How to degauss a tv? (1 Viewer)

[Eric_R_C]

Problem: My tv has a blue spot in the top left corner, and a red spot in the top right. I read somewhere that this is an indication that the tv needs degaussing (north-south electromagnetic alignment of earth is in conflict with tv chassis, and has built up a static charge. Am I understanding this correctly?) As far as I have read, there are three ways.
1) Press the degauss button on tv (my tv doesn't have this, my friend's computer monitor does, but this doesn't help me)
2) Turn the tv (I'd hate to to this)
3) Turn the house (My wife would kill me)
Any suggestions. Is there such a thing as a mobile/handheld degausser. (This makes me think of Fight Club, when they walk past the videocassettes with high-power magnets )

 

[BruceSpielbauer]

>>> Is there such a thing as a mobile/handheld degausser.

 

[Paul_Saul]

It is a magnetic field problem not and electrostatic
problem.

Assuming that there is not a permanent magnetic field
there for some reason (i.e. unshielded speakers)

You need to apply an AC magnetic field to degauss it.
You can try to use a hand held soldering iron - the
gun type with a trigger. The current flowing through
the tip is 100s of amps and it generates an appreciable
field. There may also be portable degaussers for this
purpose. Perhaps even bringing you computer monitor
next to the TV and using its degausser as there may
be enough fringing field to affect the TV (degauss it)

 

[RickK]

Eric, there are hand-held degaussers.they look a bit like this http://www.datadev.com/dc13.html
If Pauls suggestions don't work out, you maybe able to borrow one from your local (friendly) T.V repair man, as I have done myself.

 

[errol]

Hi Eric,
Here's degauss info from Guy Kuo.
Thanks,
Errol

 

[Cees Alons]

BTW, most TV sets don't have a degauss-button - but do it automatically when you switch them on.
You would have to fully switch the set off (not to "standby" but off-power) and then on again.

If you already did that, it apparently doesn't degauss itself, or else there may be a permanent field as Paul suggested.

Cees

 

[Lew Crippen]

There is indeed such a thing as a hand held degausser. They are available at most electronics stores.
Before investing in one, try this. Turn off your TV and unplug it for 12–24 hours. This often works. The reason you need to unplug the TV, is that most TVs send a current to the picture tube even when the set is turned off. The idea here is to stop that current.
If this does not work, you will need to go to the hand held degaussing route.
You should also make sure that you do not have unshielded speakers too close to your tube. The magnetic fields generated by speaker magnets will also cause this problem. Just check so that there is no reoccurance.

 

[Neil Joseph]

I combined both of your threads into this single one.

 

[JohnnyG]

Here's a little trick - try turning the set on an off about 10 time in succession. This works often enough to give it a try and seems to be effective whether the set has a power-on degauss feature or not.

As for degauss coils, any TV or computer monitor service center worth it's salt would have one of these.