G'day everyone!

ive just got my hands on my first valve tester and I'm looking for the most up-to-date roll chart. the most recent I can find is from 1/1/68 but is missing test info for bunch of valves like 6M5's and 6AN7's.
does anyone know where/is there a more recent and complete list?

thanks

Why do you even need a valve tester??

That might be the latest list for the TC-2. If you Google around you'll see that there are other brand models claimed to be similar to the TC-2 and for which there are more comprehensive charts, however that comes with various caveats which you can read about.

G'day Ian

I had needed a valve tester because between my dad and I we have a few hundred valves, many without boxes. so Ive needed to test them as most are used valves pulled out of different gear and thus could be very high hour or virtually new.
i know you can get a rough idea by looking at the getter compound and a few other factors but it can be useful to know for sure.

lance

If you are intending to bulk test that many valves, then I suggest you invest in a few socket savers.

GTC you are probably right! but I dont know where to get a quality adapter

They are available on the web, but sometimes not all types from the same place. That is, you may get a 7 pin here, a 9 pin there and an octal from somewhere else.

Yeah Lance I get it!

In my servicing and technician training days my diagnostic method was only to swap out a valve when it was either:

1. Obviously bad, e.g. cracked envelope
2. Shown from measurements that it was not performing.

That way you would usually find what had stressed the valve and made it go bad. You fixed that first.
That methodology got the field service callback rate way down. Callbacks are wasted money and bad for the service company's reputation.

Hence, in service, there is really no need for a valve tester, which will often condemn a valve that's still capable of providing good service, and not pick up a fault that would cause trouble in the chassis.

But in your case, yes, I see why you'd want one.

Your point about the getter is a good one. A discoloured getter is often a sign the valve has been stressed beyond its ratings. Doesn't guarantee it's bad though.

Yeah Ian I’m definitely not the kind of person who has to put a brand new set of valves in my TV or radio every 3 months.

I know that you can sometimes tell by the amount of tungsten evaporation but that’s less reliable.

Hi Lance,

I have a Valve Tester (another Waste dump rescue) and find it useful checking valves with markings, but unknown functionality .... prevents me from putting a valve with 'shorts' into a good circuit. It doesn't get a lot of use.

When the List of Valve settings / readings (?) does not include the valve you would like to test, you can work out the settings using the Valve Datasheet eg I use the normal operating conditions.

I still have not developed a method of testing completely unknown valves ie no markings at all.

Cheers,
Ian

Lance,

You wont find data for testing valves such as 6M5 & 6AN7 with foreign made valve testers such as Heathkit.

The only valve testers with data for those valves are Australian Palec(Paton), University & UK AVO. The valve types you wish to test are largely unknown outside of Australia.

You can look at similar valves if you mainly want to do shorts & heaters. 6CK6 has very similar characteristics to 6M5 and it would not be unreasonable to assume that they may be a modified version of the same thing. I have actually used them in place of a 6M5.

The trap is that g3 pin 6 has to be tied to the cathode, as its IC on 6M5.