1983 zenith television fried -"help"

UNCLEBUCK · March 09, 2006, 08:59:18 PM

Yep my big tv with the wheels and wooden cabinet made a buzzing sound and died. Pulled the back off and found 2 fuses to replace and shoved them in and it will come on and the digital channel display will work but nothing on the tv screen . Anybody know? Is it dangerous to try and repair this myself ? I want to but maybe after someone clues me in I might not ! Thank you

WeeksvilleWoodWorx · March 09, 2006, 09:04:00 PM

After 23 years I think I might look for a replacement :D :D

They are cheaper now, really! ;) 8)

UNCLEBUCK · March 09, 2006, 09:06:52 PM

Yeah someone told me that yesterday but I'm goofy that way , I will make something work until I finally toss in the towel . Thats what bothers me the most is when I say its fried I have no idea what is fried . Looks like another job for my trusty bfh :D

beenthere · March 09, 2006, 09:09:20 PM

There is some high voltage stuff stored up back there, that I would be very cautious about. Those who know about it, know what not to touch, or how to discharge it to zero. Give yourself a break and get a new one if possible. 22+ years is a long time. There was a reason the fuses blew, and finding that reason sometimes puts even those who know to the test. My TV repairman last time said "I can't charge you for the time I have to put in to locate the problem, as it usually exceeds the cost of new". Apparently getting schematics is tough, and tracing the innards is also tough. More 'throw-it-away' society.

UNCLEBUCK · March 09, 2006, 09:14:46 PM

10-4 beenthere , thats what I needed to hear , so consider this tv done ! End of thread and thank you for saving my life ! I think youve done that a couple times now :D Harold saved my life once when I wanted to weld a barrel . 8)

wiam · March 09, 2006, 09:51:20 PM

Unclebuck I would like to see pics during/after bfh :D

Will

Tom · March 09, 2006, 09:55:58 PM

Some of those old TV's had some pretty classy cabinets and have been recycled into all kinds of neat furniture.

Jeff · March 09, 2006, 10:00:59 PM

I've seen a couple turned into fish tanks. Speaking of which, fish tanks I mean, does anyone know of a source for an acrylic cylinder? I want to make a tank that can fit in a hollow log with a portion of the side of the log cut away to expose the tank.

UNCLEBUCK · March 09, 2006, 10:47:51 PM

My local pool hall had a huge fish tank with fancy fish and a unknown biker put a bag of small bullheads in it and they ate all the other fish . What a sicko ! I will look for this acrylic tube Jeff , I am thinking milking/dairy parlor maybe . Sounds like a good idea !

wiam the old bfh gets to stay in its secret location for now :D

Youre right Tom , this old box sure looks nice still . Thats a good idea but now I am afraid to put the screws back on the cover :D

WeeksvilleWoodWorx · March 09, 2006, 11:39:13 PM

GREAT idea Jeff!

This place is awesome! 8) 8)

Tell a guy to trash his TV and get a tip on a new product to make out of a scrap!

highpockets · March 10, 2006, 06:00:53 AM

My wife's uncle says that one can cure most any problem if he will beat it to death with money. That is the question, is it as important as say a good wife, or maybe a sawmill ?

SwampDonkey · March 10, 2006, 06:13:07 AM

$97.98 at the local Wal-Mart for 29 inch TV. ;D

Patty · March 10, 2006, 07:46:59 AM

Buck you need one of those fancy 63" plasma tv's to hang on the wall. Right over the old cabinet/aquariam you are going to build. ;)

sawguy21 · March 11, 2006, 10:16:36 AM

Patty, I hope his living room is big enough that he can sit where he can see it clearly. I don't like those things. Only useful in a large bar.

Corbo223 · March 12, 2006, 09:02:01 PM

Uncle Buck, theres a time in our lives when we have to just let go...and i think you can go to wal-mart and buy a T V for what it will cost to repair it.I'am no tv repairman but i had a old Zenith " HUGH " mother, and took it down to the local repairman to fix the tube and the the guy had the balls to laugh at me."it was top of the line in the earily 80's and was what my mom left me when she went to heaven.So..in not so many wasted words lett her go and get a new one....P. S. paint a RED bull on the screen and at 100yrds it makes a great stress reducer

Dale Hatfield · March 12, 2006, 11:02:13 PM

Just as well ya buy a new one.
It seams that by 2009 that all analog tranmission of tv will be stopped. When It stops im not sure the old girls tuner would process the new signal without a add on box . Looks like ya might want to find one that has HD TV tuner built in.

Dale

SwampDonkey · March 13, 2006, 06:54:34 AM

They talk that line, but I think the regular analog tv will be around for awhile. Here in New Brunswick, I've never heard anyone say the analog signal was going to be carte blanche in 2009. We usually follow the neighbors to the south. ;)

etat · March 13, 2006, 09:49:16 AM

My mom and dad had a older TV with a really nice case that went kaput. They didn't want to scrap the whole outfit so I took the guts out of it, bought a new TV with a screen about the right size and with just a little bit of work fitted the new TV inside the old case. It made them very happy it did and heck, I was kinda proud of myself too.

rebocardo · March 13, 2006, 08:22:59 PM

> I've never heard anyone say the analog signal was going to be carte blanche in 2009

Analog is going away in the USA, though they will be offering converter boxes for a while. It is so it frees up some of the spectrum for other devices such as cell phones.

FWIW: If you checked the fuses they probably led back to the flyback transformer. Usually they go bad or the solder connection goes bad. Either way, I would not work around older sets without wearing safety GOOGLES.

The other thing to check would be the switch for the tuner and the on/off button. They have a finite life span, especially without a remote ;)

Den Socling · March 14, 2006, 05:55:51 PM

hey have I got the TV for you! :D

She's got a classy chassis, multiple remotes and the original sales receipt is in a plastic bag with the owners manual hanging on the back.

COLORED AND STEEREEO! Everything included (except free shipping) for just one payment of nutin' :D

Now how do I get that relic to MN?

UNCLEBUCK · March 14, 2006, 07:29:45 PM

Hey thanks for the tips and ideas everybody and the t.v. Den S . , I didnt use my Big Forum Hammer on the old zenith and I just rolled it into a corner . Had alot of stuff stacked on top of it so I can see that new tv's need a entertainment center for everything unlike the big old cabinet style . I always wondered why entertainment centers were such a big deal but I now understand .

I am still looking for a acrylic tube Jeff so if I come across one I will let ya know !

BFH = Big Forum Hammer ! ;D

Remember the tv on the Flinstones ? Thats what I thought about when C said he stuck another tv inside of his folks tv :D

Patty · March 15, 2006, 06:42:41 AM

I'm tellin' ya Buck, think 63" plasma! You'll be the most popular uncle on the farm with one of them. Just like going to the movie theatre in your own living room! 8)