Radioelec Tube Tester

[Synchu]

In the last couple of years, I seem to got a pile of various NOS, ANOS tubes, unrated and untested and decided it is about time to get some sort of tube tester.
In EU it seems quite a difficult task to get decent condition old production one for a reasonable amount of money (or alternatively to be able to restore it for reasonable amount of time, that seems always lacking in my book).
After some extensive research I came to (don't ask me how - I don't speak French - it was matter of luck, I guess)
http://www.radioelec.com/en/lampemetre- ... 7-820.html
Alain is very responsive guy and has documentation in English (can be a little bit more elaborate, but does the job just fine). You can adjust the plate voltage (depending on the supply used) for up to 450V and grid supply can be varied from -50 on mine to 0V.

Long story short - I bit the bullet and ordered the PCB and sockets plate.

The only additions necessary were a 9VDC/3A universal power supply from where I derived an adjustable voltage regulator to supply the heaters and powered the board as well.
It is not boxed yet as I plan to build screen supply in order to test pentodes in true pentode mode. Currently they are tested in triode connection mode - which is just fine for general testing and matching, but a little more flexibility wouldn't hurt. Patch panel is also pending

Alain is also offering a curve tracer that I have yet to decide whether I need it or just want it But I have quite large box available, so may just get the PCB and be done with it.

I matched a bunch of NOS russian 6p6s (6V6) last night and it seems to work great.
Here it is in action:
[img:500:323]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5612/156 ... ee158a.jpg[/img]

Very happy with it.

Niki

[martin manning]

Interesting! Does it set an operating point and hold it? Does it measure gm and mu?

[Stevem]

you want to test output tubes with at least 250 volts on hand!

[Synchu]

Martin - yes to your first question (provided I got it right). Not directly to your second - you have to calculate them, i.e. you measure plate current change per volt of grid change for gm. Then you measure plate resistance and again calculate mu.
Stevem - exactly as on the picture, if I am getting your note right. Plate voltage is adjustable to 450V

Interestingly enough for this russian 6p6s (6V6 equivalents), I got the results exactly as per the datasheet, i.e. with 250V on plate, -12.5V control grid yields between 47-50mA plate current, further Rp, gm and mu calculations yield within specs as well.

Niki

[BrownIsound]

Just ordered ordered of these myself.

Does anyone have any other experience or updates on this type of tube tester?

Thanks.

[Synchu]

I am still using mine. Works fine after all these years.
No changes whatsoever.

However, there might have been some changes in the design - not sure about this, didn't follow.

Niki