CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[BFix]

So, first of all, I'm new to CRT projector's. I picked up an XG-1100 a few months ago since it was the right price and my digital laser projector died. I spent quite a while reading about CRT's and after quite a bit of playing with settings I got this one to a point where I was blown away with the quality of the image.

Anyway, after using this projector for about 2 days it stopped working. I've opened it up and when I turn it on I see arcing on the outside blue tube, between a spring and the casing of the tube.

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what I'd need to do to get this thing working again...

[Curt Palme]

The blue tube may be cracked worst case, or the HV lead is leaking.

Disconnect the red HV lead going to the blue tube at the HV splitter, and see if the green and red still work. I have spare HV leads (used), but check to see if the tube is cracked. Either you'll see the glass face of the tube cracked, or usually if the tube neck has snapped, it breaks where the neck of the tube flares out to the bell of the tube. Wiggle it gently. if the neck snaps off the tube neck, the tube is toast.

If so, there's a good chance your vertical board died, causing the blue tube to break. Did you have the blue tube die intermittently before the arcing started?

[Curt Palme]

The blue tube may be cracked worst case, or the HV lead is leaking.

Disconnect the red HV lead going to the blue tube at the HV splitter, and see if the green and red still work. I have spare HV leads (used), but check to see if the tube is cracked. Either you'll see the glass face of the tube cracked, or usually if the tube neck has snapped, it breaks where the neck of the tube flares out to the bell of the tube. Wiggle it gently. if the neck snaps off the tube neck, the tube is toast.

If so, there's a good chance your vertical board died, causing the blue tube to break. Did you have the blue tube die intermittently before the arcing started?

[CasetheCorvetteman]

You werent overshooting the tube faces were you?

[Curt Palme]

While we all warn about that, I'd say it's rare that an implosion will happen if you overshoot a bit. A leaky HV lead or bad V board is more likely IMHO. Unless someone is tweaking the internal master H width pot, a factory set XG is kinda hard to badly overshoot the tube face.

[Curt Palme]

While we all warn about that, I'd say it's rare that an implosion will happen if you overshoot a bit. A leaky HV lead or bad V board is more likely IMHO. Unless someone is tweaking the internal master H width pot, a factory set XG is kinda hard to badly overshoot the tube face.

[BFix]

The green and red do still work, and I can see that the blue tube is cracked. There are several cracks running through the back corners of the tube, to either side of where the HV lead connects.

I don't recall that the blue was intermittent before the arcing.

edit: I don't think I was overshooting the faces, though I guess I can't say for certain. The image being projected was a fair amount smaller than what I could have stretched it to through the settings.

[Curt Palme]

OK, Post in the buy/sell section if anyone has an XG blue. I probably do, but I'm still out of town for a month. An XG blue is the only tube that will work, the ones out of the earlier Pg and PG Xtra sets won't work.

I would HIGHLY recommend that I upgrade/repair your V board for $100 incl return shipping. Bad V boards are known to take out tubes, and it can happen very quickly. also, check the condition of your green tube, if it's badly worn, there's no sense sinking money into the tube or V board. I do have a very nice condition green tube as well, but it's going to be $300 or so, as they are impossible to find. the blue from me would be less depending on the amount of wear.

[Curt Palme]

OK, Post in the buy/sell section if anyone has an XG blue. I probably do, but I'm still out of town for a month. An XG blue is the only tube that will work, the ones out of the earlier Pg and PG Xtra sets won't work.

I would HIGHLY recommend that I upgrade/repair your V board for $100 incl return shipping. Bad V boards are known to take out tubes, and it can happen very quickly. also, check the condition of your green tube, if it's badly worn, there's no sense sinking money into the tube or V board. I do have a very nice condition green tube as well, but it's going to be $300 or so, as they are impossible to find. the blue from me would be less depending on the amount of wear.

[CasetheCorvetteman]

I have a spare blue with minor wear, but shipping will kill you.

[CasetheCorvetteman]

Actually, no i dont have a spare blue.

[BFix]

Curt, when you say V board do you mean the board labelled as "V output/H shift board" here: http://www.curtpalme.com/NECXG_Layout4.shtm ?

[Curt Palme]

Yes, that's it

[Curt Palme]

Yes, that's it

[Jeremy112]

Have you checked to make sure that the coolant hasn't leaked from the tube? If it has it could get all over the power supply and other boards and then you're f**ked if it sits in there for a decent amount of time.

When my green tube cracked in the XG I got very lucky, as the tube face itself (not the glass in front) cracked and all the coolant leaked inside the tube.

I DOOOOO have a spare blue tube I'd be willing to sell for $75 + Shipping, would come in a NEC CRT shipping box so it will get to you safely. If you're interested, I can take a pic of the tube face for you.

[Jeremy112]

Also, if you're interested in a whole SET of tubes, I do have the red, green and the blue, the green is about a 3 out of 10, it has some toasty wear, but it works fine still and has good emission yet.

Id sell the whole set for $200 + shipping to you in Canada if you want it. And with curts board repair, you'll be set on that XG for a looong time

Also, I just wanted to note that I have the same projector, the XG-1100. My tube cracked because the glycol absorbed so much moisture of the years before I had it, that shortly after I bought it and started using it the tube cracked from pressure. It is very possible yours did the same thing as well, but I would still do the board upgrade with curt just to be sure.

Depending on what you paid for the set, I think these XGs (AC or LC) are worth putting a bit of money into for the image quality they produce. Many on here have said and even thought about making the XG series a 9" projector, as it would probably out do most 9" CRT projectors out there due to the "NEC overbuilding" of the electronics in these.

[BFix]

Jeremy, it seems I also got lucky. I've just managed to pull everything apart and it seems that the face cracked on my blue tube and the coolant is all still inside. I think mine stands a good chance of having suffered the same moisture problem. I got this projector for free and before I acquired it, it had sat in a garage for years. The previous owner had no idea if it even worked, he just realized he was never going to get around to figuring out how to make it work.

Anyway, I agree from what I've seen put out from this projector that it's worth putting some money into, though I'm a university student and will have to do it on the cheap. Another member on this forum has offered me a couple reds and a couple blues, which I have agreed to buy. How much would you want for the green? I have no idea how long mine will last...

[CasetheCorvetteman]

Your cause of failure is not bleeding the tubes. Pressure in the glycol did this. The other two tubes will do it too if you dont bleed them.

[Jeremy112]

BFix,

I would take $50 plus actual shipping to your location. I don't want to charge a lot for it because its not a "nice tube" its a bit browned, but it does work, I used it until I found a new set. If it needs it, I can pre-bleed the tube for you so all you have to do is install it into the projector.

It may or may not have the HV cable on it still, I'll send a couple pics your way and if you want it, its yours. It's better than no tube at all

[CasetheCorvetteman]

He still needs to bleed the other 2 tubes before he turns it on again.

[BFix]

I've read about how to bleed the tubes as described on this site and plan on sitting down and doing it to the other tubes sometime this week. Thanks for the help with the diagnosis!

[mx83toy]

[CasetheCorvetteman]

[mx83toy]