H W Sullivan Inductance Standard - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Oldtestgear · 19th Dec 2011, 1:55 pm

I have just bought a Sullivan & Griffiths Variable Inductance Standard (Grade 2) biult by H W Sullivan Ltd. in 1951. Does anyone know anything about this venerable piece of test equipment antiquity?

It seems to work as a Variable Standard but there is a self contained zero balancing arm feature & I would like to find out more about. Any help appreciated as this is a piece of kit I would like to use.

Thanks in advance.

Phil

GMB · 19th Dec 2011, 3:19 pm

How about a picture of it?

AVO_VCM163 · 19th Dec 2011, 3:21 pm

Which model? Single or dual range?
They were updated in 1950 from the earlier types.
Roy

Oldtestgear · 19th Dec 2011, 5:46 pm

Picture as requested. The unit has 3 fixed range switches (x10k, x1k, x100 microHenries) plus a variable range. Then there is the zero balance circuit.

AVO_VCM163 · 19th Dec 2011, 7:09 pm

So it is variable from 0 to 100mH, the 4th dial should be a continuosly variable L control.
The zero balancing is used when it is configured for bridge use.

A useful tool for accurate Capacitance and Inductance measurements up to about 100kHz with reasonable accuracy overall better than 1%.

Check it first for dc resistancea on all steps. There were two qualities - one with constant resistance the other more variable. For bridge working the constant R is easier to use in most configurations.

A quick check of the L settings with a modern RCL bridge would verify the general operation. But one would expect that the L values were still very close to spec. They have temperature compensated formers to preserve the geometry.

Roy

Ed_Dinning · 19th Dec 2011, 9:04 pm

Hi Phil, there was a comprehensive article on Sullivans' and their products about 2 years ago in Radio Bygones. There may be some detail in there.

Ed

Oldtestgear · 20th Dec 2011, 12:08 pm

Thanks for the replies.

I have tested the switched ranges with a cheap LCR meter & it definoitely works. All settings seem to be accurate (within the limits of a cheapo meter) but does anyone know what the published limits were when new?

If anyone has a copy of the article that Ed referred to & could email me a copy then I would be grateful as I don't subscribe to Radio Bygones.

Thanks again.

Phil

AVO_VCM163 · 20th Dec 2011, 1:13 pm

Phil,
The accuracy of each tap was:-
10-100mH 0.1%
1-10mH 0.3%
0.1-1mH 1%

They were issued with a clibration that reduced the uncertainty to better than half those figures.

Is the resistance reasonably constant with setting?
The suffix "B" versions had this added advantage.

Roy

John_BS · 21st Dec 2011, 12:03 am

Phil:

I have a decade resistance box made by Sullivan. I managed to get a copy of the data-sheet from the IET library. Worth a try for your unit.

You can search on-line: http://archives.theiet.org/detail.as...iref=110000658

John

Oldtestgear · 24th Dec 2011, 2:17 pm

I checked the resistance across the full range of the switches. There is a variaion of about 1.3 Ohms (92.9 to 91.6) which seems pretty flat but is it actually in spec?

If anyone has a scan of the Radio Bygones article about Sullivans then I would be most grateful to have a look at the original article.

Phil

Stewart7 · 17th Apr 2015, 7:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_BS

You can search on-line: http://archives.theiet.org/detail.as...iref=110000658

Dear Sir
I followed the link you gave, but I am new to this website, can you explain how I can get to see the several documents about Sullivan instruments mentioned?
(I am an ex Sullivan employee looking for info about some of the items the company made)

Many thanks

AC/HL · 17th Apr 2015, 11:59 pm

It worked for me, but then when I tried again it didn't?
This is the first result: http://archives.theiet.org/search.aspx?session=false
Type sullivan in the box.

19th Dec 2011, 1:55 pm	#1
Oldtestgear Hexode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Devon, UK. Posts: 307	H W Sullivan Inductance Standard I have just bought a Sullivan & Griffiths Variable Inductance Standard (Grade 2) biult by H W Sullivan Ltd. in 1951. Does anyone know anything about this venerable piece of test equipment antiquity? It seems to work as a Variable Standard but there is a self contained zero balancing arm feature & I would like to find out more about. Any help appreciated as this is a piece of kit I would like to use. Thanks in advance. Phil

19th Dec 2011, 3:19 pm	#2
GMB Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: near Reading (and sometimes Torquay) Posts: 3,094	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard How about a picture of it?

19th Dec 2011, 3:21 pm	#3
AVO_VCM163 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hampshire, UK. Posts: 297	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard Which model? Single or dual range? They were updated in 1950 from the earlier types. Roy

19th Dec 2011, 5:46 pm	#4
Oldtestgear Hexode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Devon, UK. Posts: 307	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard Picture as requested. The unit has 3 fixed range switches (x10k, x1k, x100 microHenries) plus a variable range. Then there is the zero balance circuit. Attached Thumbnails

19th Dec 2011, 7:09 pm	#5
AVO_VCM163 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hampshire, UK. Posts: 297	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard So it is variable from 0 to 100mH, the 4th dial should be a continuosly variable L control. The zero balancing is used when it is configured for bridge use. A useful tool for accurate Capacitance and Inductance measurements up to about 100kHz with reasonable accuracy overall better than 1%. Check it first for dc resistancea on all steps. There were two qualities - one with constant resistance the other more variable. For bridge working the constant R is easier to use in most configurations. A quick check of the L settings with a modern RCL bridge would verify the general operation. But one would expect that the L values were still very close to spec. They have temperature compensated formers to preserve the geometry. Roy

19th Dec 2011, 9:04 pm	#6
Ed_Dinning Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 8,194	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard Hi Phil, there was a comprehensive article on Sullivans' and their products about 2 years ago in Radio Bygones. There may be some detail in there. Ed

20th Dec 2011, 12:08 pm	#7
Oldtestgear Hexode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Devon, UK. Posts: 307	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard Thanks for the replies. I have tested the switched ranges with a cheap LCR meter & it definoitely works. All settings seem to be accurate (within the limits of a cheapo meter) but does anyone know what the published limits were when new? If anyone has a copy of the article that Ed referred to & could email me a copy then I would be grateful as I don't subscribe to Radio Bygones. Thanks again. Phil

20th Dec 2011, 1:13 pm	#8
AVO_VCM163 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hampshire, UK. Posts: 297	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard Phil, The accuracy of each tap was:- 10-100mH 0.1% 1-10mH 0.3% 0.1-1mH 1% They were issued with a clibration that reduced the uncertainty to better than half those figures. Is the resistance reasonably constant with setting? The suffix "B" versions had this added advantage. Roy

21st Dec 2011, 12:03 am	#9
John_BS Octode Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Wincanton, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,780	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard Phil: I have a decade resistance box made by Sullivan. I managed to get a copy of the data-sheet from the IET library. Worth a try for your unit. You can search on-line: http://archives.theiet.org/detail.as...iref=110000658 John

24th Dec 2011, 2:17 pm	#10
Oldtestgear Hexode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Devon, UK. Posts: 307	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard I checked the resistance across the full range of the switches. There is a variaion of about 1.3 Ohms (92.9 to 91.6) which seems pretty flat but is it actually in spec? If anyone has a scan of the Radio Bygones article about Sullivans then I would be most grateful to have a look at the original article. Phil

17th Apr 2015, 11:59 pm	#12
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: H W Sullivan Inductance Standard It worked for me, but then when I tried again it didn't? This is the first result: http://archives.theiet.org/search.aspx?session=false Type sullivan in the box.