A couple of resistors in the tuner are significantly out of tolerance. I can reach in with my probes to check the values but unsoldering and resoldering may be a different issue. Has anyone taken one of these fully apart?? Would I be looking for trouble in doing so?? There are other resistors and caps buried in there that I probably should check out. <BR>In the "good old days" of the early 80's, I spent a couple of years servicing in a shop, and when there was a problem in the tuner we just sent it out for rebuilding. I guess I maybe got spoiled a bit. <BR>Any tips would be appreciated.<P>Scott S.<P><BR><P>------------------<BR>

To quote a guy I work with, "Dont touch it, Leave it alone." Actually I've never had to touch a tuner because they've all worked and their not something to play with unless absolutely necessssary. I guess lightning or some other catastrophe will do them in. I never needed service but I bookmarked this site just in case. <A HREF="http://qualitytuner.hypermart.net/stangle.htm#pagetop" TARGET=_blank>http://qualitytuner.hypermart.net/stangle.htm#pagetop</A> <BR>Paul<P>------------------<BR>

speaking of tuners.. what is the best way to clean the contacts in these old sets..i have <BR>tried cleaners,but in one tuner i used WD-40,as a last result,it worked great and to this day still does.. but i know it is flameable.. sort of...anyone else care to add a comment on this..?..i would like to know what other people use with good results..<BR>thanks<BR>terry<P>------------------<BR>terry

Radio Shack sold tuner cleaner that worked well. It doesn't leave oil like WD40. Car starting fluid works well. It contains ether. Fumes alone will clean contacts but be careful, use in well vented area, not around sparks or flame. <P>------------------<BR>Norm

I use CRC cleaner, I get it at my true value hardware store, also NAPA has it.<BR>I would NEVER touch any parts in a tuner unless something was burnt and had to be replaced, moving any components around in the tuner could throw out the alignment of the tuner.<BR>Yes I also remember sending out tuners to be rebuilt back in the late 70's, I worked for an electronics supply store as a counterman and also had a few of my own tuners sent out to a rebuilding co. think it was called Castle tuner service or something like that.<BR>Scott, I would not touch the tuner unless you really need to, it may still work ok even though those resistors are out of tolerance, you may not notice the differance in performance even if you changed them.<BR>======================================<BR>Bill<P>------------------<BR>

Scott...first of all if it works, don't mess with it. Second, if you can carefully remove the tuner assembly from the chassis, you will have pretty good access to the resistors. Don't mess with the tuner shaft as it can go in either of two ways. The channel alignment on these is a real piece of work but I did it one one set. Basically you adjust the highest channel (or lowest--I'd have to check my documentation) then bend coils if the front row trimmer won't do it. Leaving that channel alone, then you bring in the adjacent one...and so on. Then you go to the other band. One will affect the next. My preference is to swap out tuners from my collection. Wanna challenge?<P>------------------<BR>

These old sets don't work well with adjacent channels, so when I restore a set I only get it working on channel 3, and use a VCR as a tuner in front of it. This way I'm not worried about the noise figure of the tuner, and things like resistors out of tolerance don't cause a problem.<P>------------------<BR>

Agree with don't touch it!!!!!! I had to get into one of these because someone had turned all the screws in the front trying to do something only he understood,and had over tightened them resulting in stripping and several screws in the bottom of the tuner! After much time and effort,it barely worked. The test equipment you need to set it up is way beyond what anyone usually has. The good news is they are easy to change out,and one from a junker worked perfectly the minute it went in..at which point I found all the iF screws had been turned! I also found a book about 630 upgrades in the middle of all this that has a whole chapter on tuners,includig mods and how to put in a standard coil turret tuner and change to intercarrier sound(if you wanted to.....) That is a great book,if you come across one,grab it! fyi <John<P>------------------<BR>

Like just about all tuners in the early days, the RCA tuners were not sensitive forshtunken. I had bought both my 630TS and 8TS30 sets in 1953 or 1954. The Standard Cascode tuner was the hot tuner in that day, and w`as a good conversion for any early TV receiver. I converted both sets to Standard Cascode tuners, and reception was greatly improved. At that time, channel 1 was not an issue, and who cared for it on the tuner anyway? it was useless as you-know-what on a boar. Today, would I make the conversion? I'm not sure. A few years ago, I bought a couple of NOS Dumont continuous tuners, made for conversion of such as 630 receivers to get FM as well as all the channels. They're interesting, but I seriously doubt if I'd use them now. Times are different. <P>------------------<BR>

Wow. Thanks for all the warnings. That is what is so great about this forum, we can all share our experience. <BR>I am going to try to change the 2 out of wack resistors because they are pretty easily accessable. They are r-13 and r-14 in the RF amp(sams) and they have doubled in value. I will leave the rest of the tuner alone. <P>Thanks<BR>Scott<BR><P>------------------<BR>

Scott,<BR> If you change R-13 & R-14, just make sure the replacements are put in the exact way the old ones were, lead length, position, etc.<BR>Good luck.<BR>==================================<BR>Bill<P>------------------<BR>

I was waiting for someone to mention Louis Stangle, who owns Quality Tuner Repair Service in Longview, Texas. I have never done business with him, but I have read good things on the internet about his work and prices. He apparently makes a business of specializing only in tuners, and covers everything from the 40's to the present.<P>I would like to hear if anybody has had any experience with his work. His web address is:<BR> <A HREF="http://qualitytuner.hypermart.net/" TARGET=_blank>http://qualitytuner.hypermart.net/</A> <P>------------------<BR>

Ken, Paul did mention him on the 2nd post above. Thanks.<P>Bill, I did replace the resistors and I duplicated the lead legnth etc, The tuner is back in and TV works better. Upper channels are still very weak. I guess now that every cap in the set has been replaced and every resistor checked it is time for an alignnent.<BR>The sound and picture tune at different points, which is not unusual for a non-intercarrier sound set.<BR>It will be my first time for a TV alignment.<BR>Uggg.....wish I knew someone closeby who could show me how....<BR>Is is possible to do these older sets with just a signal generator and tune for maximum output?? I remember reading about old timers doing this.<P><BR>Scott<P><P>------------------<BR>

Hi Scott,<BR> If the higher channels are weak, try other tubes in the tuner some will work better than others.<BR>I would not try doing any alignment to the set untill all tubes have been checked, by testing and or subbing them.<BR>I never align any TV unless it was messed up by some "tech" who threw it so far off that alignment had to be performed.<BR>If you do, you will need a sweep/marker generator, scope, bias supply and good alignment instructions, like Sams photofact.<BR>The video IF transformers for instance must be staggered tuned, not tuned for peak output like on a radio, so that is why you need a sweep generator.<BR>I only did perhaps 6 or 7 alignments in my years in the hobby, the last one I did was on my Pilot TV-37 and for that I used a VTVM and set each IF coil for max output on it's frequency.<BR>For instance, if the coil needs to be adjusted for 21.25mc, you set the signal generator for that freq. and adjust the coil for max output at that freq. and go on to the next one always remembering to keep the output of the generator at the lowest possable output, and as you move closer to the front end, you keep lowering the generator output.<BR>If you use the VTVM methad, you can get away with using a regular signal generator, but remember each coil has to be peaked to it's freq., and if it is a "trap", than the trap has to be adjusted for MIN. not max. at it's freq.<BR>I would also use a frequency counter to make sure the signal generator is right on.<BR>I am not that good at these things, that is why I only do it as a hobby, if I mess things up, I have no customer to yell at me.. <IMG SRC="http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/biggrin.gif"><BR>========================================<BR>Bill<BR><P>------------------<BR>