CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Dertah]

I was having a loud popping problem so I replaced the HV lines to each of my tubes following the instructions on curtpalme.com (new silicone etc). I did them one at a time. I just installed the blue tube, turned it on and there is tremendous blue arcing from the end of the Hobson connector. I turned it off immediately and swapped the HV splitter with a spare, same thing. Is this something I did when replacing the HV line? Might the new Hobson connector be bad? It looks just like the other ones. I still have another new HV connector I bought from Curt, should I cut off the new one I just installed and try again?

Many thanks for the help.

[Tim in Phoenix]

Hello

Was the Hobson tightened until it clicked? Post a picture of the entire connector.


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[Curt Palme]

That's kind of unusual. Is the installed one from me as well? If so, I'll replace it, but yes, I'd put on a new lead.

[Curt Palme]

That's kind of unusual. Is the installed one from me as well? If so, I'll replace it, but yes, I'd put on a new lead.

[Dertah]

Yes the connection is very tight. So tight that the click is not as noticable as the other wires. It does turn the full amount though. I will post some pictures.

[Dertah]

Curt - I did buy the lead from you about 2 months ago (all three). The first one (red) worked fine. Is it possible that I put too much silicone on the tube and it got inside? I don't think I did though.

[CasetheCorvetteman]

The tube is sealed, you cant get silicone inside it

[Curt Palme]

Nah, it could be a bad lead. Never had one, but it's possible. Email me, I'll get another one out.

[Curt Palme]

Nah, it could be a bad lead. Never had one, but it's possible. Email me, I'll get another one out.

[Dertah]

I replaced the HV lead on the blue tube with the third one Curt sent me (when I get another one I will do the green). The HV leak is fixed but now I have an old problem resurfacing. If you remember my older posts I have had trouble with the blue tube not lighting up. See:

https://www.curtpalme.com/forum_archived/viewtopic.php@t=31414.html

https://www.curtpalme.com/forum_archived/viewtopic.php@t=23386.html

Well the problem is back. Red and green light up and although I get an orange glow at the back of the blue (the tip inside the neckboard) it does not light on the front and there is no grid on blue when I press the * key. What bugs me is that this problem has happened before when I take the PJ apart and put it back together but in the past it mysteriously started working again after I let it sit. No luck this time. Is something loose? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Tim in Phoenix]

Hello

Move the green mini coax to the blue neckboard, see if that works. Also, get a voltmeter and see if G2 is working; you should see about 550 volts dc at the neckboard, tip of R76. Make sure the HVPS is fully seated into its slot.

Try also moving the green neckboard to blue.


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[Dertah]

This appears to be fixed. I think I have a bad neckboard. I swapped the blue and green cables as Tim said and blue still did not work. I then swapped the neckboards and blue worked. I grabbed a spare neckboard from my parts PJ and everything worked. Thanks to all.

[Dertah]

OK - Frustration is setting in. I received the third HV cable from Curt so I put it on the green tube. When I re-installed the green the blue tube won't light up again. It seems like everytime I take the PJ apart the blue tube starts to act up. I swapped the mini RCA (put blue on green and green on blue) and still no blue light. I removed and re-installed the HVPS and nothing. For the life of my I can't find R76 on the neckboard to test the voltage as Tim suggests. Can anyone show me where it is?

[Curt Palme]

It's one of the vertical ones right where the white G2 lead goes to the board. Hard to measure the white lead since it's insulated, much easier measuring on the top of one of the resistors that's exposed.

[Curt Palme]

It's one of the vertical ones right where the white G2 lead goes to the board. Hard to measure the white lead since it's insulated, much easier measuring on the top of one of the resistors that's exposed.

[Dertah]

OK - very weird. I found R76. I turned the PJ on and no blue light. I touch the leads from my test meter to the ground and R76 and what do you know blue light. It just turned on. Something must be loose right? And yes, there were 550 volts DC. I am afraid to put everythign back together again and have it not work. One thing I have learned is the the Vidikron case is a bitch.

[Tim in Phoenix]

[Dertah]

New information. Rather than try to mess with the solder on the neck board I tried another board from my spare PJ. I have now had three different neck boards both work and not work. I don't think the problem is there. Also, the voltage at R76 is consistently 510 - not 550. And, the voltage is 510 whether the tube is lit or not. Also, at all times there is an orange glow at the little knob of the tube that sticks through the neckboard. I crimped the white G2 and it is very tight. This problem must be upstream from the neckboard right? Even if it comes on by chance I don't want to put the whole thing together only to have it turn off.

[Tim in Phoenix]

Hello

510 is acceptable for G2; also, you should see an orange glow in the rear of the tube, that is the filament. Try another 14 pin cable to the motherboard, or try running the green mini coax into the blue neckboard.


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[Dertah]

I swapped the 14 pin cable with a spare and it works. Not sure I trust it though. I am going to put it back together with the power on as much as possible to see if the blue stays lit. I will turn it off when putting the neckboard cover back on but leave it on for the side panels, lens etc.

[Dertah]

A big thank you to Tim and Curt and everyone else. I watched three movies this afternoon all with no pop and blue lit. I hope I have this licked.