Is there radiation in this TV?

I have an old Zenith floor model TV. Has warnings on the inside about x-rays. Does this even matter so long as it's not plugged in? Never seen one like this. Wanna make sure I take it apart right. I searched here and Googled it and all I found was these pictures.

http://scrapmetalforum.com/image/18icm9ow4/
http://scrapmetalforum.com/image/18ifxcdvo/

It's a 20cc50 model from '72. Maybe it would be worth something broke. It was considered vintage in alot of stuff I read. Already cut the cord though.

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Originally Posted by zakmattingly

I have an old Zenith floor model TV. Has warnings on the inside about x-rays. It was considered vintage in alot of stuff I read. Already cut the cord though.

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No X-rays when off. **** few, if any when on. The vintage electronics folks won't care if you cut the cord. You might also look for good vacuum tubes, and check what they sell for on fleabay. Some rare tubes are quite pricey.

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Is there radiation in this TV?

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There is no radiation in any TV set, Not sure why they posted those warnings on them back in the day,,, You don't see the warning tags on any later CRT tv's.

Ha! I have that EXACT tv sittin in my storage unit. I went to tear it down, saw the vacuum tubes and decided ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh, aint worth the hassle.

Found a couple of sites that said it isn't worth fixing. Still don't know about these little tubes. Do they just unplug? And it discharges the same I'm assuming. I already agreed to take it for these people before I knew what was in it. They didn't know what to do with it and it'd been sitting for 12 years. Couldn't say no when I got there. So now its gotta be done. Taking up space in the garage. Probably would've still taken it anyway. Something new to figure out.

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Originally Posted by Mechanic688

Not sure why they posted those warnings on them back in the day,,, You don't see the warning tags on any later CRT tv's.

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A cathode ray tube is a wimpy type of particle accelerator. The image on a CRT is made by steering a beam of electrons from the 'particle accelerator' across the back of the screen, which is coated with phosphor. When an electron hits the phosphor, the electron is converted into a photon (light). Some of the electons don't hit a phosphor and continue out in the direction of the couch potato. These low energy electrons are 'particles of radiation' They're sometimes called betas by those in the business. Those that escape the phosphor and the glass can travel up to maybe a dozen cm before hitting an air molecule. They can be stopped by things like air, skin, tissue paper, plexiglass, metal, almost anything. They (these beta particles) are a danger to eyes though, so if you watched too much tv, for too long a time, with your nose touching the tv screen, you might earn yourself some cataracts or other eye tissue damage. If my guess is correct, that's where the radiation warning comes from. There could possibly be slightly more exposure, if you worked behind the CRT, while the tv was on, and still more danger, if you did so in outer space (vacuum, no air to protect you from the radiation). I reckon they stopped with the radiation warnings after fifty years of nobody ever turning into a frog, or whatever else it is that people think radiation does to you.

That's not to imply that all radiation, or even all betas are benign, or harmless, just that televisions probably caused many times more injuries in the following ways:

• to people toes, and backs by being so heavy
• by electric shock to repairmen, or people trying to repair them
• by rare earth exposure to people breaking the CRT open and accidentally breathing phosphor
• by rotting the minds of couch potatoes watching them.

If you happen to need another workbench, you could do what we have done here. Instant workbench, then when your done with it you scrap it and burn the wood.
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/...m/S2010013.jpg

some of them are too pretty to burn...I saw one made into a fishtank once......If I get one like the one in your photo I might try that !!

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Originally Posted by Mechanic688

If you happen to need another workbench, you could do what we have done here. Instant workbench, then when your done with it you scrap it and burn the wood.
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/...m/S2010013.jpg

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I think I'll do that after I gut it out. I don't have a workbench in the garage. That's what I was just using it as anyway while I was working on something else.