Styrofoam Balls balls in CRT?

[TheFistChris]

I have a small CRT TV that I would like to use on my desk. It has not been used lately (what with the LCD craze and everything lol) but I noticed that while in storage styrofoam balls managed to fall into it (from a damaged stuffed animal toy stored on top of it). Is it safe to use the TV with them in there (they are non-conductive)? Or should I go ahead and blow it out before I use it? I'd prefer not to have to open it, and I also would have to buy more compressed air...

 

[Iron Will]

unless they have absorbed a lot of humidity, they shouldn't be a problem.
was the place where it was stored very humid?
or try using a vacuum cleaner instead of canned air.

hope this helps.

 

[TheFistChris]

It wasn't humid, it was in a main-level corner of my house with a bunch of junk on top of it.

 

[Iron Will]

well then, i wouldn't worry about it.

 

[shrtrnd]

I would.
Typically most styrofoam just conducts static electricity, maybe, maybe not a problem.
When your CRT TV heats-up, any small balls near heat will melt, all over your circuit.
Would the melt conduct electricity, I don't know, but as the stuff gets warmer, it's going to smell, if it doesn't catch on fire shortly thereafter.
It's really not a lot of trouble to carefully take the cover off the back of the TV, and
shake or blow the styrofoam out of it, before you fire-up the TV.
It may be unnecessary work, but that's what I'd do.

 

[GreenGiant]

I would.
Typically most styrofoam just conducts static electricity, maybe, maybe not a problem.
When your CRT TV heats-up, any small balls near heat will melt, all over your circuit.
Would the melt conduct electricity, I don't know, but as the stuff gets warmer, it's going to smell, if it doesn't catch on fire shortly thereafter.
It's really not a lot of trouble to carefully take the cover off the back of the TV, and
shake or blow the styrofoam out of it, before you fire-up the TV.
It may be unnecessary work, but that's what I'd do.

Im with shrtrnd on this one, the amount of static that is in the back of those tv's is phenomenal, you get a few pieces of styrofoam in the wrong spot and the static bridges some gaps and you can get sparks or fire in there

 

[Raven Luni]

Im with shrtrnd on this one, the amount of static that is in the back of those tv's is phenomenal, you get a few pieces of styrofoam in the wrong spot and the static bridges some gaps and you can get sparks or fire in there

Goodness gracious great balls of fire

 

[khankll]

never ever use it without thorough cleaning and testing .. use some qick blow fuse at thats at most twice the rated current of the device and ur first turn on of device should be in a good fireproof open place...

 

[TheFistChris]

I haven't turned it on yet, I'll just blow it out first to be safe. Is it okay to use a can of compressed air? I used a can once on a CRT iMac, just blowing out the back, and the colors were all wrong when I turned it back on. It took about 45 minutes for it to return to normal. Is that supposed to happen?

 

[khankll]

very strong pressure displaces/vibrates the omponents that are tall flat... so use it from a good distance.. first use some sort of brush to soften any dust etc .. if possible... else use just air but with little pressure..