[Heathkit] heathkit manual sacrilege

[Edward B Richards]

Gene;

I think the problem here is that most of us are talking about repairs or
upgrades where you have the bad part in hand and need only to identify
it. You are going the other way where you want to identify the part and
then find it. The manuals are not intended for this application as you
are finding out. I would just order the parts from the parts list
description and then find in the construction manual where that part is
installed. Good luck.

73 from Ed Richards K6UUZ
Simi Valley, CA. Home of Air 
Force 1 pavilion

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 21:55:28 -0400 <eugene at hertzmail.com> writes:
> Ok, well I guess I'm the only one. Wouldn't be the first time! 
> 
> I just can't imagine how someone could find where 21-90 is on this
> chassis. The letters have long since faded away on this component. 
> For
> me the only way was to painstakingly find it checking all the 
> pictorials
> in the manual. I guess I just thought there would be a better way.
> 
> BTW: HP has very good manuals. On many circuit board layouts they 
> have a
> grid. Then there is a list of each component that indicates in 
> which
> grid square the component can be found (ie. C202 in A5). This would 
> be
> very useful as well on the pictorials. But I have the feeling many 
> folks
> would disagree with that statement.
> 
> Thanks
> Eugene
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rick Brashear [mailto:rickbras at airmail.net] 
> Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 9:34 PM
> To: eugene at hertzmail.com; 'Edward B Richards'
> Cc: heathkit at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Heathkit] heathkit manual sacrilege
> 
> Eugene,
> 
> I have built many, many Heathkit's and I'm sorry, but even with 
> your
> explanation, I have no idea why this is so difficult for you.  I 
> can't
> imagine spending hours looking for a component in a unit that is no 
> more
> complicated than the 610.  The Heathkit manuals are the standard by
> which
> all others are compared.  Maybe you're overlooking something in the
> manual
> that is making it so difficult for you.  I have a couple of 610's 
> and
> have
> done a few repairs through the years, but I simply don't recall any
> problems
> with deciphering the manual or locating a component.  I would also 
> be
> careful changing the size or style of any of the components as they 
> are
> likely the best unit for the design.  If you continue to have 
> trouble, I
> will gladly get my manual and help if you'd like.
> 
> 73,
> Rick/K5IAR
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: heathkit-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:heathkit-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> eugene at hertzmail.com
> Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2007 8:14 PM
> To: Edward B Richards
> Cc: heathkit at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Heathkit] heathkit manual sacrilege
> 
> 
> 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
> 
> 
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