I recently aquired a Philips 64P8342 rear projection television with a 'hazy' screen. The haze seems to be white and it surrounds any bright color that is on the screen making it look like a fog. I have read several great posting on this site and believe that I may need to change the coolant. I also called a local TV repair place and they said that is what they would do...and charge me $350-450..pfft! I have been referencing the following article here but I can't post a link because I have to post 5 times...

Is there any advice anyone has before undertaking this project? From reading the advice of previous people it sounds like removing the CRT is the way to go. It is hard for me to picture what I will have to take apart because I am not a TV repairman, nor have I repaired a TV before. I am a PC tech/ computer guy so I am good with my hands and following direction. Since I got the TV pretty much free I would like to try and fix it myself.

If I buy a service manual does anyone know if the instructions would be step by step or at least give me a better idea of what to do? I will post some pictures later on tonight thanks for reading my post!

Thanks

Aaron

Have you checked to make sure that you don't just need an optics cleaning? "Haze" like what you describe could be from a layer of dust coating the lenses and mirror in the optical cavity. Far more likely, I'd think, than any coolant issues.

CRTs are total dust magnets due to the strong electromagnetic fields they produce. The lenses and mirror could just be coated with dust. If this set is 2+ yrs old and has never had it's optics cleaned, it is certainly due.

Might want to check Mr Bob's "Don't Dump Your CRT RPTV" thread on these RPTV forums for more info before leaping into what might be a needless (and pricey/potentially damaging) coolant change.

Thanks, I am going to take off my screen and clean my mirrors very carefully. I read Bob's articles on cleaning on an HDTV site. I will take before and after pictures for grins!

And if you want to locate some of Bob's choice solution for optics cleaning, most Costco stores stock 4 pks of Sprayway foam cleaner for pretty cheap.

I have cleaned the tv but it is still hazy, I will post pictures and a description shortly, I have to post 5 times before I can make a picture show up...

Welp, had the first adventure in taking the screen off a RPTV just about 30 minutes ago. I was so excited after cleaning, I went to wolf camera and got some micro fibre cloth and some professional lens cleaner and cleaned the lenses after the tv was nice and cool.

The lenses were really dusty so I figure that I had cleaned it nicely- the big mirror was really clean so I didn't mess with it.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/ayestyles_247/TV/haze.jpg

Did I do a bad job or do you think there is another issue at hand. I looked

Here are the lenses:

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/ayestyles_247/TV/IMG_1609.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/ayestyles_247/TV/IMG_1612.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/ayestyles_247/TV/IMG_1611.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l166/ayestyles_247/TV/IMG_1610.jpg

You need to look down into each lens with the Tv on. If you see a nice clear picture then it's ok. If you see cloudy fluid, scum on the chamber walls, floating debri in the chamber... then the fluid needs changing. From your pics, the red looks ok, but the green and blue need to be looked into.

Hammer

I shined a flashlight into the lenses when I had it off- I did see stuff floating around in there. I guess I should have left the screen off! I am in a 800 square foot home as you can see it's really cramped in my living room and I can't move the tv into any other room because it's too big! I am moving into a much larger home with a huge garage so I may wait to possibly drain it until then. I will most likely take off the screen and take some pics of the lenses for you guys in the mean time just to confirm that the fluid is icky.

In the meantime should I aquire a service manual or something that will guide me step by step through taking out the CRT and draining the fluid because I would feel very comfortable doing it that way. So far these are the best descriptions that I have gotten from this forum / site.

Quick guide to removal/install of crt:
Tighten the lens adj nut.
Remove crt board, svm board/windings, yoke/windings, ground wires (suggest labelling/marking posistions so you don't end up with an upside-down picture), and HV anode from Flyback/Tripler.
Unscrew from mount, lift out.
Detach lense assembly from tube.
Split, Clean, Refill, Seal.
Now put crt back in, assemble in reverse, apply power and hope for the best.
You will have to do mech convergence, digital convergence, hardware grayscale, and maybe SM grayscale.
If you are doing more than one, do them one at a time (get mech convergence close on the new crt before removing the next one).

It's best advised to change the fluid with the tube out of the set. Some guys in the shop like to do it on-board but personally I can do it just as fast by pulling the tube. Removing the tube is no big deal, after removing the front screens and back cover you'll have to pull the crt socket board off. This is probably the hardest part since Philips puts a glob of RTV between the socket and the tube, as you're pulling down, gently wiggle the board, it will pop off. You'll have to pull the HV anode lead out of the HV block on the LSB board in the back. Unplug the convergence plug for the particular tube you're changing as well as the Yoke plug. There are normally 2 ground wires connected to the backside of the CRT metal shielding. Those have to come out. After removing the 4 1/4" screws holding the crt down, slowly remove the CRT. BE very careful that you don't bang or bump the certering rings when you remove the tube. Those are a pair of rings around the neck of the crt with tabs on them. They're usually RTV'd down but they can be moved. If you move them you'll have to recenter the tube.

You'll find the plug on the top of the coolant chamber, twisting 180 degrees loosens it so you can remove it. Careful, there's a small white washer you must keep and it tends to fall and can get lost. Drain your coolant into a container like a kitty litter container. After the fluid is drained, removed the 4 screws holding the lens on and clean the inside of both the lens and CRT coolant chamber with a rag. Reinstall the lens. Sit the tube upright, begin slowly filling the chamber back up with the replacement fluid until it reaches the very top. Reinstall the cap with rubber gasket washer and tighten 180 degrees. Clean any coolant on the outside of the tube off, you don't want any of this stuff dripping down into the set.

