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Curve tracer
Fellow rodents,
I'm looking for a (tube) curve tracer to buy or to build. Ideas, links? Rgds, Jan. |
#2
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There are so many different tubes in the world that I think it's easier to
get a stabilised B+ supply, a stabilised bias supply and a DVM. Then make a box with some different sockets wired to plug # 1, 2 etc. and "hard-wire" it as required. Turn on the tube and measure everything with the DVM. Since the shape of the curves for triodes and pentodes is known, a very limited number of points is enough to trace each one. I'll make a clone of an old Philips PWsomething stabilised PSU one of these days... Ciao Fabio "J.Koning" ha scritto nel messaggio ... Fellow rodents, I'm looking for a (tube) curve tracer to buy or to build. Ideas, links? Rgds, Jan. |
#3
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In article ,
J.Koning wrote: Fellow rodents, I'm looking for a (tube) curve tracer to buy or to build. Likethe Tektronix 5xx series, which turns up from time to time (most likely at the Dayton Hamvention next month)? Mike Squires -- Mike Squires (mikes at cs.indiana.edu) 317 233 9456 (w) 812 333 6564 (h) mikes at siralan.org 546 N Park Ridge Rd., Bloomington, IN 47408 |
#4
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"Fabio Berutti" wrote in message
... There are so many different tubes in the world that I think it's easier to get a stabilised B+ supply, a stabilised bias supply and a DVM. Then make a box with some different sockets wired to plug # 1, 2 etc. and "hard-wire" it as required. Turn on the tube and measure everything with the DVM. Since the shape of the curves for triodes and pentodes is known, a very limited number of points is enough to trace each one. I'll make a clone of an old Philips PWsomething stabilised PSU one of these days... Ciao Fabio That's the way I've been doing it. Main difference: I used a XY recorder i.s.o. a DVM. Vary/measure Va (X), measure Ic (Y), constant -Vg, -- one trace. Same as above, step -Vg, --- next trace. Main problem: Comparision between two or more tubes. See-trough paper (or whaever it's called) works, but tiresome. Also, whether manual or XY, both are too slow to go beyond max.Pa. For that I'd fancy something capable of pulsed operation. So, once again, ideas, links? Rgds, Jan. |
#5
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"Michael Squires" wrote in message
... Likethe Tektronix 5xx series, which turns up from time to time (most likely at the Dayton Hamvention next month)? Mike Squires -- Mike Squires (mikes at cs.indiana.edu) 317 233 9456 (w) 812 333 6564 (h) mikes at siralan.org 546 N Park Ridge Rd., Bloomington, IN 47408 I've seen Tek curve tracers but I'm not sure they can do what I want. Got any links sites where I can find details/spec's about them? Alternatively, have you got the exact model number for a web search? My problem with the Dayton Hamvention is the required ticket. I'm in the Netherlands. Rgds, Jan. |
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J.Koning wrote: "Michael Squires" wrote in message ... Likethe Tektronix 5xx series, which turns up from time to time (most likely at the Dayton Hamvention next month)? Mike Squires -- Mike Squires (mikes at cs.indiana.edu) 317 233 9456 (w) 812 333 6564 (h) mikes at siralan.org 546 N Park Ridge Rd., Bloomington, IN 47408 I've seen Tek curve tracers but I'm not sure they can do what I want. Got any links sites where I can find details/spec's about them? Alternatively, have you got the exact model number for a web search? My problem with the Dayton Hamvention is the required ticket. I'm in the Netherlands. Rgds, Jan. My Tek tracer of choice is a 576. I've built adapters for it (plug in) to check various audio tubes, and supply filament and screen externally. It's capable of 1500 VDC and the only 'downside' for me is not having hard copy print directly out (I'm working on that ;-) -Robert QTS http://www.Braught.com |
#7
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Hi,
Jan wrote: That's the way I've been doing it. Main difference: I used a XY recorder i.s.o. a DVM. Vary/measure Va (X), measure Ic (Y), constant -Vg, -- one trace. Same as above, step -Vg, --- next trace. Main problem: Comparision between two or more tubes. See-through paper (or whaever it's called) works, but tiresome. Also, whether manual or XY, both are too slow to go beyond max.Pa. For that I'd fancy something capable of pulsed operation. The X-Y plotter works fine; I've used different colored pens for each tube. There's not much point in going beyond max plate dissipation since you can't run the tube there anyway, though it would weed out weak tubes with shorter expected lifetimes. The only older model that will switch between two tubes is the Tektronix 570. Later "transistor" tracers will work with tubes too, but lack the switching, which requires biasing the "off" tube's grid with -300V. At the risk of blowing my own horn, there are several pages of discussion on curve tracers in my book "Tube Testers and Classic Electronic Test Gear." Cheers, Alan |
