CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[paw]

I need to pull the tubes on PG Xtra to bleed them. The astig magnets, focus coils, centering rings and deflection coils are all in their factory locations and still sealed. Can I remove the CRT socket, disconnect the focus coil wires and deflection coil wires and pull the tube with the magnets and coils still attached? I am assuming that the factory setting for the raster centering and astig and at least close.

When bleeding the gycol, I understand that it is corrosive to electronics. I plan on wrapping the magnets & coils in plastic with packing tape, then again in a towel and then draping tubes with a waterproof paper drop cloth with just an opening to access the bleed holes. Kind of like surgery.

[draganm]

yes, the tubes come out as an assembly through the front but it's a PITA on an NEC. The aboslute worst was getting the HV boots off the splitter, hopefully someone has a trick for that.
I don't think you have to get crazy with the glycol drain either, just turn the tube ass end up before removing the screw, gravity will do the rest.

[dropzone7]

This is exactly what I want to do with an XG. It seems much easier if I am able to leave all the magnetics in place. In my case, I want to do a tube swap so it will be hardware from one XG to another plus a green tube. Take pictures if you do it as I would be interested to see.

[paw]

Dragan
Thanks for you help here and on the phone.


dropzone7
Sorry I only took pics of the stuff I needed to remember for how to put it back together. The XG is likely to be different any way. I did just bled 1 tube because it was hard to do and I only had to extract a little glycol. We're much dried in CO than in NC. I think I'll be OK leaving the other tubes as is.

My other requirement was that I wanted to remove 1 tube at a time. That would simplify reinstalling the tube and hooking the wires back up.

Here's the thread I used from Curt

http://curtpalme.com/NECPG_tube_replacement1.shtm

This was a PITA. It maybe a little easier for what your doing.

Here's were the difficult parts and some tips for you.

1 - Removing the HV boot from the HV splitter. I trick I found was to put a very small screw driver under the boot and then I put Q tip with a soapy mix under the boot. This was an idea from Dragan. You'll need to wipe the boot off later. Both outside, so it doesn't slip in your fingers as you remove it, and inside to avoid arching. Then I pushed the edges of the boot up with both thumbs. One thumb on one side and one thumb on another. It slipped off easily. This worked with the top and bottom boots. Where I could reach 2 sides. Though, it might be easier for you. Start and the bottom and work you way up. Label the boots and the HV splitter R B G to get the back in the right order.

1.1 - There maybe other screws you'll have to remove. I found a couple

1.2 - Get a magnetizer for your screw drivers. Dropping screws in the chassis are a pain to get back out.

2 - I started with the red tube. This was the furthest from the HV splitter. That was a mistake because the HV lead for the red tube are buried under the green and blue tubes. I wound up partially pulling those tubes.

3 - Since I only wanted to pull 1 tube at a time, I was unable to remove the deflection board and the cross PJ brace (step 7 in the thread). If you tossing the rest of the chassis of just saving the boards, you might be able pull all of the wires and remove this brace. It will simplify the process.

4 - When reinstalling the tubes, put the cross PJ brace and deflection board back in place, slid the tube in and put the CRT socket back on (step 12) I didn't have room to put in on after, put the long bolts holding the bottom of the tube back loosely (step 13), put the screw back in that hold the top of the tubes loosely (step 3) and then put the screws back in the cross PJ brace (step 7). Then tighten everything up.

5 - Take pictures, make notes, keep the screws sorted and try to complete the whole process in 1 or 2 days. That way you don't forget what went where.

6 - If you're bleeding the tubes, get 99.9% of the old chaulk out. Use dental picks to help. Be very careful with the Philips screw underneith. It very, very easy to strip out the head. I wound up taking a sharp straight blade screw driver and making a new slot. I had to gently hammer the straight blade into the screw. You may need to tap or very gently hammer the screw driver as you turn it. Kind of like an impact driver.

[dropzone7]

Glad it went fairly smoothly for you. Thanks for the tips and I will keep all of that in mind once I get into mine. I'm actually thinking of putting this off for a little while as the wear on the green in my new 852 is not as bad as I thought. I might set it up and see if I can live with it. If I'm not satisfied after that then I will tear into the 110 and get that minty green tube.