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Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
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#1
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
I recently got out my trusty Heathkit TT-1 tube tester to check a
bunch of tubes that had accumulated here. I've stopped using its roll chart, because it's starting to show its age, and I assume the roll chart is not replacable. If it IS, I'd love to hear about it. In the meantime, I have a tube settings booklet from Heath dated 1976, which I suspect is their latest version. If anyone has a later version let me know. Mine is getting a bit shopworn, so I'm thinking about scanning it and getting copies made. In the process of doing that, I could also add in any extra tubes that Heath added in some supplements that I also have. I can get very nice reproductions made and I was wondering how many people out there would like copies. The original booklets came with the plastic "spine" bindings, but I was thinking that printing on 11 x 17 paper and then center stapling and folding would be a better way to go, since the holes for the spines tend to tear and the spines themselves get crushed. So, any opinions sent now would be appreciated. thanks, - ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney Madison, WI 53711 USA ----------------------------------------------- |
#2
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
Jim Adney wrote:
snip In the meantime, I have a tube settings booklet from Heath dated 1976, which I suspect is their latest version. If anyone has a later version let me know. Mine is getting a bit shopworn, so I'm thinking about scanning it and getting copies made. In the process of doing that, I could also add in any extra tubes that Heath added in some supplements that I also have. Please consider scanning it instead, make a PDF (or just a tarball of the images) and post it to the files section in the Heathkit Yahoo group, or provide an url for download instead. This would help a lot of folks down the road. There are a number of scans of versions of this data, but yours may be more inclusive or of better visual quality. Michael |
#3
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
"Jim Adney" wrote in message ... I recently got out my trusty Heathkit TT-1 tube tester to check a bunch of tubes that had accumulated here. I've stopped using its roll chart, because it's starting to show its age, and I assume the roll chart is not replacable. If it IS, I'd love to hear about it. this does bring up an interesting thought, not totally unrelated - with today's inexpensive computer interfaces, why not build/market a tube tester accessory that would plug into a USB bus - all you would need is one of each kind of socket on the unit, and a couple of power sources (filament and plate/bias voltages) - so a set of SCRs to choose filament voltage and apply it to the proper pins, 4 or four cheap D/As to create the voltages (maybe with an HV op amp to create higher voltages), and op amps and A/D with a mux to scan voltages and currents on all the pins of every socket - this would probably take no more than 50 to 100 parts and a small PC board and you could have the tube info read from a computer database and have the test results displayed graphically - transconductance plots, leakage, emissivity, all those esoteric parameters. Done as a labor of love, where the NRE is not amortized, it could be profitable at the $150 to $300 price range - wouldn't this be a good thing? it would take less space, be more accurate, faster and less error prone than using a 40 to 60 year old largely mechanical device. so, who's gonna make it? ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** |
#4
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Jun 7, 10:41*am, "William Noble" wrote:
"Jim Adney" wrote in message ... I recently got out my trusty Heathkit TT-1 tube tester to check a bunch of tubes that had accumulated here. I've stopped using its roll chart, because it's starting to show its age, and I assume the roll chart is not replacable. If it IS, I'd love to hear about it. this does bring up an interesting thought, not totally unrelated - with today's inexpensive computer interfaces, why not build/market a tube tester accessory that would plug into a USB bus - all you would need is one of each kind of socket on the unit, and a couple of power sources (filament and plate/bias voltages) - so a set of SCRs to choose filament voltage and apply it to the proper pins, 4 or four cheap D/As to create the voltages (maybe with an HV op amp to create higher voltages), and op amps and A/D with a mux to scan voltages and currents on all the pins of every socket - this would probably take no more than 50 to 100 parts and a small PC board and you could have the tube info read from a computer database and have the test results displayed graphically - transconductance plots, leakage, emissivity, all those esoteric parameters. Done as a labor of love, where the NRE is not amortized, it could be profitable at the $150 to $300 price range - wouldn't this be a good thing? it would take less space, be more accurate, faster and less error prone than using a 40 to 60 year old largely mechanical device. so, who's gonna make it? ** Posted fromhttp://www.teranews.com** Hunh, it should be so simple! I suppose a wide range switching supply for the filaments would work, but it needs to be able to supply between 1V@50mA and 120V@100mA as well as up to 3-4A at around 6V. Likewise you would need 3 variable DC supplies for plate, screen and grid bias as well a source of AC signal for the gm measurements. Also some form of 'free-point' switching to connect the various sources and measure inputs to the socket pins [at up to 4A and 500V]. Then you need the detectors as you say. Methinks the parts cost would be a bit above your estimate. Then the program to run all that stuff and display the results and, finally, creating the tube test data tables. Sounds like a couple of man years work. I am in the process of adapting a Heath IT-3121 output to test tubes, and that simply needs a bias amplifier to drive the control grid, an external supply for the screen and a filament supply. It looks like the IT-3121, an IP-17 and a socket box will do the job along with the bias amp. That's only about a week's work. Neil S. |
