component layout helped preserve the tube based color sets

[oldtvman]

After servicing these beasts for a long time, one thing is crystal clear. THE fact that Zenith put all the vacuum tubes on the top of the chassis,helped save the passive components from direct exposure to the heat generated by tubes.

AS compared to the RCA and others like them, the fact that active and passive components accelerated heat wear on the board the components and the wiring.

[Electronic M]

Yeah, the only time I ever saw a orange drop that was badly leaky AND cracking it was against the side of a tube on a CTC-15.

Zenith also tended to select higher quality components, and design their circuits to better tolerate leakage, etc.

Packard Bell had a similar construction to Zenith only they had upright chassis so better air flow was possible (granted the stuff at the top of the chassis would be hotter), and in combos you could hinge it open and service without calling superman in to help turn the cabinet on its side.

Setchell Carlson also had an interesting design with a modular chassis that had good ventilation...They seemed to be good reliable sets ignoring the axial 100uF 450V caps that don't last all that well compared to FP cans.

[zeno]

Yup tubes & PCB's do not mix. All those parts out in the air, PWR
resistors strapped to the steel chassis. Solder pots that dont go cold
( only the grounds ). And I loved that hookup wire. Braided & tinned
a rubber insulation all wrapped in a fine cloth in any color.
Pretty amazing they could do it & compete with RCA, a much cheaper
set to build.

73 Zeno
LFOD !

[reeferman]

Agreed, but those RCA's burned terminal strips, heat damage components, etc. sure put a lot of bread on the table.

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by reeferman

Agreed, but those RCA's burned terminal strips, heat damage components, etc. sure put a lot of bread on the table.

Yes indeed, RCA and GE kept us busy so we learned all the trouble spots and had to get real fast at it too.

[zeno]

Originally Posted by reeferman

Agreed, but those RCA's burned terminal strips, heat damage components, etc. sure put a lot of bread on the table.

We used to bitch about some sets BUT they were what put beer in the fridge
& T-bones on the BBQ By the 80's tubes were gone but there were
always sets with common mistakes that kept us going. REAL easy
gravy jobs mostly

73 Zeno
LFOD !