I found this set on the curb, need a tube and info - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Aperna1985 · #1 02-18-2026, 09:15 PM

Hey guys I was driving home from work today and I felt bad leaving this on the curb. It's got real wood on the sides of the cabinet with a platic face and it's in Immaculate condition they were throwing it out, it was in an abandoned house that nobody had lived in for over 35 years. Unfortunately they knecked the set on the way out. The picture tube is a Zenith 25Vamp22, what picture tubes can I replace it with? I'd hate to see this thing end up a cat bed or something. I already checked ETF and they don't have that tube but I'm hoping one of the other ones they list might work? I like the style of the TV and that's what made me stop and grab it. The guy that was doing the demolition of the house actually helped me load it into my truck and he couldn't believe that somebody wanted it.

N2IXK · #2 02-19-2026, 10:42 AM

Pretty much any of the 25V-series delta gun tubes will work electrically. Mechanically you may need to worry about mounting lugs and overall length.

Aperna1985 · #3 02-19-2026, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2IXK

Pretty much any of the 25V-series delta gun tubes will work electrically. Mechanically you may need to worry about mounting lugs and overall length.

Thank you, I was looking at ETF they have a bunch of 25 V tubes, but for whatever reason they're really hard to find specs on. I'm surprised how much easier it is to find info on black and white tubes . Would you know if any of these are what I need?
25VBEP22
25VCXP22
25VDRP22
25VDXP22
25VEMP22
25VEQP22
25VFQP22
25VERP22
25VHTP22

Electronic M · #4 02-19-2026, 06:24 PM

My 1977 Sam's tube sub book lists under 25VAMP22, 25VABP22, VALP*, VCKP, VDAP, VDEP, VDXP as subs, I stopped typing repeating numbers.
*=parallel heater circuits only.

Aperna1985 · #5 02-19-2026, 07:47 PM

Thanks tom. It looks like I'm striking out with the set. I'm going to try looking for a little while and then maybe just part it out unfortunately. I wish I had somewhere to keep it until I found another tube

Aperna1985 · #6 02-19-2026, 07:55 PM

It's really bugging me to even think that way. How would we know if any of these tubes that are available are the same but just have different mounting tabs or something like that where I can make them work?

Electronic M · #7 02-20-2026, 08:41 AM

Well the 25VDXP22 the ETF has is listed in those sub numbers I posted... You could get that tube.

Typically Zenith CRT mounts are a basket that exposes the viewable phosphor area rigidly holds the face and sides of the tube and has a flexible shield that wraps the bell. If there's no ears tension banded to the bell it should fit without modification. A safety glass or tension band type without ears should fit.

My first color set with tubes was a 12B13C52. I ran that thing daily for 15 years and it was a pretty good performing, reliable set that I still have. These are worth fixing IMO. I'm going to see what I have spares wise tonight. The ETF is another valid option.
If there's any Chromacolor II 25V sets near you one of those tubes would probably work too.

ARC Tech-109 · #8 02-20-2026, 11:46 PM

Nice find

Aperna1985 · #9 02-21-2026, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electronic M

Well the 25VDXP22 the ETF has is listed in those sub numbers I posted... You could get that tube.

Typically Zenith CRT mounts are a basket that exposes the viewable phosphor area rigidly holds the face and sides of the tube and has a flexible shield that wraps the bell. If there's no ears tension banded to the bell it should fit without modification. A safety glass or tension band type without ears should fit.

My first color set with tubes was a 12B13C52. I ran that thing daily for 15 years and it was a pretty good performing, reliable set that I still have. These are worth fixing IMO. I'm going to see what I have spares wise tonight. The ETF is another valid option.
If there's any Chromacolor II 25V sets near you one of those tubes would probably work too.

Thank you I didn't catch the 25VDXP22

Electronic M · #10 02-21-2026, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aperna1985

Thank you I didn't catch the 25VDXP22

You're welcome.

I checked my inventory I only have one Zenith 25V tube that I'd prefer to hang onto. If the ETFs tube doesn't work out I could sell mine, but since I have regular use sets it fits it won't be cheap.

Aperna1985 · #11 02-27-2026, 09:34 AM

So I decided before I blow $200 on a tube, I want to check out the chassis. I hooked it up to my test jig and let it sit on a dim bulb for a while to hopefully reform the filters. After wards I brought it up. I'm only getting 1 green line on the screen, if I flip the service switch up and down quickly I see 3 colored lines all converging into a white line for a split second. In service mode there's nothing on the screen at all. Is the green line the same as getting a white line on a black and white set indicating vertical collapse?

Electronic M · #12 02-27-2026, 01:31 PM

It sounds like the bias between your test jig tube and the one the chassis is set up for is different (not surprising).

On a color set with correctly set bias pots for the CRT in it you should get full screen raster in normal mode and in service mode a horizontal white line (good convergence) or 2-3 colored lines (bad convergence).

If you get the line in normal mode the vertical isn't sweeping for some reason (could be the service switch or any of the things you'd expect on a monochrome TV).

Aperna1985 · #13 02-27-2026, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electronic M

It sounds like the bias between your test jig tube and the one the chassis is set up for is different (not surprising).

On a color set with correctly set bias pots for the CRT in it you should get full screen raster in normal mode and in service mode a horizontal white line (good convergence) or 2-3 colored lines (bad convergence).

If you get the line in normal mode the vertical isn't sweeping for some reason (could be the service switch or any of the things you'd expect on a monochrome TV).

Is this one of the Zenith sets that's known for the vertical transformer failing? It looks very little hours inside it's probably one of the cleanest chassis I've ever seen. And the guns that were left from the original CRT are actually still shiny silver. There's only one changed vacuum tube in it, but I do see a piece of masking tape with the previous owner's name on it so it has been serviced at least once. Maybe that's why it's so clean I'm not sure.

Electronic M · #14 02-27-2026, 11:04 PM

I thought that was only roundys. I parted out the previous year version of that chassis (flyback burned up, and the cabinet was trashed from water damage).
If you can prove it's shot I'll try and dig that transformer up.

Aperna1985 · #15 03-01-2026, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electronic M

I thought that was only roundys. I parted out the previous year version of that chassis (flyback burned up, and the cabinet was trashed from water damage).
If you can prove it's shot I'll try and dig that transformer up.

I'm not saying it's definitely burned up. I'm just asking. I haven't really gotten into this set yet, and I'm trying to be careful because I don't really know how it failed, if it had failed at all. It may have been working and they just stopped using it.

More than anything I'm just trying not to spend money on a tube, but then find out I can't fix the chassis.