#5
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
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#6
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
Already done Bill, but it's not that cheap. Conversions of Hickok's
cardmatic are available and a computer drives that setup section of the tester. All the tubes are in the system. I don't remember who is doing that, but you need to supply the tester. Oh and the $1600 bucks. "William Noble" wrote in message ... "Jim Adney" wrote in message ... I recently got out my trusty Heathkit TT-1 tube tester to check a bunch of tubes that had accumulated here. I've stopped using its roll chart, because it's starting to show its age, and I assume the roll chart is not replacable. If it IS, I'd love to hear about it. this does bring up an interesting thought, not totally unrelated - with today's inexpensive computer interfaces, why not build/market a tube tester accessory that would plug into a USB bus - all you would need is one of each kind of socket on the unit, and a couple of power sources (filament and plate/bias voltages) - so a set of SCRs to choose filament voltage and apply it to the proper pins, 4 or four cheap D/As to create the voltages (maybe with an HV op amp to create higher voltages), and op amps and A/D with a mux to scan voltages and currents on all the pins of every socket - this would probably take no more than 50 to 100 parts and a small PC board and you could have the tube info read from a computer database and have the test results displayed graphically - transconductance plots, leakage, emissivity, all those esoteric parameters. Done as a labor of love, where the NRE is not amortized, it could be profitable at the $150 to $300 price range - wouldn't this be a good thing? it would take less space, be more accurate, faster and less error prone than using a 40 to 60 year old largely mechanical device. so, who's gonna make it? ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** |
#7
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Sat, 7 Jun 2008 18:11:02 -0400 "Kim Herron"
wrote: Already done Bill, but it's not that cheap. Conversions of Hickok's cardmatic are available and a computer drives that setup section of the tester. All the tubes are in the system. I don't remember who is doing that, but you need to supply the tester. Oh and the $1600 bucks. I was thinking that I'd seen it at SND Tube Sales, but looking right now, I don't see it. - ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney Madison, WI 53711 USA ----------------------------------------------- |
#8
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
Jim Adney wrote:
I recently got out my trusty Heathkit TT-1 tube tester to check a bunch of tubes that had accumulated here. I've stopped using its roll chart, because it's starting to show its age, and I assume the roll chart is not replacable. If it IS, I'd love to hear about it. Jim, if you live in a medium sized city chances are you have a company that copies architectural drawings. These guys have continuous feed photocopiers that will copy almost ANY length of paper! Not saying it will be cheap though, but perhaps if you provide the roll of paper it might go easier on you? Here in Vancouver a company called TR Trades has a few of these machines going all day long and they ar every handy for making long copies of my schematics, plus they can reduce or scan them as well. However they are in business and do not do this for free. I have heard that these endless length copiers turn up on eBay from time to time, perhaps someone here has one? John :-#)# -- (Please post followups or tech inquiries to the newsgroup) John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9 Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games) www.flippers.com "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out." |
#9
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:26:31 GMT John Robertson
wrote: Jim, if you live in a medium sized city chances are you have a company that copies architectural drawings. These guys have continuous feed photocopiers that will copy almost ANY length of paper! Interesting thought. I didn't know that such things existed. I can ask around. It's likely that if I had more than one made at the same time, each one might be cheaper. - ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney Madison, WI 53711 USA ----------------------------------------------- |
#10
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
and, there are plotters available that will plot up to 40 ft long, maybe
longer - not flatbed though - "Jim Adney" wrote in message ... On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:26:31 GMT John Robertson wrote: Jim, if you live in a medium sized city chances are you have a company that copies architectural drawings. These guys have continuous feed photocopiers that will copy almost ANY length of paper! Interesting thought. I didn't know that such things existed. I can ask around. It's likely that if I had more than one made at the same time, each one might be cheaper. - ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney Madison, WI 53711 USA ----------------------------------------------- ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** |
