Just acquired my 1st tube tester...need some insight.

marloubow

marloubow

Best Day Ever
I'm fairly new to tubes. Most of my summer was spent restoring a Fisher 800c, with good success. So a good portion of my tube time on AK has been over in the Fisher forum.

I just acquired my first tube tester from my brother, who got it from a friend who's dad did repairs back in the day.
It's a Superior Instruments TD-55. It came with the original operating instructions, tube chart and a tube substitution guide.
I've no attempts at using it yet. Nor have I ever used a tube tester personally.
Thought I'd get some input here before I get to trying it out.

Any opinions and insight are appreciated.

Martin
 
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grab some old tubes and follow the directions, they are fairly easy to use.
Just make sure you have the settings correct and do the short test first.
 
Thanks Jay...you can't fool me...I've read plenty of your post in the fisher forum. :thmbsp: or maybe it was here. Plenty of Fisher stuff at this forum too.
I have that link already and the associated downloads.
I forgot to include this link.
http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/superior_tube_tester_td_55td5.html

Thanks jsixis and Sandy G. Just wanted some confirmation before diving headlong.
Anyway to tell if it is supplying accurate readings other than using an absolutely new pristine tube as a reference?

martin
 
also...
The tube chart doesn't have a listing for 7591's. The chart looks to be circa 1956. Is this before the 7591's time?

martin
 
I believe that's too early for the 7591.

Small testers such as this one often work well for testing small signal tubes (12AX7, 6SN7, etc) and rectifiers. But don't expect too much from them when testing power tubes. They just don't supply enough voltage to the power tubes to replicate real-world operating conditions, so tube quality results are suspect at best. They're better than nothing, I guess.
 
Be very careful what you put in that tester. That model was my first too, in my early teens. What it will apply to your tubes, especially sensitive ones (like 12AX7's) will ruin many of them. The leak test function will find serious shorts, if you're careful, and the quality test will create light shows in anything you could classify as a low signal tube.
 
keybank said:
Be very careful what you put in that tester. That model was my first too, in my early teens. What it will apply to your tubes, especially sensitive ones (like 12AX7's) will ruin many of them. The leak test function will find serious shorts, if you're careful, and the quality test will create light shows in anything you could classify as a low signal tube.
Click to expand...

Hmm. A smallish tester that has problems with small signal tubes? That's unusual. Usually they have no problems with the small tubes because they supply such a low plate voltage. But I have no direct experience with this brand... only with Hickok and B&K. Perhaps yours was in need of repair?
 
Questions...
When I'm given multiple listing for the same tube, which do I use?

Why are there multiple listing for the same tube?

martin
 
Tubes that have two triodes or plates to be tested will have multiple settings listed. One for each "section", you have to test both sections in those tubes.
You will occasionally run across tubes that have 3 "sections" as well......:yes:
 
skriefal said:
Hmm. A smallish tester that has problems with small signal tubes? That's unusual. Usually they have no problems with the small tubes because they supply such a low plate voltage. But I have no direct experience with this brand... only with Hickok and B&K. Perhaps yours was in need of repair?
Click to expand...

No, that was after I rebuilt it. Take a look at the schematic, and you can kind of see why, without the detail: the design is too simplistic, and belts tubes with too much voltage.
 
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