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Tech Chat Adding cooling to old tellies?

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WayneD
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I was reading a topic in a group about old arcade games and the discussion of preventing the Sega Space Fury monitor from catching fire by adding PC fans and this lead to the discussion on adding PC fans to monitors to help the LOPT run cooler and extending the life of them. 

It got me thinking, could adding a PC fan or fans be good for an old TV? Surely a bit more air flow can only be a good thing 🤔 

I'd be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

 
Posted : 15/03/2022 6:19 pm
Nuvistor
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@wayned 

I never saw it in the UK but I did read in some USA magazine of after market fans for their CTV’s. How many sets had the addition wasn’t stated.

 

Frank

 
Posted : 15/03/2022 7:59 pm
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PYE625
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I guess in theory it would make perfect sense. But as old set's are not usually operated for lengthy periods, it is probably not needed. Besides, there is perhaps a limit to how much you should muck about with the originality of a set.

In summer in the workshop, I just have a desk fan blowing on a chassis if used in very hot weather.

To understand the black art of electronics is to understand witchcraft. Andrew.

 
Posted : 15/03/2022 8:18 pm
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WayneD
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@nuvistor I remember watching a video of a guy in the US adding some PC fans to a huge console set. Think it might've been Shango066.

 
Posted : 15/03/2022 8:18 pm
crustytv
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I think I remember that video, and If I recall correctly it was done because he supplied the TV to an exhibition centre, he even went there and showed it running toons. It was going to be turned on at 08:00am and left on all day, only switch off around 6pm. The event was over a couple of days, he was worried the flyback would be cremated. I also believe there was a follow-up video, the flyback was fine however, that event resulted in the CRT emission fading significantly.

Like Andrew said, unless you're going to be running the TV for hours on end, it's not really a concern, I've ever had. My G6 was perhaps the only one I did give it some thought to. The G6 has a ridiculous amount of valves, and the heat generated is phenomenal, the decoder looks decidedly Flambé. Still, it never remained up long enough for heat to be one of my problems. 🤣 

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Posted : 15/03/2022 8:36 pm
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WayneD
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I was just curious about this more than anything else. Think I'm just paranoid about breaking something irreplaceable!

 
Posted : 15/03/2022 9:12 pm
Nuvistor
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@wayned 

Electronics-Technician May 1965.

https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Retailing/60s/Electronics-Technicians-1965-05.pdf

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Frank

 
Posted : 15/03/2022 9:40 pm
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19Seventie
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I recently read something on this topic too, I think it may have been a Facebook post, I'm not sure though. 

The general consensus was that they don't really need it, as like Pye625 says, they're not used for lengthy time periods anymore, and that generally the backs are designed in a way to cool the sets more efficiently, using convection. It was also said that it'd be best to have the fan either at the bottom of the chassis blowing cooler air up, or at the top, facing away from the chassis, as to blow the hot air out and aid in the convection cycle. 

I'm not sure I'd bother personally, unless there was really a need to do so, but then again I am a bit of a purist!..

 
Posted : 16/03/2022 4:12 pm
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Nuvistor
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I can understand the need for the older all valve USA colour televisions, there must have been quite a lot of heat to remove, but for vintage TV’s not used for very long at each outing probably not required.

Also the ambient temperature in parts of the USA gets very high, air con was perhaps less prevalent 60 years ago so perhaps a fan would have helped reliability.

Frank

 
Posted : 16/03/2022 5:52 pm
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MurphyV310
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Hi 

My tuppence worth. Many fires that occurred in PCB constructed sets were caused by dry joints on power components like resistors. The joint would get hot enough to burn, the addition of a fan is not likely to help in this situation but conversely make the issue worse by allowing air to increase combustion by fanning the hot spot. The best idea is good maintenance and checking for signs of overheating and burning and then addressing the issue. 

Cheers,
Trevor.
MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

 
Posted : 16/03/2022 9:02 pm
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Nuvistor
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@murphyv310 

Well there is the old adage for electrical equipment, “keep it cool, keep it working” but appreciate your comments about PCB’s, most sets with PCB’s seemed to suffer in some way with hot components not kept away from the board.

 

Frank

 
Posted : 16/03/2022 9:42 pm
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MurphyV310
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Posted by: @nuvistor

@murphyv310 

Well there is the old adage for electrical equipment, “keep it cool, keep it working” but appreciate your comments about PCB’s, most sets with PCB’s seemed to suffer in some way with hot components not kept away from the board.

 

Definitely agree with keep it cool keep it working. The idea is to make sure it's ventilation slots are free from dust, obstructions and curtains, keep away from sources of heat. The Thorn 980 chassis was a nice little set but got mighty hot with those valves in a small case. The standoff resistors often charred the board, a lot were scrapped due to this, modern metal clad resistors fitted on a small plate and hard wired to the PCB would be a lasting repair. An idea for many such sets with PCB construction. 

Cheers,
Trevor.
MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

 
Posted : 16/03/2022 10:01 pm
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freya
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I had to do it to my Ekco TS46, the RF EHT generator "box" The P61 oscillator got so hot inside the EHT dropped off.

Adding a small DC fan out of sight fed from the transformer with appropriate rectification and smoothing sorted the problem straight away.

Other instances in the past have moved the valve outside the box or just removed the cover completely but this just sprays 140 Kc/s about.

 
Posted : 17/03/2022 2:01 pm
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WayneD
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Well, here's a very good reason to NOT add fans to an old TV. A lovely asbestos plate on the mains dropper of my Rediffusion Guildford: 

20220404 203936
 
Posted : 04/04/2022 8:44 pm
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