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Vintage Test Gear and Workshop Equipment For discussions about vintage test gear and workshop equipment such as coil winders. |
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2nd Apr 2018, 8:18 pm | #1 |
Pentode
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 117
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Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
The more I get into radios the more I feel the need to buy myself a valve tester, but the question for me is which type?
I collect 1920s,30s and 40s sets, after looing at valve testers online it seems harder to find a tester that will be suited to the older valve types, most testers that turn up seem to be from the 50s. Thank you |
3rd Apr 2018, 6:57 am | #2 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 559
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Re: Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
Hello.
An Avo two panel Tester will be good for valves from the 20s 30s to the 40s. on ebay they are going for £120.00 to £150.00. Kevin. |
3rd Apr 2018, 7:18 am | #3 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Romford, London, UK.
Posts: 331
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Re: Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
I use a Taylor 45C. Easy to use, does early battery triodes and up to much later such as KT88. The best place is the BVWS auction service - the last one sold for £80 (with books)
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3rd Apr 2018, 7:34 am | #4 |
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK.
Posts: 6,878
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Re: Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
A second vote for the AVO 2 Panel, the Taylor /Windsors are also pretty good you can usually pick up the model 45B for not eye watering money.
Such as this one (no connection with this seller ) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Taylor-Wi...gAAOSwwWJawMXO However I would say a valve tester is handy but not esential for sets of this age. As many like to say and its absolutely true the best test of a valve is the circuit its in, but can help to spot the complete duds and for sort testing mixed boxes you buy. Cheers Mike T
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3rd Apr 2018, 9:02 am | #5 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Oxfordshire, UK.
Posts: 4,311
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Re: Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
Quote:
Cheers, GJ
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3rd Apr 2018, 9:35 am | #6 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 5,766
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Re: Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
Quote:
I have a Taylor 45D and wanted to extend the range so made several adaptors to plug into the Octal socket on the tester. I covered it in two forum threads here: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...+base+adaptors https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...+base+adaptors I was able to buy my valve tester cheaply in the 1980s when they were just considered obsolete junk, but if I didn't have one, I wouldn't even think about buying one. As has been said, the best way to test a valve is in a radio. That said, they do have a fascination, matched only by coil winders. Each get used to about the same extent - very rarely! Good luck in your quest.
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David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339. |
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3rd Apr 2018, 9:40 am | #7 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,902
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Re: Advice on what valve tester to buy wanted
Anything which has the sockets and heater voltages for the valves you're interested in will do. A straight-forward emission test and a gas leakage test are usually sufficient to tell you whether a valve is worth persevering with or not.
Gm measurements come into their own if you want to match sets (usually to a level the amplifier manufacturers never bothered with themselves) for audio output stages. Gm valve testers drop you right into competition with the rich end of the hifi and guitar worlds for a limited resource and the prices go silly. David
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