[Boatanchors] tube testers

[John King]

There has been a recent thread on capacitor checkers
and the need to recap the instrument to get the power
supply of the instrument up to specs, voltage wise, to
give correct test results.

I am curious if the need to rework the power supply of
vintage tube testers is appropriate as well.

I have a nice "old" B&K tube tester that is supposed
to be a mutual conductance tube tester. The test
results are questionable and most of the tubes that
test weak work as well as the ones with very good
meter reading. Very few tubes test as "very good".

This makes me wonder what is in the tube tester as a
power supply to test the tubes with. Seems to me if
the correct voltages are not provided to the tube
under test, that the reading would be inaccurate.

Has anyone checked their tube tester power supplies?
What did you find? Did you find the need to recap the
power supply, change resistors or bring the power
supply up to specs?

I would like the benefit of your EXPERIENCE with the
subject. Please don't ask me "is it plugged in".

I have more than one hundred tube receivers and
transmitters and believe me, a good tube tester is a
great help and a bad one is a liability. No one wants
to throw away good tubes. While substitution may be
the best test, a tester can give a fast test, if
reliable. Thanks for your input. You may email direct
or share your information with the group. All will be
appreciated. 73, John, K5PGW (since 1958)    

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