Beautiful - RCA Victor 621TS

[M3-SRT8]

Originally Posted by Username1

So you think that is a low hour set, or NOS never really used....?

Looks low hour. And the latest tube date code is 6-30

Where is the date code on the CRT?

[Nuke]

Should be on the base somewhere. I'd have to look at mine. This is a nice one. Bet you paid 4 figures. If not - what a deal.

[M3-SRT8]

Not.

[vts1134]

Originally Posted by M3-SRT8

It appears completely original.

The Tuner tubes are dated 3-43. The earliest 1946 tubes are dated 6-17. The 5U4 is missing.

The cad plated chassis is well preserved under all that dust.

All caps and resistors appear ex-factory.

Ever give a second thought about keeping it in its completely original condition? Relatively speaking "restored" "working" 621ts' are a dime a dozen, but examples as original as the one you currently have are probably quite rare, and getting rarer every day.

[ChuckA]

Originally Posted by M3-SRT8

It appears completely original.
The Tuner tubes are dated 3-43. The earliest 1946 tubes are dated 6-17. The 5U4 is missing.

RCA changed to a year-week code in 1946 so 6-17 is 17th week of 1946, if there is a dash it's an OEM tube, no dash it's a replacement tube.

Before that the code was a letter (Year) number (Month pair) combination, U=1937, F=1946; 1=Jan/Feb, 6=Nov/Dec, so 3-43 isn't an RCA date code.

In 1956 they changed again to the RMA-EIA code format YY-WW.

Chuck

[M3-SRT8]

The latest tubes are 6SN7s, all dated 6-30, with a dash. All the tubes have dashes.

I haven't ventured inside the HV cage yet.

Soooo...6-30 is Mid-August. The sound discriminator is a 6AT6. An early production 621TS. Say, September 1946?

[M3-SRT8]

Taking inventory and testing components. Cleaning and checking as I go.

All the ww resistors in the HV Cage and the bleeder resistors are fine. I checked the flyback for resistance and it is fine.

All the tubes test very good to excellent. Since all but four tubes are as the tv left the factory, I find that remarkable.

The only tubes, in fact, the only components that are not ex-factory are the 6BG6-G, 5V4-G, 5U4-G, and one of the 6SN7s.

[M3-SRT8]

Checked all the transformers for resistance, and they're all fine.

Did a partial recap. Restuffed and replaced 17 out of 27 tubulars. They are the new looking caps at the right of the picture. I replaced them exactly as before, duplicating the factory positions.

On a lark, I plugged it into the variac and brought the a.c. up slowly. At 100 volts I tested the second anode and it read 7kV.

That's good enough for tonight.

[Sandy G]

You're doing the Right Thing... A set THAT good deserves a chance to "Live" again.... It will likely "Wow !" as many, if not MORE people now & in the future as it did in 1946...

[kvflyer]

Originally Posted by M3-SRT8

...

Did a partial recap. Restuffed and replaced 17 out of 27 tubulars. They are the new looking caps at the right of the picture. I replaced them exactly as before, duplicating the factory positions.

...

Looks good as usual! What do you use to seal the ends of the capacitors after you "stuff" them. I have not been happy with what I have found so far. A good sealing wax may be the ticket but I have only found a kinda hot glue and I am not satisfied with the color.

Thanks for sharing and good luck today!

[M3-SRT8]

So far, this is boiling down to a glorified recap. Strip away all the fancy re stuffing of cardboard capacitors, quick resistance checks, and this is a pretty simple restoration.

I'm using clear hot glue and dark amber colored beeswax on the caps.

Only a few more tubulars to go, under the video IF sections.

It appears the ion trap magnet assembly was replaced, with a stock RCA unit. Lead number 2 was disconnected. I don't know why it was left hanging...

I briefly power up the unit every three or four cabs replaced. Last test at 110 volts yielded a full 8 kilovolts at the second anode connection. Looks pretty healthy.

The original electrolytics are still on the chassis. I'm saving them for last. I'm only powering up the chassis briefly, so as to not endanger anything.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Very nice acquisition, Lee. Since this is a walnut version, are the center trim pieces and left and right stripes lighter in color than the knobs? That seems to be the one way I can tell a walnut set from a mahogany one.

[TVTim]

Great find. Even 70 year old dust!

Can't wait to see photos of it up and running.

[M3-SRT8]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

Very nice acquisition, Lee. Since this is a walnut version, are the center trim pieces and left and right stripes lighter in color than the knobs? That seems to be the one way I can tell a walnut set from a mahogany one.

They are about the same tone.

[M3-SRT8]

Oops. My error. The sound discriminator is a 6AT6. Original tube.