#11
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Jun 11, 11:58*pm, Jim Adney wrote:
On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:26:31 GMT John Robertson wrote: Jim, if you live in a medium sized city chances are you have a company that copies architectural drawings. These guys have continuous feed photocopiers that will copy almost ANY length of paper! Interesting thought. I didn't know that such things existed. I can ask around. It's likely that if I had more than one made at the same time, each one might be cheaper. Yep. They do. The only downside is that you are stuck with whatever default width the machine takes. We keep one in the office that is set for 42" as the standard width. Lots of waste for small drawings. It is "scanner-to-plotter" HP technology and so does color (very nicely) as well. NOT CHEAP. It also operates (with different dyes and/or inks) on vinyl, finished fabrics, sticky-back or slick paper - even more expensive. On the other hand, as the entire system is computerized, we often will print-in-parallel so as not to waste paper. We can scan one 18" banner into the system and print two out on the 42" stock with good margins. If you are using 8.5 x whatever originals, you could print four rows in parallel. All this can be set up after the initial scan and before the *expensive* "PRINT" button is hit. 11 x 17 fold-outs can also be accomodated in the initial set-up without (much) waste. As William notes below, the length that can be plotted/printed is limited only by the length of the printer-stock roll. Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
#12
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:17:59 -0700 (PDT) Peter Wieck
wrote: On Jun 11, 11:58*pm, Jim Adney wrote: On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:26:31 GMT John Robertson wrote: Jim, if you live in a medium sized city chances are you have a company that copies architectural drawings. These guys have continuous feed photocopiers that will copy almost ANY length of paper! Interesting thought. I didn't know that such things existed. I can ask around. It's likely that if I had more than one made at the same time, each one might be cheaper. Yep. They do. The only downside is that you are stuck with whatever default width the machine takes. Hmmm, we have a 36" roll-fed plotter. I wonder if I could reformat all this into the right width and then print out 4 (or whatever) of them at a time. To do this right, I think I'd have to pull all this data into a spread sheet first, so I could format the info into the right usable shape. The interesting part would be to design a cutter to cut them into strips as they come out of the plotter.... It's still worth checking at our local print shop to see what they can do. - ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney Madison, WI 53711 USA ----------------------------------------------- |
#13
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
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#14
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:53:35 -0500, Jim Adney
wrote: On Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:17:59 -0700 (PDT) Peter Wieck wrote: On Jun 11, 11:58*pm, Jim Adney wrote: On Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:26:31 GMT John Robertson wrote: Jim, if you live in a medium sized city chances are you have a company that copies architectural drawings. These guys have continuous feed photocopiers that will copy almost ANY length of paper! Interesting thought. I didn't know that such things existed. I can ask around. It's likely that if I had more than one made at the same time, each one might be cheaper. Yep. They do. The only downside is that you are stuck with whatever default width the machine takes. Hmmm, we have a 36" roll-fed plotter. I wonder if I could reformat all this into the right width and then print out 4 (or whatever) of them at a time. To do this right, I think I'd have to pull all this data into a spread sheet first, so I could format the info into the right usable shape. The interesting part would be to design a cutter to cut them into strips as they come out of the plotter.... It's still worth checking at our local print shop to see what they can do. - ----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney Madison, WI 53711 USA ----------------------------------------------- Many such printers / plotters include cutters for separating the output of different prints / plots. |
#15
Posted to rec.antiques.radio+phono,sci.electronics.repair,sci.electronics.equipment,rec.radio.swap
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Attention Heath TT-1 Tube Tester owners
On Jun 15, 9:56*pm, JosephKK wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:53:35 -0500, Jim Adney wrote: (snip) Interesting thread... I use a Heathkitt TC-2 quite a lot - the chart is in good shape (still !), but I'm not convinced that rolling it up and down is the best way to get to specific tube set-up data (of course, it's always to hand... er, thumb !) For odd-balls, you have to go to the supplementary sheets anyway. It's cheaper to copy it sequentially onto separate 8 1/2 x 11 sheets (two sided, one or two columns, use a paper mask on the "other" column as you don't want it on the same page), spiral bind them and keep them with the tester. I've done this for the Heathkit tube supplementary sheets (and for most downloaded manuals.) Then simply scan down to the tube you want by eye. Easy to add extras, too. I don't say scrap the roller chart - put it back carefully for posterity (repaired as needed) and keep it there, but not used much. Cheers, Roger |
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