Recommendations for Tube tester service

Punker X

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I don't work on tube gear much, but have three different Hickok testers all with problems. I don't have time to mess around with them, so looking for recommendations on someone to repair and calibrate one for reliable service. Possible take the other two in on trade.
 
Where are you located and which Hickoks do you have?

Michigan

A 600A that I picked up at a swap meet and used for years. Started having issues with the line adjust. Put in solid state rectifiers. Didn't help. Don't think it is able to test any tubes in it's current condition.

A 800A that I took a chance on from Ebay. Moved the solid state rectifiers over and seemed to work fine on some tubes. Currently unable test test nine pins with filament voltage of 6.3v using EV for the Filament settings. However tested a 12AX7 just fine.

Also have a 534B that I honestly don't remember where it came from and I've never powered it on or tried it. may have come from Craig at NOSValves when he moved. Was my understanding that it didn't work.
 
I used Kara Chaffee to fix my TV3, but she quit working on them a few years back. I don't know anyone on that side of the country. There are manuals available with calibration procedures for almost all the Hickok testers. As for the 600, you might just have some out of spec resistors for the line adjust. Unfortunately, every test relies on an accurate line adjust. Here's some info from the manual.

ADJUSTMENT CHART
1. LINE ADJUST: The 150 volt plate supply is used as the reference when setting the AC line voltage adjustment. The AC
line control is adjusted until the plate voltage is 150 volts as read on the meter. All of the other operating voltages follow
along and are assumed to be correct. If the plate supply is abnormally high or low then adjusting it to the nominal 150 volts
with the line test will cause all of the other operating voltages to be shifted. This is because the line adjust will be
compensating for an abnormal plate supply and also affecting every other operating voltage.
If the plate supply voltage is normal and all of the other voltages are wrong by the same percentage, look at the
plate supply for problems. If the AC line test circuit itself is bad the plate and other voltages will all be wrong. If the plate
and other voltages are not correct after setting the AC line adjustment, check the resistors in the AC voltage metering
circuit R24 and R25. Also check the meter movement and verify that it indicates full scale when passing the nominal full scale current.
Older testers used a 1.4 milliamp movement with 80 ohms of resistance. Later versions were 500 microamps and 233 ohms
of resistance. Other values may have been used as production changes were made through the years. The metal plate
mounted on the side of the meter is a factory applied magnetic shunt. By loosening the mounting screw and sliding the
plate back and forth, small adjustments can be made to the full scale deflection of the meter. Bear in mind though that
changing the meter adjustment will effect the mutual conductance reading too so rule out everything else before adjusting
the meter.
 
Did you use solid state rectifiers with zener compensation to mimic the operation of the 83?

Before you get too deep into the whole process, I would start by replacing the tiny number of caps in the 600, then go from there.

For the 800, you're going to want to check all those filament voltage selector positions to see if the 6.3V one is just missing or possibly there's just a switching issue.
 
Thanks guys.. really want to send off to get fixed and calibrated. I was really serious when I said I don't have time to mess with them. Or buy on that calibrated and working.
 
Dan Nelson in Arizona is the TV7 guru; I've sent mine 3x to him for calibrations and some repairs he couldn't walk me through online. He might be able to steer you towards someone. Also Ed in SMAC out in Brighton does some SS work and may know a local guy who could help you out too.

Or you could just sell them all "As Is" and buy something else that's ready to go. If you just want a simple emissions tester Keg loved his Knight 600; I have one too that I'll keep after I sell off all his and my "extra" tubes.
 
Dan Nelson in Arizona is the TV7 guru; I've sent mine 3x to him for calibrations and some repairs he couldn't walk me through online. He might be able to steer you towards someone. Also Ed in SMAC out in Brighton does some SS work and may know a local guy who could help you out too.

Or you could just sell them all "As Is" and buy something else that's ready to go. If you just want a simple emissions tester Keg loved his Knight 600; I have one too that I'll keep after I sell off all his and my "extra" tubes.
Where is Dan Nelson located in Arizona?
 
There is a "kit" ETracer that might suit you. Blueglow built one and did a pretty comprehensive review.
Blueglow

Look very interesting will have to look further into this over the weekend. Two concerns, one is the time it will take to build and learn how to use it. The other is I really like Hickok's, If I get an odd tuner tube there is a consolidated cart for settings for a test.
 
The other nice thing about buying something like the eTracer is that there is customer support!
 
I can also service those testers, but the shipping will be a lot more than any labor/parts charges!
Hello, my name is Jim and I was in contact with a person in the midwest who calibrates Hickok testers. Would you happen to be him? It was a few years ago.
 
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