Hi Everyone,

Does anyone have a surplus valve tester, as I'm looking for one.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers
Scott

I would like one as well if you get two offers .

Hi Scott,

I have an old one that belonged to my late-Father. It's looking for a good home so it's yours if you want it. I'm pretty sure it works but it's been in storage for a while so there's no guarantee. I'm pretty sure it's based on a design from "Radio and Electronics" magazine October 1948! I have the original magazine and can scan the valve tester article if you want it.

Let me know if you (or anyone else) is interested.

Cheers,

Chris Share

"Radio and Electronics" magazine

Not familiar with that exact title. Where was that magazine published?

Thanks Chris,
Thanks for the PM. Sounds great, see you next week.
Cheers
Scott

If it is that old & has been sitting for a long time I would not power it. It may have to have new electrolytics before you do that and I would check the condition of the wiring. I see plenty of scary stuff.

It's not a case of I have thing against old stuff, my tester is 1938 & the radio on the bench that has failed to make radio noises (hacker has been at it)... just had to pull the 1st IFT to bits after I discovered what he did to it, is 1932 & 110V.

Marc

"Radio and Electronics" magazine

Not familiar with that exact title. Where was that magazine published?

"Radio and Electronics (R & E), a New Zealand monthly magazine was published for the first time in April 1946, and for some time it has been on sale in Australia also."

R & E was not unlike RTV&H, with articles and electronic constructional projects. The magazine later on became the Radio and Electrical Review.

R & ER had a monthly segment, "For the Serviceman", with a circuit diagram for a then current production New Zealand made radio.

a New Zealand monthly magazine

Thanks.

How this for sheer coincidence?

Went to the HRSA Swap Meet today and there on a table in front of me lay a pile of Radio and Electronics magazines of various random dates, but included among them were October and November 1948, the very issues that contain parts 1 and 2 of the valve tester project mentioned above.

It's purely a mutual conductance tester aimed at the radio amateur/home constructor market, and its design -- which the unnamed author considers to be original at the time -- is quite interesting, based on inexpensive and readily obtainable parts in 1948.

When I get a chance I'll scan the articles and make them available here.

Thanks GTC, I look forward to seeing the article. By what you read in the article, would you say the tester is not going to be of much help?
Cheers
Scott

By what you read in the article, would you say the tester is not going to be of much help?

The magazine says it created the project in response to many requests from readers seeking a tester that gives an answer that means more than the usual "Good-Bad' scale found on many commercial instruments. Rather than a good-bad meter, it uses a 100mA meter to display plate current after the user sets up the correct conditions for the valve under test.

The tester, as described, is intended to be built in two parts -- which I'll call A and B -- connected by an 8-wire cable. Part A is the control unit and part B hosts the valve socket or sockets. The design allows the builder to limit the number and type of sockets to those he would most likely encounter. So, (in 1948) if you only encounter octal base valves, you could limit Part B to just a single octal socket. Later on you could easily add other style sockets. Part B, as designed, also contains an 18 volt battery.

So, it remains to be seen what decision Cpsmusic's father made in regard to Part B.

Note that there is no configuration/set-up data book for the tester as there is for commercial units. You need to glean each valve's characteristics from data sheets or valve data books.

As to whether you'll find it helpful, I guess that depends on the range of valves you may expect to want to test, and the work involved in setting it up for each type.

I'll scan the articles some time today and forward to Brad.

Update: Well, that's not going to happen because my scanner just died.

Okay, used another scanner and here is the document for the 1948 Mutual Conductance Valve Tester:

(link coming)

Thanks GTC. I picked up the unit one Monday and checked it over today. It is in good shape and upon inspecting it appears a number of components have been changed. I have emailed a picture to Brad to put up, as I have no idea how to use this thing but am sure someone here will be able to assist.

Cheers

Scotty, I've emailed the scans of the articles to Brad. When he inserts a link you can read how to use it.

Valve Tester 1948

Cool, thanks GTC