ZENITH METAL PORTABLE
THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY ZENITH PORTABLES KNOWN TO COLLECTORS AS THE "BUGEYE."  I SCORED THIS AT THE 2004 EARLY TELEVISION FOUNDATION CONVENTION SWAPMEET.  THE PERSON THAT SOLD THIS TO ME TOLD ME THAT HE DID A SOFT START AND GOT NOTHING BUT TUBES LIGHTING UP.  I HAVE NOT OPENED THIS SET UP AND IT IS NOT RESTORED.  UNLESS THE CRT IS TOTALLY DEAD, BEING A ZENITH, IT SHOULD WORK GREAT.

27 JUL 2005.  I OPENED IT UP AND DID AN INSPECTION AND ATTEMPTED A SOFT START.  I ABORTED THE SOFT START AT ABOUT 50 VOLTS.  AT THE VOLTAGE DOUBLER, I SHOULD HAVE READ ABOUT 100 VOLTS.  I HAD NOTHING.  THE VOLTAGE DOUBLER CAP IS DEAD.  I DID CLEAN THE CONTROLS AND THE TUNER.  THE VERTICAL HOLD CONTROL WAS FROZEN.  SEVERAL TREATMENTS WITH CLEANER FREED IT UP.  THE PICTURE TUBE CAME UP STRONG. 

  THIS IS A HOT CHASSIS SET.  UNLIKE THE OTHERS I HAVE DONE, THIS HAS THE SWITCH GOING TO GROUND.  IF I DON'T REWIRE THE CIRCUIT, AND IF THE METAL CABINET HAS ANY CONTACT WITH THE CHASSIS, YOU WILL GET BLASTED WHETHER THE SET IS ON OR OFF, DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY IT'S PLUGGED IN.  THE CIRCUIT WILL NOT BE ORIGINAL, BUT IT WILL BE SAFE.  I AM AMAZED THAT THE TV MANUFACTURERS GOT AWAY WITH THIS.  I WILL POLARIZE THE PLUG AND MARK THE LINE CORD AT THE CHASSIS.

  THERE IS SOMETHING WIERD ABOUT THIS ONE.  THE FINE TUNING IS IN THE BACK.  I BELIEVE THERE IS A KNOB MISSING, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
HERE IS ONE ANGLE BEFORE RECAPPING.  ALL PAPER, BLACK BEAUTY AND ELECTROLYTICS WILL BE REPLACED.  THERE IS ENOUGH SPACE HERE, SO I DOUBT I'LL HAVE TO RESTUFF ANY CANS.
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