# tube televisions



## pugnut (Aug 2, 2013)

here is my first question.
i have been buying televisions of the tube type from an auction house by the pallet. i get them at roughly 75 cents per unit. off the top, the quickest fund recovery is from the copper windings and tube ground strap. most units cover the cost, but there are some that seem questionable.
am i wasting my time here. i live in a remote part of Arizona and this is pretty much my only outlet for material so far. my goal is to be profitable at P.G.M. recovery/refining, but it is a work in progress.
i would appreciate some informed input/advice. i do this at home with a good size back yard. also about 5-7 percent are monitors.
another note: most of these units work, but i haven't been able to figure out how to capitalize on that aspect yet.
thanks in advance. :lol:


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## butcher (Aug 2, 2013)

pugnut, 
Personally I feel you are wasting your time with the tube TV's, be careful those high voltage capacitors can carry a charge, the tubes can implode and throw glass shards into the air, short out the capacitors and add a jumper wire, bust the glass nipple of the back of the tube to let air in and remove the vacuum that will make the tube dangerous of implosion (similar to an explosion), then your still have the hazardous tube which can be an environmental waste that could cost you more to dispose of than you get from the TV, most likely the reason you can buy the TV so cheap is because it would cost your supplier much more to deal with them, because of the hazardous waste, he may be making money from you to get rid of an problem that would cost him money to deal with, I think you are paying him to take on his problem, that is my opinion, I would forget buying old tube type TV and concentrate on a better source of scrap.


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## Smack (Aug 2, 2013)

They should be paying you to take them, but your paying for them? If you can't at least get them for free, let them go.


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## pugnut (Aug 2, 2013)

wow! ok. then what the heck am i supposed to do?


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## pugnut (Aug 2, 2013)

now that i am calm, how should i present it to these people?
love your puppy by the way!


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## FrugalRefiner (Aug 2, 2013)

pugnut,

I'm not sure what you're presenting, or to whom.

As butcher and Smack have let you know, CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes) as found in old tube type TVs and computer monitors are a losing proposition. If you're paying money for them, you will eventually lose money. While the copper may cover your cost, the problem is the tube itself. The rear portion of the tube is made of glass that contains lead. The lead is there to protect us from the radiation given off by the gun within the tube, but it is now just considered a hazardous waste. There is only one location in the US that actually recycles them as part of their process. That is why in many cases, you will have to pay someone to take the tubes off your hands. There are also other toxic substances within the tube.

Most members here only accept CRTs if they are accompanied by computers or other electronics that will help to cover the cost of disposal of the CRTs.

There are some places where you can dispose of them at no cost. I believe Goodwill will accept them in limited numbers. I think some of the large electronics outlets have recycling programs that may help. In some areas there are programs in place to recycle them. There are also amnesty days or disposal days in many areas.

Good luck with them. Don't buy any more.

Dave


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## pugnut (Aug 2, 2013)

really weird, haven't seen butcher's post until just now. i understand your point(s).
thanks guys!


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## everydayisalesson (Aug 3, 2013)

Heres one for you. I have a 35" and two 42" CRTs that work perfect and can't give them away. There was talk about someone developing a company to process the lead out of these but I think that fizzled out. Its just not economical.

Mike


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## JHS (Aug 3, 2013)

Old tv tubes are at a premium on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Matched-Quad-NOS-National-Union-W-E-Type-350B-Tubes-TV-7-Tested-1943-/171080644048?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item27d53375d0#ht_743wt_917
and old radio and stereo tubes are worth much more.
the value of the parts far out weigh the cost of disposal.
don't be so quick to scrap the copper parts either.
it is hard to find some of them.
got a old 8mm projector bulb=try to find one.
there is a market for everything,you just need to find it.
hope this helps
john


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## Woodworker1997 (Aug 3, 2013)

The best selling vacuum tubes are the ones that will work in guitar amplifiers. I dismantled an old ocilloscope the other day and found several handfulls of 12AX7, 12AU7 and others. Because of their vintage they are highly prized. $50.00-$150.00.

This of corse is if they work. Most good musical instrument stores will have a tube checker. 

Derek.


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## JHS (Aug 3, 2013)

there are several tube testers on ebay.some are pretty cheep.
if you have a lot of tubes,it might be worth looking into.
johm


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## pugnut (Aug 4, 2013)

Not to get off subject, but at what year were tubes phased out?


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## Woodworker1997 (Aug 4, 2013)

As used in mass produced electronics I'm not sure but, they are still widely used in new high end guitar amps and some manufacturers are making nostalgic home stereo equipment with tubes. In my opinion, they sound better.

Derek


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## butcher (Aug 5, 2013)

The transistors began replacing tubes in the mid 1950's, but I remember working on tube type equipment into the 70's and 80's, at one time I had a big stack of old tube type radios I was repairing, I sure wish now I would have kept a couple of them old radios.


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## Harold_V (Aug 5, 2013)

Woodworker1997 said:


> As used in mass produced electronics I'm not sure but, they are still widely used in new high end guitar amps and some manufacturers are making nostalgic home stereo equipment with tubes. In my opinion, they sound better.
> 
> Derek


True, some high end manufacturers of sound gear do offer tube type equipment, and, to some, it may sound better (although I'd love to have you A-B high quality solid state/tube type, and tell me which is which). The cost tends to be excessively high, and you are limited to output power, while solid state tends to be limitless. McIntosh, for example, offers a 2,000 watt solid state amplifier. 

That being said, McIntosh has offered tube type equipment for several years now, for those who share your views. However, the specs belie the problem with tube type equipment, which tends to degrade with every working moment. Mc talks about distortion levels down around the .005% point with their solid state gear, while tube type equipment hovers in the .5% range. Clearly, solid state is out-performing tubes, which should come as no surprise. 

My percentages may not be exactly as quoted by McIntosh. I'm trusting to memory, but you get the idea. 

Harold


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## bigbaud (Aug 6, 2013)

i would imagine, just as with the "needle" vs. the CD, it's more about mechanical feedback than being exact.
being an automotive specialist for 19 years, i believe analog speaks volumes more than digital ever could.
just my impression. :roll:


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## jrpincctx (Dec 14, 2014)

i have been processing crt for years. as far as paying for them. no you can get many for free. I know of two places in America that will pay 10.00 per mdetric ton of crt glass. that takes a while and storage and shipping to California is a nightmare. the plastic is another issues but with the technoalgy on refining it back to oil I have a guy that will take it off my hands for free. keep doing what your doing except don't pay.


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## Ocean (Dec 17, 2014)

We CHARGE $5 to take or have one dropped off at our facility...


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