Tried fixing a 1952 Philco TV with no schematic

Found this old Philco in my grandfather's basement in Cleveland and thought I'd try a simple tube swap to get it going. Hooked up the variac, turned it on slow, and saw a flash and smoke from the flyback transformer before I could even check the voltage. Anybody know a good source for old flyback transformers without spending a fortune?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_patel10d agoOG Member

Without spending a fortune" is the problem here. You're trying to fix a 70 year old TV and you're worried about money? That flyback transformer probably needs to be custom wound or pulled from a donor set, and that's not gonna be cheap or easy. Honestly, if you can't handle the risk of a few pops and smoke, maybe this hobby isn't for you. Tube swaps without a schematic are a gamble, and you lost this round. Why not just buy a working set from an antique shop instead of chasing parts for a dead one?

margaret_bennett310d ago

Found a busted flyback in a 1958 Philco last year and tracked down a guy on a vintage radio forum who winds them for like 60 bucks. Cheaper than buying a whole new set and way more satisfying than tossing it. Sometimes you just gotta dig a little deeper into the collector community instead of giving up. Tube swapping without a schematic is risky yeah, but that's part of the fun if you're patient. For me the hunt for parts is half the hobby.