Poked around a little tonight cleaning the top of the chassis. I noticed some of the pot stems were brass so for kicks and fun I polished one up.

Actually that is a good thing to do. I had one set where the fuse was making a bad connection because of the corrosion. Actually it made no connection at all. Cleaning the contacts and the fuse fixed it.

I haven't been able to do as much as I planned so far today but I got the flyback in and connected. After soldering the leads to the 1B3 base, I went in with my dremel and smoothed the connections to make sure there were no points. Using a photo I took before I removed the flyback, I dressed the leads exactly as they were from the factory. I don't know if it's critical but I felt it's better err on the side of caution. Notice the plastic dielectric shield that wraps around the door knob cap and 1B3--it's still supple after more than 60 years. I've noticed that about the plastics Zenith used in this set--very good quality.

Up top I cleaned up the grid clips for the 1B3 and the 6W4 and soldered them back on. I try not to have too many parts taken off the chassis at the same time so that I don't lose them or forget where they go.

Now I have a question. The electrolytics in the cans I'll be restuffing. Shown at two of the bases, how can I tell where the leads go? Usually they're marked with the square, triangle and half moon. The ground is usually obvious.

To better access the electrolytic cans for restuffing and to prevent me from smashing it, I removed the deflection yoke. I promise I won't fiddle with the adjusting screws that are painted with a lock-tite material. I took detailed pictures and notated them to make sure things get replaced in the proper location.

Here is the yoke in all of it's glory. I will store it in a safe place where it won't get smashed or dropped. I'll also check continuity as well. Now the top of the chassis is ready for more cleaning and I can also flip it over for easier re-capping.

On those cans with no clear markings: On one of them I see a colored dot close enough to one of the lugs to possible identify it. The other can with a red dot right smack in the middle does seem to have no way to identify anything. If all the sections were all the same value, then you would not have to identify anything. What, if anything, is written on the cans?

Tom, I've noticed that on the schematic there are the symbols that designate which cap they are and now that I have the cans revealed the markings are on the cans as well. I'm thinking that once I pull the cans I'll be able to see symbols there as well. I think the cutout holes for the terminals are the shape of the symbols.

Here's another one, C81 that comes off of pin 5 cathode of the 6W4. It should be .22mf but this one is a 25MF. With that high of a value did someone replace this with an electrolytic? There's a clip behind it but this cap is too big to fit it.

Get out the schematic and then follow each lead to see what it connects to. Tracing the physical connections and reading the schematic should allow you to identify each capacitor in the can.

Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html

Are you sure that is not a 0.25uf capacitor?

I'm impressed with the meticulous work you are doing.

I bet you can really get that chassis cleaned now.
What are your plans? Wipe it clean or stripping off the original protectorant (senioritis keeping me from remembering the name) and polishing the bare steel? I've done it both ways and even painted the chassis but clean and no rust is the primary goal.

Carl

That .25 mf cap is somebody's incorrect replacement.
You also need to replace the bumble bee striped caps.
Bill Cahill

Spent the day cleaning the house, moving the porthole to my garage/shop and getting ready for the recap. This evening or in the morning I'll get my bench ready and do some cleaning there as well.Time to get better organized.

I put stray parts in baggies and took lots of pictures of where they came off and how they were attached. I always put the screws, bolts and nuts back on the unit where they came off. It's about the only way to not lose them or get mixed up where they go.

On tap while I wait for caps is getting the chassis cleaned. Carl, I think the plating on the top of the chassis is nickel. It's in great shape so I'll just be cleaning it and rubbing it out with a green scrubber. I might seal it with a light layer of paste wax but I don't know. It did great for the past 60 years and as long as it doesn't get left in moist conditions it should be fine. You didn't have much of a choice other than to repaint. Like I said before, I am very fortunate to find one in this good of condition.

I placed the cap order with JustRadios. I like how easy it is to find what I'm looking for with them. I tried Mouser but it takes forever to find stuff with them. Either that or I don't know their secret for searching.

I also have my large print schematic--24"x36"

When restuffing canned electrolytics, first break out the Testors Hobby Paints.

They come in a rainbow set of bright colors for cheap dough at most Arts & Crafts stores.

Now, back to the Canned 'Lytics:

To keep easy track of all those wires attached to all those poles and grounds, just pick a color for each pole, and dab each wire and it's connected pole with a single, bright color. With the colors staring you in the face, you can't miss. Yellow goes to yellow, red goes to red, etc. Now, unsolder or clip each lead, and remove the canned electrolytic for restuffing. When you replace the restuffed can, just connect the colors.

Some people cut the can off, at the ridge of the base, leaving the base, with it's wires attached below in place. This works if you have space on top to work a saw. I use a fine toothed X-acto saw. But normally I remove the whole can.

I always take detailed, close-up digital pics of each section of the chassis bottom before I delve into a restoration. Then, you have a detailed reference if (make that "when") you get lost.

I really like that large schematic- I can almost read it from here without my glasses.

Haha, that's why I did it. I'm half blind and the other half doesn't see so good!

Lee, that's an excellent idea with the paints. When I realized what I was up against it made me a little worried. I think I've been procrastinating by dinking around because I know this one is going to be pretty detailed.

I pick up new techniques and learn something every day.
I think my next restoration will include making a large Schematic printout and use some Testors paint to identify Electrolytic Capacitor leads.
Thanks guys.

One thing I've been doing is making a digitized copy of my Schematics so I can study them at my PC. Then use a PDF Editor (I use the open source program Xournal) to hightlight the schematic in colors. Here is what I did for my GE 805 restoration:
http://cerant.com/TV%20GE%20805%20-%201 ... /SD/SD.PDF


Carl

The word I earlier could not remember was "Cadmium Plating". Most likely your chassis has a Cadmium Plating on it. Its a grayish color. It can be removed with some Naval Jelly and then polished using Brasso - that is if you want a polished Steel look. I've done it different ways. For my GE 805, I left the Cadmium Plating on and used Lee's (M3-SRT8) advice to use Spray Nine and wash the chassis with a garden hose - for a nice clean look. For my Emerson 639 and the 19" Zenith Porthole Power Supply chassis, I used Naval Jelly and polished the chassis:
http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtop ... 3&t=187933

I like a clean and neat chassis. I'll even wipe the colored wires to bring out their original color.

Carl