tube tester ????

[speedracer6g]

wondering what is the best tube tester to get or most poplular for working on radio equipment. want ot make an investment for my shop and dont want to waist my money on one that wont do the job.

Thx,

Mike

 

[AudioShockwav]

If it is Sweep tubes you are talking about,the best tube tester I have ever owned....is the Amp I was putting tubes in.
Now having said that, out of the half a dozen I have owned, the one I kept the longest was a a simple little EMC (electronic measurments corp) model 215, tested the heaters, checked for shorts, and did a " emission test" .
It was not expensive, and worked fine for a not so often use.
Have to make sure the one you get will test the tubes you want tested, most sweep tube amps used, 6lf6, 6kd6,6lb6,6js6,6kv6a,6lq6, 8950, M2057, or something along these lines.
not all tester will them, and always make sure you get all books and manuals that go with the tester.

Here is some info from the web.:

The difference between a simple emission checker (like a Heath TC-1 or 2) and a mutual conductance* checker is very important. An emission checker tests for shorts & cathode (or filament) emission only. The meter reading gives a good-bad reading by virtually tying all the elements of a vacuum tube together (except the cathode & heater) and testing the tube for cathode emission by subjecting it to test as a diode (or rectifier). An emission checker will basically tell you whether a tube is usable or not and give you an indication how strong is the cathode emission.

A mutual conductance checker will apply voltage to each element of the tube, supply bias and a signal to the control grid and subject the tube to a test much like it may be used in an actual circuit, measuring plate current and indicating such in micromhos. If you want to pair up tubes in "matched pairs", this is done by comparing the "Gm"** reading and finding a pair with equal (or within 10%) reading. You cannot do this with an emission checker.

This is not to say that an emission tester is of no value, even the best tube testers can mislead and test a tube that may not function in a circuit as a good tube.

And some more good info can be found on this page.
http://www.tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html


I see them on Fleabay all the time, and prices go from reaonable to incredible.

73
Jeff