Man, that TV story brought back some fond memories! We had one of the first sets on our block and many of the neighborhood kids would come over and stare at the test pattern until the Saturday programing began. Our set was about 4 feet high by 3 feet wide with about an 8" screen and an array of wooden knobs, most of which did absolutely nothing. We had to warm it up for about 5 minutes before it would do anything. When things started to go wonky, dad would call the repairman to make a house call. He wore a uniform and had a huge expandable black box with all kind of testers and tubes. If mom knew he was coming, she would vacuum all the dust out back of the TV, probably doing more harm that good.
Running a Vacuum Cleaner near Tubes
I've been contemplating on asking this question, because I know what type of, highly potential, remarks this question will ensue, but here it is anyways. Curiosity can, only, be cured by asking or doing, right??
I recall as a kid going to the local drug store, Eckerd Drugs, with my dad, so he could test the Tubes in our T.V. A few days later, a T.V. repair man showed up at our home and he took a metal circular loop and moved the metal loop around in front of the T.V. screen. As he did this, the picture on the screen followed the loop. The guy said, what he was doing was realigning the picture.. AND, to never turn on or off the vacuum machine close to the T.V.
Does anyone know, not think, assume, etc., how turning on/ off a vacuum near tube gear would effect tubes? Again, this question is, purely, out of curiosity from what I saw and hear the T.V. repair man do and say. Thanks.