How to Safely Break a TV Tube

Do you still have an old and unsafe CRT television and now thinking of upgrading? Did you know that you can disassemble it and sell some of the parts, like circuit boards, copper, and metal components?

In my opinion, it’s a good idea, because no one wants to buy an old television. So why not take advantage? But be careful because Old televisions have a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube):

What is a CRT in TV?

A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, the beams of which are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. (Source Wikipedia)

It’s commonly called a TV tube or picture tube and contains dangerous substances for the environment. It means you can’t simply throw the CRT tube away. You might be thinking, I can’t throw it outside, I can’t keep it in my home, what can I do?

Well, you just have to find a company that takes these things and recycles them. In this way, you and the environment both get rid of these CRT tubes.

But there is a problem, these tubes hold high voltage for a long time which can be dangerous.

So read my all instruction carefully! Then follow the procedure.

What You Need:

Before starting the whole procedure, make sure that you have all these things:

• Gloves to protect your hands
• Needle nose pliers
• Side-Cutting Pliers
• Insulated Screwdrivers
• Alligator clips

How to break your TV Tube Safely

Note: Do this at your own risk. We’ll not be held responsible for any damage.

1.  Open the Cover of the Television

The first thing you need to do is open the cover of the television by unscrewing all the screws carefully. Don’t use too much force because if you do, you’ll end up with a broken picture tube.

2.  Discharge the Monitor

Remember, the Anode Cap is the part that conveys the high voltage. For that reason, discharging a monitor might be dangerous if you don’t follow these safety precautions:

Safety Precautions:

• Be aware of your circumstances and surroundings (loose cables you may trip on etc.).
• Unplug the TV.
• Wear gloves.
• Wear a safety mask
• Switch the TV off at least 2 days before doing this procedure.  
• Don’t touch the parts of the TV with your bare hands, especially the Anode Cap and Electron gun.
• Only use an insulated screwdriver.

For this process, you need an insulated screwdriver and alligator clips. Attach one alligator clip to the screwdriver. Hold the other end of the alligator clip which is not attached to the screwdriver and attach it with the metal casing.

Now, slide the screwdriver into the anode cap, try to touch the metal inside the anode clip until you hear the click sound. Wait 2 or 3 minutes and do this step 2 or 3 times again to ensure safety. After ensuring your safety, pull the rubber of the Anode cap carefully with your hand.

3.  Cut the Wires

The third step to break a TV tube is to grab the Needle nose pliers and cut all the wires you see inside the TV. This is the time to start making some money with the CRT tube. You’ll get some money from selling the coil and copper you’ll get from cutting the wires.

4.  Remove the Motherboard

Here comes the last step, now cautiously remove the motherboard, the small circuit board which you can see on the electron gun, speakers, buttons, etc. Take out all the small and big components of the circuit board with a flathead screwdriver.

Note: Do not forget to wear gloves while doing all these processes.

5.  Save or Sell the parts

It’s totally up to you whether you want to sell or save the parts of the TV which you think you can use in the future.

6.  Recycling

As I already mentioned, the old TV/CTR TV tube is made up of toxic material and it is dangerous to the environment. So never throw the Cathode-Ray tube out, find a waste management company, and save the environment.

Last Words

The process of breaking a TV tube can be dangerous if you make even the slightest mistake. If you’re someone who doesn’t know how these things work then it can be even more dangerous (and I would suggest you find a professional). Again if you want to do this then do it at your own risk.