SE/30: Rubber of CRT HV connector disintegrates - searching replacement

[retrofreak83]

Hi all,

one of my SE/30 has a problem with its CRT HV connector (see image). The rubber of this connector disintegrates into that ugly, sticky mess.


Is this a "standard" part somehow? Does anyone have a hint where I could get a replacement (I'm in Germany / the EU)?

 

[Zitruskeks]

No worries! Its NOT the rubber desolving but actually its by design! What you see as "ugly, sticky mess" is dielectric grease used to seal the HV connector and its surroundings to moisture, so the HV cannot arc outside in high humidity environments.

 

[retrofreak83]

Hm.... I've never seen that before, and both my other compact Macs do not have that issue.

 

[Zitruskeks]

You see it more often on bigger color crts as the tiny black and white screens in the macs (or CBM PETS or the Vectrex) only have rather tiny amounts of anode voltage. More in the range of 5KV then the 25KV or even more on 29inch Color tubes.

IF it really bothers you, then you can discharge the tube, disconnect the anode cap, clean around with isopropanol and reconnect everything, with or without dielectric grease. . The red big circle on the screen is more paint like and between it and the rubber cap there is the grease sealant.

Personally i even wash the screens in water, which is totally okay unless the dag (the black paint on the tube) is water soluble (it is on the vectrex, ask me how i know) but the dag can be repaired with graphite spray paint easily.

PS here you can see the grease on different systems:

Working on a Sega Blast City

Now on to the monitor. Standard stuff here. Geometry problems and poor convergence around the edges making things blurry: Cleared out the broken bits from the deflection yoke: (This step is mandatory, I learned. I initially tried to skip it and immediately regretted it as I heard...

www.arcade-projects.com

 

[joshc]

Yeah, that hasn't disintegrated, that cleans up well with isopropyl alcohol.

 

[retrofreak83]

Thanks for your replies. I will give it a try using isopropyl alcohol.

 

[retrofreak83]

Well, it took me a little while to find the time to do it. Just a bit of isopropyl alcohol and it looks nice now, gunk is gone