#8
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wrote in message oups.com... My Tek tracer of choice is a 576. I've built adapters for it (plug in) to check various audio tubes, and supply filament and screen externally. It's capable of 1500 VDC and the only 'downside' for me is not having hard copy print directly out (I'm working on that ;-) -Robert QTS http://www.Braught.com I'll do a web search on the 576 and see what it can do. Your "downside" would be mine too. Your hard copy approach does'nt sound like the Tek/Polaroid approach. Maybe modern day digital cam? Could you shed some light regarding your approach? Rgds, Jan. |
#9
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"Alan Douglas" adouglasatgis.net wrote in message ... The X-Y plotter works fine; I've used different colored pens for each tube. To compare a few tubes colored pens work fine. If a few becomes 3 it becomes troublesome though. That's why I prefer having individual traces on "see trough paper". Anyway, troublesome comparision remains. There's not much point in going beyond max plate dissipation since you can't run the tube there anyway, though it would weed out weak tubes with shorter expected lifetimes. Opposite to a theoretical/ideal load line, a practical load line may well be outside the maxPa line. So, looking beyond limits may be usefull apart from the "weeding" aspect you mentioned. "Weeding" did'nt strike my mind before, good you mentioned it. The only older model that will switch between two tubes is the Tektronix 570. Later "transistor" tracers will work with tubes too, but lack the switching, which requires biasing the "off" tube's grid with -300V. Has switching of Va i.s.o. -Vg been done? What could be the disadvantage of switching Va? Do 570's support "pulsed operation"? If so, what's the range of pulse time & duty cycle? At the risk of blowing my own horn, there are several pages of discussion on curve tracers in my book "Tube Testers and Classic Electronic Test Gear." What's the ISBN? Switching between tubes on a scope screen is a good way for (momentary visual) compararision, enables to look beyond limits, but prohibits decent data recording. Also, looking beyond limits requires a quite complex test rig. OTOH, XY recording, more or less, enables decent data recording but prohibits looking beyond limits. Here's my dilemma.... Any thoughts? Rgds, Jan. Cheers, Alan |
#10
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J.Koning wrote: wrote in message oups.com... My Tek tracer of choice is a 576. I've built adapters for it (plug in) to check various audio tubes, and supply filament and screen externally. It's capable of 1500 VDC and the only 'downside' for me is not having hard copy print directly out (I'm working on that ;-) -Robert QTS http://www.Braught.com I'll do a web search on the 576 and see what it can do. Your "downside" would be mine too. Your hard copy approach does'nt sound like the Tek/Polaroid approach. Maybe modern day digital cam? Could you shed some light regarding your approach? Rgds, Jan. Digital camera, w/local dedicated PC connected to my intranet. Writing Visual Basic scripts to automate capture using a Dataq Instruments input board for 'save', 'log' etc input switches; there are also four channels of low res A/D input on the Dataq board that I'm trying to setup for additional data to be saved with each 'picture'. I want to push one button, period, and have a chart print on my intranet connected HP printer as well as automatic file capture w/date/time stamp etc. Project I started two years ago, 'time permitting' I'll finish this summer. I'd *love* to 'sell' folk a chart with each 'premium' vacuum tube purchase! FYI Mr. Alan Douglas's book, which I independantly, highly, recommend ('Tube Testers and Classic Electronic Test Gear': I always carry a copy with me to hamfests/swap meets) has an ISBN of 1-886606-14-5 (pbk.) HTH- -Robert QTS http://www.Braught.com 'Winner of the April 1st Manly Meter contest on Rec.Antiques.Radio+Phono' |
#11
