That old tube TV I stored in the garage for backup finally gave up

Abby Miller · 2026-05-30T10:05:03.951012+00:00

I used to just grab any old CRT monitor and plug it in, no worries. Now I've got a multimeter I test every secondhand screen with before even turning it on, after one blew a fuse and took out my power strip last Tuesday. Anybody else checking caps and shorts on their vintage finds before powering up?

the_blair4mo ago

Honestly never thought about bleeding tubes till now, you changed my mind on that.

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noah_chen174mo ago

Wait, are you just checking caps or also bleeding the tubes after they've been sitting for years?

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betty_white394mo ago

Yeah, bleeding tubes is a good habit but if it's been sitting for years most of the charge will have leaked out already. I'd still do it anyway just to be safe, but the real risk is old caps holding juice that can bite you.

0