's better.
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My CTC-7s and I believe my CTC-9s used glass crystals...Since it's socketed on the 5 it may have been replaced before. It's not uncommon for the crystal to fail on sets of this vintage.

I can't quite make it out...those metal crystals are stamped with their production date. Maybe '68? I think I've only had one set pass through my hands that still had glass.

3-56 and very likely original to the set. It's had very little servicing and all the tubes appear to be RCA branded

Lots of oddball values in this set like 0.0027 @ 1,600 volts. So I'll have to place an order before I can do much more.
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Cleaning certainly helps. Just warm water and Simple Green. Some residual wax remains from the old caps but I'm just going to leave it.
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Chassis is another matter. I'm using CLR to remove the rust and cadmium sulfide/oxide.
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1600V isn't super common but most color and some monochrome have one or 2 caps at 1k, 1600V, or 2kv. I used to stock a full spectrum of 630V and have a separate bin for 1-2KV caps, but lately on the the Panasonic red ceramic covered film caps I favor 1.6KV long leads have been cheaper than 630v if 630V is even still available....so much of my 630 stock has moved to being 1600v.
Stuff not from the 40s especially RCA some power of 10 x 27 is common. I typically stock .1, .12, .15, .22, .27, .33, .39, .47, .56, .68, .82 and 10x and 100x lower capacitance in film.
...gives me just about all capacitance values in the modern value system used in sets 1975 and older and better matches for the prewar system...some values rarely get used but that just means I only need 10 to restock every 3rd to 5th restock order.