CRT handling Was: Re: It's ALIVE!

Upon the date 04:35 PM 2/22/99 -0500, R. Stricklin (kjaeros) said something like: Yes it probably was a bozo-warning (I like that expression. Gotta remember it. :) I've handled CRTs since I was 11 or 12 (33-34 yrs ago). There were those that were dead and had to be disposed of from a set I was repairing. When throwing them into the town dump (that's back in the days before controlled landfills and waste management laws, etc.) I was able to observe that they would take quite a whack on the side of the large part of the envelope before they broke. BUT, when they did break, the implosion caused glass pieces to fly several meters distant. On the other hand, when just the neck got broke, there was usually a definite, brief "chufff" sound when the air rushed into the envelope and no other drastic action. Here's a story to illustrate effects of an implosion: Back when I was getting more and more into TV repairs during my 17th summer, there was a dead 19" 110 degree deflection CRT that I had to get rid of. It was setting on the ledge of the basement foundation wall. Dad was helping me sort out and haul some junk to the dump. That CRT had to go in that load. Dad figured he could simply break up that tube to save space on the load as we were using the rather small family car to haul it (a '65 Corvair). Well, as he'd never himself broke a CRT nor even seen what happens during an implosion he was unaware of the "proper" way to bust one up. He held a corrugated box under the edge of the wall where the tube was sitting, grabbed a hammer and gave the side of the envelope a firm whack. Naturally, just as I started to say "Don't hit it there!!", the deed was done. At least knew enough to hold his eyes closed. A few minutes later, after we both picked the broken glass out of our hair, we observed that the largest piece of that tube was not even the size of a fist. Mom came running downstairs and asked what in the world was going on with that loud 'bang' and glass shattering sounds. Took a while to get the place cleaned up. And you can bet that my mother was there watching us to make darn sure we _did_ clean it up well. Just understand the neck of a CRT is not so fragile to just break while twisting a yoke after its clamp is loosened. Use common sense while working around a CRT. Don't work in a tight area where you could turn around and accidentally bump the neck with your elbow. Have plenty room around the monitor while on the table or workbench. Don't drop tools onto the CRT (happened to me once --and _only_ once!). Careful of getting zapped by any unprotected parts of the yoke while under power and rotating it (you could jerk around and bump the neck). There usually is a part of the plastic yoke body with which you gould grasp while rotating. The high voltage lead going to the ultor connection on the side of the envelope handles about 15 to 18 thousand volts for a monochrome monitor. Don't get close to the lead or especially the ultor connection. Following these hints should help anybody here get through a simple yoke adjustment like this. Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net Member of Antique Wireless Association URL: http://www.ggw.org/awa