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" wrote: J.Koning wrote: wrote in message oups.com... My Tek tracer of choice is a 576. I've built adapters for it (plug in) to check various audio tubes, and supply filament and screen externally. It's capable of 1500 VDC and the only 'downside' for me is not having hard copy print directly out (I'm working on that ;-) -Robert QTS http://www.Braught.com I'll do a web search on the 576 and see what it can do. Your "downside" would be mine too. Your hard copy approach does'nt sound like the Tek/Polaroid approach. Maybe modern day digital cam? Could you shed some light regarding your approach? Rgds, Jan. Digital camera, w/local dedicated PC connected to my intranet. Writing Visual Basic scripts to automate capture using a Dataq Instruments input board for 'save', 'log' etc input switches; there are also four channels of low res A/D input on the Dataq board that I'm trying to setup for additional data to be saved with each 'picture'. I want to push one button, period, and have a chart print on my intranet connected HP printer as well as automatic file capture w/date/time stamp etc. Project I started two years ago, 'time permitting' I'll finish this summer. I'd *love* to 'sell' folk a chart with each 'premium' vacuum tube purchase! FYI Mr. Alan Douglas's book, which I independantly, highly, recommend ('Tube Testers and Classic Electronic Test Gear': I always carry a copy with me to hamfests/swap meets) has an ISBN of 1-886606-14-5 (pbk.) HTH- -Robert QTS http://www.Braught.com 'Winner of the April 1st Manly Meter contest on Rec.Antiques.Radio+Phono' Some URLs for tube curve tracers i have found :- http://www.studiomaudio.com/curvetracer.html their index page is http://www.studiomaudio.com/index.html http://www.soundpractices.com/17/DOUGLAS.PDF http://www.hagtech.com/vacutrace.html And *****BTW********, for a useful thing in anyone's workshop, try a gadget that alllows a PC to be used for a dual trace oscilliscope, meter, spectrum analyser, etc etc etc, at http://www.picotech.com/picoscope-os...-software.html A free download demonstration program is at http://www.picotech.com/download.html http://www.davidberning.com/Transfer%20Char.htm http://www.tech-diy.com/MCTracer_no_...er_feb6_04.htm http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/semitest.htm#stvac http://www.opcurves.com/curvetracer/ Patrick Turner. |
#12
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"Patrick Turner" wrote in message ... Some URLs for tube curve tracers i have found :- http://www.etc-etc-etc-etc.com/ Patrick Turner. That will fill the night... Rgds, Jan. |
#13
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On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 14:10:48 +0200, J.Koning wrote:
Fellow rodents, I'm looking for a (tube) curve tracer to buy or to build. Ideas, links? Rgds, Jan. Seems to me that Vacuum Tube Valley magazine was at one time advertising one of recent design (NOT Tek) for around $1000. I can't find it on their site today (www.vacuumtube.com) nor does a Google serach for "Vacuum Tube Curve Tracer" turn up much of any intererst. If you have a collection of old VTV issues, try looking through the period of a couple years ago. I wonder if this was vaporware, or if the guy making them went under, or ??? But an old issue of VTV ought to give you a contact- perhaps they person making these would either sell plans or a completed unit. Seems to me he was selling them in kit form, too. When I get home tonight (I'm at work today) I'll see if I can find something more definite for you. Marty |
#14
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Ah! Here it is:
http://www.hagtech.com/vacutrace.html Hagerman Technology, Vacu-Trace, $1295 (gulp!) They're out of Hawaii, so there's the issue of shipping... Marty On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 11:36:39 -0500, Marty Dippel wrote: On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 14:10:48 +0200, J.Koning wrote: Fellow rodents, I'm looking for a (tube) curve tracer to buy or to build. Ideas, links? Rgds, Jan. Seems to me that Vacuum Tube Valley magazine was at one time advertising one of recent design (NOT Tek) for around $1000. I can't find it on their site today (www.vacuumtube.com) nor does a Google serach for "Vacuum Tube Curve Tracer" turn up much of any intererst. If you have a collection of old VTV issues, try looking through the period of a couple years ago. I wonder if this was vaporware, or if the guy making them went under, or ??? But an old issue of VTV ought to give you a contact- perhaps they person making these would either sell plans or a completed unit. Seems to me he was selling them in kit form, too. When I get home tonight (I'm at work today) I'll see if I can find something more definite for you. Marty |
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