Electronic – How dangerous are portable CRT televisions

crtportablesafetytvvintage

I want to use an old portable CRT for a project, but I don't know how dangerous the capacitors are, and if they'd be as bad as the ones inside a normal CRT. It takes in 12v dc via adapter, or 8 D cells. It is branded Curtis and has the model Number: NO.RT063

Here is a picture of the TV:

The TV itself.

Best Answer

The capacitors in a TV are just as dangerous as in any other CRT device. There is no effective difference.

NOTE ALSO: The CRT itself is the MOST DANGEROUS of all the "capacitors" The tube itself is used as the filter capacitor for the highest (electron-accelerating) voltage. The tube has an inner coating with the very high voltage (like 10KV and likely much higher). And the outside of the tube is used as the OTHER side of the capacitor (with the glass tube itself providing the capacitor dielectric separator). Many people have been zapped by CRTs which have been un-powered for days, weeks, or months.

There are special precautions for working with CRTs. Certainly eye protection (good goggles or a face-shield) and discharge-tools are a minimum for any kind of work inside something with a CRT, no matter how small.