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cleaning and rehabbing a tek scope

Z

zeitguy

Jan 1, 1970
0
Can anyone point me to a website that walks you through the details of
cleaning and rehabbing an old scope that seems to work but is a little
crudded up and has some pots that don't respond, or seem intermittant?
I have the original manual, but I am looking for "tricks of the trade"
regarding using or not using contact cleaner, treatment of the old
tubes, etc.

(It is a tek 585a if you are interested)

Thanks. My use of Google has uncovered a few fairly dormant sites and
an interesting anecdote or two, but nothing very methodical.
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
Can anyone point me to a website that walks you through the details of
cleaning and rehabbing an old scope that seems to work but is a little
crudded up and has some pots that don't respond, or seem intermittant?
I have the original manual, but I am looking for "tricks of the trade"
regarding using or not using contact cleaner, treatment of the old
tubes, etc.

(It is a tek 585a if you are interested)

Thanks. My use of Google has uncovered a few fairly dormant sites and
an interesting anecdote or two, but nothing very methodical.

The first thing Tek service centers did to older scopes was to wash
them. Remove side covers, spray with detergent, wash with a strong
hose, then bake dry. You could bake in a cardboard box fed by a hair
dryer or something, but make sure it's fresh, dry air, not
recirculated humidity. You can remove tubes first, and clean them
separately in a dish washer, but put each one back into the same
socket.

A good contact cleaner works great on scratchy pots and flakey rotary
switches. If you wash the scope, use contacty cleaner on all the pots
and switches to leave a little anti-corrosive film.

The 585 was an impressive beast. The distributed-deflection CRT is a
work of art. I prefer the 547, personally, for shear electronic
beauty.

John
 
E

ehsjr

Jan 1, 1970
0
zeitguy said:
Can anyone point me to a website that walks you through the details of
cleaning and rehabbing an old scope that seems to work but is a little
crudded up and has some pots that don't respond, or seem intermittant?
I have the original manual, but I am looking for "tricks of the trade"
regarding using or not using contact cleaner, treatment of the old
tubes, etc.

(It is a tek 585a if you are interested)

Thanks. My use of Google has uncovered a few fairly dormant sites and
an interesting anecdote or two, but nothing very methodical.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TekScopes/
 
T

tekamn

Jan 1, 1970
0
Washing the scope completely. The yahoo group has some nice articles,
or you can buy the book that is recommended there.

For schematics, manuals: bama.sbc.edu and it's mirror site(s).

hth,
Andreas
 
Z

zeitguy

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks for the hints. I think I might skip taking out all the tubes
based on some advice I have received, but the other contacts are
definitely in for a wash.

Since I need a 1A7 amplifier plug in, which was made for the 54x
series, I am now looking for an 81 or 81 adapter and the plug in, which
complicates things.

Has anyone hauled this vintage box into a diy car wash on the original
cart? It would make a great photo. Maybe I will do that.
 
Z

zeitguy

Jan 1, 1970
0
That has been brought to my attention now, and is already become a
source of help. Thanks!
 
R

Rich Grise

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks for the hints. I think I might skip taking out all the tubes
based on some advice I have received, but the other contacts are
definitely in for a wash.

Since I need a 1A7 amplifier plug in, which was made for the 54x
series, I am now looking for an 81 or 81 adapter and the plug in, which
complicates things.

Has anyone hauled this vintage box into a diy car wash on the original
cart? It would make a great photo. Maybe I will do that.

I wouldn't use a pressure washer, especially not the one at the car
wash. The blast is WAY too hard. I wouldn't spray it any harder
than, say, a shower head, or even that sprayer thing in the kitchen
sink.

And don't _bake_ it dry! BLOW it dry! Use clean, dry, unoiled compressed
air - _then_ let it drip-dry or use warm air. Even distilled water can
leave water spots if you leave drops behind - the water absorbs crud
from the air, and deposits it when it evaporates.

Good Luck!
Rich
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
And don't _bake_ it dry! BLOW it dry! Use clean, dry, unoiled compressed
air - _then_ let it drip-dry or use warm air. Even distilled water can
leave water spots if you leave drops behind - the water absorbs crud
from the air, and deposits it when it evaporates.

I'd be seriously concerned about leaving any water in the HV
multiplier section.

John
 
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