Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

[JamesCoste]

Yesterday a lightning storm came through the area and it hit our cable TV line at the pole by the road. That current fried the cable "box" thingy attached to the cable line (up the pole - I saw them replace it today).<br /><br />When it happened, my wife was online using our computer and watching TV (which sits 24" above our computer monitor). <br /><br />Here's what happened:<br />1) computer screen started showing strange colors (red, orange, blue) on it although the text/picture was still readable.<br /><br />2) TV's in the house did the same thing (strange colors).<br /><br />3) Almost immediately, the computer monitor fixed itself (degaused itself?) and the picture cleared. The TV above the computer monitor got worse at the same time.<br /><br />4) The TV in the living room got better over night.<br /><br />We now have our cable internet and cable picture back, but the TV in our bedroom still has the strange colors over the image.<br /><br />The Comcast Cable guy said to buy some sort of tool from Radio Shack that you can wave in front of the TV screen to clear up the magnetization that the surge caused.<br /><br />This is far beyond me. Any ideas?<br /><br />We have surge protectors on our outlets; however, our cable lines are unprotected.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

Here is a link for picture tube degausers. Not as common as they used to be. If you search the net you can probably build one a lot cheaper. Ask you cable company why their signal is not grounded. They had to completely rewire my house because there was not ground on the side of the house my cable used to be wired to.<br /> TV Tube Degauser

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

Hmmm, I work in an IT shop at work with some hardware guys. I can ask them if they have a DEGAUSSING COIL I can use.<br /><br />That would be a nice fix!<br /><br />I might try to build one if I can't find one.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

Flipping the TV on and off will degauss it. There's a built in degausser that comes on when it's first powered up, making that familiar "Humm".<br />You have to let it sit a while off before it'll "humm" again - there's a little heater/thermistor affair that keeps it from coming on too often (to prevent overheating).<br /><br />You can salvage the degaussing coil from an old TV and make your own.

 

[Holdimhook]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

You might have to unplug the set and then plug it in again and then turn it on to get the automatic degaussing to work, as some of the sets on the market are always powered up, and the on/off switch is really just a switch to a "standby mode" of sorts. But, as Paul said, There is a built in degausser unless the set is about 25 years old. Good luck.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

For years i've used a bulk tape eraser from Radio Shack (44-232). It does a fine job on CRT's. I use it before I power up the TV/monitor. It works a treat erasing floppies too!

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

Like Paul said, that "click-buzzzzz" you hear when you turn on the TV is the built in degausser. Usually, a bunch of power on/power off cycles will slowly clear the discoloration. You sometimes have to wait a minute or so between turning it off and turning it back on ot let the degausser recharge.

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

I've tried turning it off and on to no avail. I will try unplugging it to see if that helps.<br /><br />I found a website that gave me some ideas on how to fix it. We did get a small magnet and run it across the screen in fast circular motion and the middle part of our screen (about 60%) looks fine. Only the edges are still discolored.

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

Unplugging it did the trick for the most part. It's good enough for now.

 

[cart7]

Re: Electrical Surge problem with TVs.

You could also try running an electric hair blow dryer close to the front of the screen in circular motions and then draw the blow dryer away from the screem, still making the circular motions and then click it off.