Reinstall tube the same way you removed it. As long as you didn't move those centering rings, any convergence adj. should be very minor. Proceed to do the same to the rest of the tubes.

Normally the blue tube dirties the worst and fastest. The glycol based coolant is extremely sticky and corrosive as well as conductive. If you do the coolant change in the set and you spill any coolant on the PC boards, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND CLEAN UP THE SPILL IMMEDIATELY! AS I said, this stuff is conductive and will short circuit the boards it's spilled on quickly.

If you're not comfortable doing this call a pro

Did you only clean the top lenses, or did you do the deeper optics cleaning (remove each lens assembly and clean the lens/coolant cup above the coolant level)?

Could still be a layer of dust/gunk on the coolant cup lens surface, which could look as if there were things in the coolant.

I only cleaned the top of the optics I didn't take anything apart. I will definately clean down there after I look up how to correctly disassemble the lens and not screw things up. I still think it's just dirty! No one has cleaned this TV in 6 years!

I only cleaned the top of the optics I didn't take anything apart. I will definately clean down there after I look up how to correctly disassemble the lens and not screw things up. I still think it's just dirty! No one has cleaned this TV in 6 years!

6 yrs and no deep cleaning would very likely cause the haze seen in your posted screenshot.

While I am no tech (and would still recommend getting a pro to do the job, just to be safe ;) ), I did edit your shot of the 3 CRTs to illustrate what screws are involved in lens assembly removal. Only those 4 screws per barrel should be removed. Any other screws in the neighborhood? Avoid 'em! Could lead to opening up the coolant level...and then you might really need coolant replacement!

Also noted on the linked pic are the locations of the mechanical focus adjustment sliders on each lens barrel. Do not mess with these during cleaning.

If I were you, I would do some more digging into the deep cleaning/lens removal on your particular set. But, removing each barrel (one at a time--don't mix 'em up!) will allow access to the bottom most lens which is often referred to as the coolant cup lens. Could be a major layer of gunk on those. I have heard that some lens assemblies can be disassembled if cleaning btwn lenses inside the barrel if needed....but for that, I would most assuredly hire a pro!!!

I've done optics cleaning on 2 diff Hitachi CRT RPTVs with great results. Neither needed cleaning within the barrels, just the top/bottom lenses and the coolant cups.

If you consider going the tech route, I recommend contacting ISF Calibrator/tech/AVS regular Mr Bob. He will do phone consults on such things for a reasonable fee--much less than flying him out to you. And he knows CRT RPTVs inside and out!

Watch out! Some lens assemblies actually are the top of the fluid chamber. Do not remove. At least two people here have spilled coolant all over the Tv boards by not knowing this. Philips are notorious for getting contaminated coolant.

Hammer

Quick guide to removal/install of crt:
Tighten the lens adj nut.
Remove crt board, svm board/windings, yoke/windings, ground wires (suggest labelling/marking posistions so you don't end up with an upside-down picture), and HV anode from Flyback/Tripler.
Unscrew from mount, lift out.
Detach lense assembly from tube.
Split, Clean, Refill, Seal.
Now put crt back in, assemble in reverse, apply power and hope for the best.
You will have to do mech convergence, digital convergence, hardware grayscale, and maybe SM grayscale.
If you are doing more than one, do them one at a time (get mech convergence close on the new crt before removing the next one).

I was the one who wrote the last half of those directions. I would advise NOT doing this that I re-posted. You're making waaaay more work for yourself. It's not necessary to remove the yokes from the tubes.
Do not remove the lens from the tube until you've drained the fluid from the tube as directed.
If, after re-installing the tube you find one of the colors completely out of alignment across the entire screen you've probably bumped the centering rings on that tube while doing the coolant change. If that happens, turn the set on, enter the convergence menu by pushing 062596 info (I think it's info), get the crosshatch on the screen, throw a blanket over the top of the set covering the screen so no light can get in from the front. Now, from the access opening in the rear you should be able to look up into the inside of the screen and see the crosshatch pattern. At this point you can reach in (the back should be off BTW) and adjust the centering rings on the color effected.

If you're not comfortable reaching into a live set and doing this I'd advise you get a pro. There are voltages in their that will bite pretty hard it your hand slips or you stick it in the wrong place. ;)

Yuppp, I think I'm going to pass on fixing this myself or hiring someone to do it. Anyone know if I could even sell this thing? I was thinking of calling some repair shops and offering to sell it for like $150. They could fix it and turn around and sell it for at least $500 I would imagine...

If I buy a service manual does anyone know if the instructions would be step by step or at least give me a better idea of what to do? I will post some pictures later on tonight thanks for reading my post!

Yes, the $35 service CDROM for my year-2000 64PH9905 64" Philips has instructions for replacing the fluid, then readjusting the set, plus part numbers for the fluid. Can't really say whether your CRT/lens coupling fluids are degraded. Cleaned my mirror/lenses ~6 months back after 6+ years use, and it made only a very slight contrast improvement (images still good) since the optics, amazingly, weren't very dirty. -- John

I am not going to give up on this yet- I went ahead and moved the TV to my new house (to the dismay of everyone helping me move). Everyone thinks I am crazy for having this monstrosity in the garage just sitting there. "throw it away" they say- but I won't have it!

I wish that AVSFORUMS had a service manual section so that we all didn't have to go buy them off someone- after all what happened to the freedom of information these days? Anyone out there have a service manual for a 64p8342 in electronic format that I could use?