NEVER PLUG IT IN AND TURN IT ON!
HERE IS WHAT I LOOK FOR...
1. THE CHASSIS IS COMPLETE. LOOK FOR MISSING TUBES, TRANSFORMERS AND OTHER CORE, AND HARD TO FIND COMPONENTS.
2. CHECK THE POWER TRANSFORMER (IF EQUIPPED) FOR SIGNS THAT IT HAS OVERHEATED. YOU MAY SEE A TARLIKE SUBSTANCE OOZING FROM IT. THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE TRANSFORMER IS BAD.
3. MAKE SURE THE TUBES ARE IN THE CORRECT SOCKETS. MANY TIMES, TECHNICIANS HAVE SUBSTITUTED TUBES. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING. IF YOU HAVE A TUBE SUBSTITUTION MANUAL, YOU CAN VERIFY THAT A DIFFERENT TUBE IN A SOCKET WIL WORK. I'LL COVER TUBE SUBSTITUTION IN ANOTHER SECTION.
4. MAKE SURE THE WIRING, INCLUDING THE LINE CORD, IS IN GOOD CONDITION. MOST PRE WW2 SETS USED RUBBER COVERED WIRING. THE RUBBER DRIES OUT AND FLAKES OFF. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. PHILCO RADIOS MADE BEFORE WW2 WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS. WITH POSTWAR SETS, LINE CORDS ARE USUALLY PROBLEMATIC. GENERIC REPLACEMENTS WILL WORK JUST FINE.
5. CHECK THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ELECTROLYTIC CANS. IF SUBSTANCE IS OOZING OUT, REPLACE THESE CAPS BEFORE DOING A SOFT START. THEY'RE DEAD.
6. CHECK THE FLYBACK TRANSFORMER FOR SIGNS OF BURNING. RCA COLOR SETS WERE NOTORIOUS. THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY FATAL. THE RUBBER CAN BE CAREFULLY STRIPPED OFF AND REPLACED WITH SILICONE.
7. MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO COMPONENTS MISSING.
8. LOOK FOR ANY BURNED COMPONENTS. IF YOU FIND SOMETHING LIKE A SMOKED RESISTOR, THIS IS EASILY CORRECTED.
9. LOOK FOR ANY PAPER CAPACITORS THAT MAY HAVE EXPLODED.
10. LOOK FOR SIGNS OF HACK REPAIRS. I HAVE RUN INTO PARTS DANGLING IN AIR. THIS IS NOT A GOOD SIGN, BUT IT IS EASILY CORRECTABLE.
11. LOOK FOR ANY SELENIUM DIODES. REPLACE ANY IN SIGHT. THEY WILL FAIL AND THE SMELL WILL NOT BE PLEASANT.
12. LOOK FOR ANY MISSING METAL SHIELDS. A MISSING SHIELD (TUNER, I-F SECTION) CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS LATER. THE SAME APPLIES TO TUBES. REPLACEMENTS CAN BE EASILY MADE FROM SHEET METAL.
13. LOOK FOR ANY PLASTIC PARTS THAT HAVE DETERIORATED. DEFLECTION YOKE COVERS WERE NOTORIOUS. THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY FATAL.
14. CHECK THE PICTURE TUBE (MORE IN ANOTHER SECTION)
15. CHECK THE LOUDSPEAKER FOR DAMAGE. IF THE SPEAKER IS DAMAGED, DON'T THINK OF GETTING THE DUCT TAPE AND SUPERGLUE. LOUDSPEAKER REPAIR IS COVERED IN ANOTHER SECTION.
16. CLEAN THE TUNERS AND ALL CONTROLS.
AFTER I DO ALL THIS AND CONFIRM ALL IS GOOD, I PROCEED TO THE SOFT START.