CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Curt Palme]

I sold a minty original 500 hour Marquee 9500 Ultra to a repeat customer in Pa. I bled the tubes before sending the set out. Removed a few ccs from each tube to make sure no glycol pressure built up over the next few years.

Other than a bit of normal bellows sweating, there were zero leaks in the set.

Customer picks up the set yesterday, calls and says that the bubble wrap inside the box that I put the set is was wet. Turns out the blue tube leaked out maybe an ounce or two of glycol. None got into the chassis (customer removed all three tubes to check), but the typical drops got onto the metal and plastic covers. Customer disconnects the blue tube HV lead and CRT socket, and fired the R and G tubes up. Set itself is fine.

Customer also comments on some nicks and gouges on the B and G lenses (the metal frame only, the lenses are unmarked. . So after thinking for a bit, I'm guessing that the projector lenses got whacked through the box with a forklift tine. The G and B lenses show the nicks, so I'm guessing maybe the glycol spillage occurred due to the lens/tube getting pushed inwards, momentary pressure occurred within the blue tube, something somewhere gave way, it spurted out a couple of ounces of glycol, the pressure was removed, and all is well now?

The glycol level drop cannot be seen on the C element, and the customer cleaned the tube up, and put if face down on paper towel overnight, and the paper towel is dry today.

I've told him now to put the tube flat on the same paper towel, and to rotate the tube 90 degrees every 12 hours. My thinking is is that if the tube doesn't leak anything, it should be fine.

The tube/set was insured through Pilot Air, but I don't want the customer to have any unnecessary downtime, nor do I want to charge Pilot for something that doesn't need changing. OTOH, I don't want the customer to have a glycol leak appear in a few days/months from now.

Anyone have something like this happen before? THe tubes are from 1999, so they are 'relatively' new, and as I said, with only 500 hours on them, they are mint, as is the rest of the set.

[Curt Palme]

I sold a minty original 500 hour Marquee 9500 Ultra to a repeat customer in Pa. I bled the tubes before sending the set out. Removed a few ccs from each tube to make sure no glycol pressure built up over the next few years.

Other than a bit of normal bellows sweating, there were zero leaks in the set.

Customer picks up the set yesterday, calls and says that the bubble wrap inside the box that I put the set is was wet. Turns out the blue tube leaked out maybe an ounce or two of glycol. None got into the chassis (customer removed all three tubes to check), but the typical drops got onto the metal and plastic covers. Customer disconnects the blue tube HV lead and CRT socket, and fired the R and G tubes up. Set itself is fine.

Customer also comments on some nicks and gouges on the B and G lenses (the metal frame only, the lenses are unmarked. . So after thinking for a bit, I'm guessing that the projector lenses got whacked through the box with a forklift tine. The G and B lenses show the nicks, so I'm guessing maybe the glycol spillage occurred due to the lens/tube getting pushed inwards, momentary pressure occurred within the blue tube, something somewhere gave way, it spurted out a couple of ounces of glycol, the pressure was removed, and all is well now?

The glycol level drop cannot be seen on the C element, and the customer cleaned the tube up, and put if face down on paper towel overnight, and the paper towel is dry today.

I've told him now to put the tube flat on the same paper towel, and to rotate the tube 90 degrees every 12 hours. My thinking is is that if the tube doesn't leak anything, it should be fine.

The tube/set was insured through Pilot Air, but I don't want the customer to have any unnecessary downtime, nor do I want to charge Pilot for something that doesn't need changing. OTOH, I don't want the customer to have a glycol leak appear in a few days/months from now.

Anyone have something like this happen before? THe tubes are from 1999, so they are 'relatively' new, and as I said, with only 500 hours on them, they are mint, as is the rest of the set.

[macgyver655]

I'd at least file a claim for the lens damage and glycol forced out under pressure and further testing is required to verify more damage. This way your covered for at least a few months if its shows signs from damage later.

[Curt Palme]

Oh yes, I'll do that for sure.

[Curt Palme]

Oh yes, I'll do that for sure.

[draganm]

[Nashou66]

I agree with draganm, once the set warms up some pressure may build and cause the leak to show itself. that is the only real way to properly test leaks is with the tube on. If you have extender cables to put the tube out side the set or you put the set on its top, that is the only way i would test for leaks.

Athanasios