[Heathkit] heathkit manual sacrilege

Sun Jul 29 21:13:38 EDT 2007

Sure. I am looking to place an order to replace all the HV caps (and
selenium diodes, et. al.).

First step for me is to go to the parts list and find the HV components.

Lets take an example. I am reading down the parts list and come across
23-11 which is .1MFD 600V tubular (axial).  

Second step for me is to locate them on the circuit diagram. Why?
Because I want to make sure I know how it's used in the circuit. Is it
polarized? Is it used for bypass or ripple smoothing or as part of an RC
filter or resonant circuit? What should the WVDC rating be? Is the
heathkit specified wvdc ok or do I need to increase? So I like to find
it on the diagram.

Third step is to locate it on the chassis to see if it should be axial
(tubular) or radial. For example, there are some originally tubular caps
that really would fit much better if it were axial or like an orange
drop. Besides this, when I go to replace this cap I need to be able to
find it.

This third step is nearly impossible! Try finding where 23-11 is
located! How does one possibly do this efficiently? Now it just so
happens I've spent several hours trying to do this exercise and I have
located 21-11. As it ends up, it would be MUCH better as a non-axial
component as the tubular is tucked under some pots with the leads
winding their way to the eyelets. The distance between the two eyelets
is about 0.5"

The way I located this is by scanning several pictorials trying to
locate a .1 600V also spent time going through the diagram to see where
the part is to hope it will help me locate it on the pictorial.

So what I've had to do is to create a pictorial designation. For
example, 23-11 which is C311, I have on a spreadsheet the designation of
AG(3)-AH(2).
This indicates to me that this component can be found soldered between
the pin 3 of AG and pin 2 of AH. Pots AG and AH are easily located on
pictorial 7. Why is it more easily found than the capacitor itself?
Because there are big white-on-black designations for these pots.

Here's another example. The parts list shows 21-38 a .02MFD 1600V
ceramic disc cap.  This took forever to locate. I finally found it an in
my spreadsheet, I have designated this as "D3-4" This means that the cap
is located between pins 3 and 4 of terminal strip "D" Again, much more
easily found.  

I don't disagree that adding 21-38 might add some clutter on the
diagram. So then at least show C304 on the pictorial, and I can figure
out the rest.

So what is the better way to do this?
Thanks
Eugene

-----Original Message-----
From: Edward B Richards [mailto:zuu6k at juno.com] 
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 8:39 PM
To: eugene at hertzmail.com
Cc: heathkit at mailman.qth.net; k4zrd at hotmail.com
Subject: Re: [Heathkit] heathkit manual sacrilege

Hi Gene;

I pulled my SB-610 manual and found it quite clear. I have worked on
many
heathkits and never found this a problem. The pictorials show the value
of the part and the schematic shows both the component designation and
the value of the part. The parts list shows the part number, the
quantity
and the reference number in the parts pictorial. I don't see why you
would require more information than this. It would just clutter up the
drawings. Can you describe what you are trying to do that lacks the info
you want?

73 from Ed Richards K6UUZ
Simi Valley, CA. Home of Air 
Force 1 pavilion
scribe what you are trying to do that lacks the info you want?

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 18:42:00 -0400 <eugene at hertzmail.com> writes:
> Hello all,
> 
> I know that the Heathkit manuals are often held up as an example of
> excellence in manual writing. With that in mind, I may be about to
> blaspheme here...
> 
> I am working to recap a SB-610 monitor scope (with the help of 
> K4ZRD).
> It is one of my first attempts to work on a heathkit.  There is one
> thing that is making parts identification more difficult than 
> necessary
> by many hours. There is no correlation anywhere that I can see 
> between
> heathkit part number (ie 23-11), schematic designation (c311) 
> and/or
> pictorial!
> 
> I think the manual could have been much better by any one or all of 
> the
> following changes
> 1. Add schematic designations to the parts list (ie 23-63 
> C301,C304)
> 2. Add part numbers onto the circuit diagram (ie show both C301 and
> 23-63) if possible
> 3. Add part numbers or schematic designations to the pictorials. 
> Right
> now, the pictorials for a cap say something like ".1 600V" if it 
> only
> said ".1 600V C311" or ".1 600v 23-11"
> 
> If only one of more of the above were done in the manual, this 
> would
> have been soooo much better.  I know that the pictorials are often 
> tight
> on space. And also schematics are often tight on space. So at a 
> minimum,
> it would have been much more helpful if the parts list showed the
> schematic part.
> 
> Am I missing something? Am I the only one who feels this way? Is 
> this
> how all heathkit manuals are?
> 
> No disrespect intended!
> Eugene W2HX 
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