Thoughts on instant-on?

[Chad Hauris]

It has usually been my practice to try and defeat the instant-on circuits in TV's that use it, (both tube-type and the solid state ones that heat the CRT constantly). I have removed the instant-on diode or rewired the power switch to actually shut off all power. Would you concur that this is necessary to help preserve CRT life and reduce fire hazard?

[Kamakiri]

My 1977 Goldstar has the same thing, it's got two power buttons, one that's a switch, and a momentary. The power has to actually be on to use the remote, a weird setup. I never leave the thing actually "on" off, I always turn it "off" off.

[PaulC]

It will definitly help reduce the fire hazard. Today I would never leave a set like that plugged in. I don't think I've ever seen an instant-on solid state though. I remember seeing several of those sets with an instant-on defeat switch hidden somewhere. But if you've been inside them mabe some don't. I don't like leaving any old electronic equipment plugged in if it's not used an a semi regular basis. Other option I use on some equipment is to plug into a remote switch. They can be found at a hardware store for about 8 bucks. It's a two prong plug and receptical with 15 feet of zip cord molded on one end and a switch on the other. It only breaks one side of the circuit but it will shut off the power.

Paul

[rca2000]

Why is everyone so scared of it?I have seen that ckt on a good number of solid state tv's, such as the rca ctc-40-68, and I have never had one with a problem.I do recall the the NYFD banned the ckt in the early '70's, but I also read the reason it was deleted was for energy conservation.

I personally like instant-on. I know of no fires resulting from sets with it.. Do any of you guys know of any sets ,that caused a fire, as a result of instant -on?

[captainmoody]

When I lived in AZ in the early seventies, The tv shop near my house on campbell road had an Admiral that caught fire in the customers home causing some minor smoke damage to the house.
The tv didn't do as well, The cabinet and chassis were pretty charred, I remember the owner of the shop telling me it had something to do with the instant on circuit.
I never liked the tube heaters partially on, And would switch off or defeat that feature on any of my sets. The problem I saw was the pc board getting brittle way too early around the tube sockets on those admiral sets especially, and decreased crt life, Maybe it's just me, But it seemed like we were always replacing picture tubes on those type of tv's.
My boss made it a point to tell the customers to keep that feature shut off.
My motorola TS915's have the switch on the back.
After using any of my sets I also shut off the power strip that they are plugged into.
Some of the Zenith sets from the late sixties and early seventies would torch themselves when the damper tube socket would arc around the insulator on the bottom and catch the plastic on the surrounding wires as well as the socket on fire, But those sets weren't instant on.
We had a few come in the shop like that, And were insurance totals.

[Carmine]

I have a 14" B&W Admiral set with instant-on. My grandparents have owned it since new. I think it probably spent years at a time plugged in, but I always unplug it after use 'cause I don't like this feature either.

As far as I know, this set has never been serviced. Still works excellent. :dunno:

My B&W Zenith keeps a couple tubes on in the Space Command Chassis (I unplug it too!)

[drh4683]

I fixed up a 1974 panasonic solidstate set with instant on for a friend of ours last year. Had power supply problems. Its been his daily watcher ever since and he loves it. He said its been a great tv and it only went into the shop 4 times! (well, thats alot of times, he thought that was good service!) All times have been power supply problems. When I took the back off, the power supply board was so burnt. All the wire wound resistors were toast and the board was discolored. Its funny, the parts I replaced were probably the ones someone else replaced the last 4 times! You could tell as the solder joints were lousy. filter caps were bad too. I dont think instant on is that great of a feature. Its more problems waiting to happen. I have a 1966 rca victor portable b/w with wireless wizzard remote. It too has instant on for the sake of keeping power to the remote chassis and tubes. Luckily when I found that one, it was like new. The orig. owner must have always kept it off.

[wvsaz]

Originally posted by captainmoody
. . . it seemed like we were always replacing picture tubes on those type of tv's. My boss made it a point to tell the customers to keep that feature shut off.

In the late sixties and early seventies the company I worked for sold many sets with the instant on feature. After a while we began to notice that when instant on was used, the picture tubes began showing signs of low emission after only a year or two of use. :eek: We advised customers not to use the instant on feature for this reason. I have also seen this problem at TV stations with monitors that are never turned off. It appears that the guns need regular on-off cycling to maintain their emission. :(

[jstout66]

I guess it's who you talk to, as techs will have their own opinion on this. I do agree that instant on in a tube set was not the best idea. I do think all of the fire stories are alot of "urban legend" tho. I worked in a repair shop for years and the CRT's picture in instant on sets was actually better. We sold Zeniths and the early Solid-State Chromacolors had a better picture years after the non instant on. I work on a few old sets now and have not come across a bad tube in an early XL100 that used instant on, or a Chromacolor. I just got a 17" Chromacolor 2 with this feature and the CRT is in great shape. My Uncle (a Zenith tech) would always say instant on prolonged CRT life. It was better for the CRTs to always be on. In a tube set it would wreak havic on the chassis.