Reforming caps and CRTs

That's not the concern you need to be having. The concern is that turning on a CRT too slowly is going to burn out its power supply and possibly other B+ components... especially if it uses an SMPS. If you're not going to do the work of properly testing/replacing the caps prior to power on, then just use the routine I use when being lazy or otherwise in a hurry: - with a variac set to 20V, and your device on, turn the variac on and quickly turn it from 20V to 90V. This is fast enough to prevent a CRT PSU blowout due to excessive current from low voltage... and gives you a soft start in case of marginal components. - Work your way from 90 to whatever in 5V increments every 15 minutes... turning slowly. That's the about the best you can do with a variac alone.. on a CRT. The chief drawback to the Variac is that you're not in charge of the current... only the voltage. Current control AND voltage control is what you need for caps reforming... AGAIN -- if there's any benefit to be had from caps reforming... which is doubtful. Caps the smaller they are the more just plain dried out they are! No amount of reforming will change that. jS