# build your own tube tester...link?



## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

wasn't there a "build your own tube tester" link posted here, to a book that explained how to do it?


did a search but can't find it...was I hallucinating?


thx


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I don't remember it...and it would certainly be something I would read for sure.

Cheers

Dave


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I believe this was it. I must have seen it someplace else?


oh well. here ya go:


http://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Testers-Electron-Equipment/dp/1570740895


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## Church-Audio (Sep 27, 2014)

Sad thing is by the time you do it you could have just bought one already made. The one I use is a bk precision 747b it's good and it's pretty cheap. Not good for matching but it tests rectifiers and when I want to get real serious I take my tubes to the tube store. They are only two blocks away from my shop and they have real tube testers. For quick go no go it's hard to beat the 747b. The bottom line on all these testers including mine is they don't use full plate voltage only a few do. And real serious testing needs to be done at proper plate voltages or it's just as good as what I use.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

+1.....There are literally 1000's of tube testers out there. They were made for decades and many can be had for very decent prices. 




Amprepair said:


> Sad thing is by the time you do it you could have just bought one already made. The one I use is a bk precision 747b it's good and it's pretty cheap. Not good for matching but it tests rectifiers and when I want to get real serious I take my tubes to the tube store. They are only two blocks away from my shop and they have real tube testers. For quick go no go it's hard to beat the 747b. The bottom line on all these testers including mine is they don't use full plate voltage only a few do. And real serious testing needs to be done at proper plate voltages or it's just as good as what I use.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Wow, that would be a daunting task. To make one as sophisticated as even the simplest emission testers from days gone by would take more time and effort than it would be worth. But hey, if that's your thing.....


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## TeleToons (Aug 13, 2014)

So not to hijack the OP's thread, but what would the diy hobbiest look for in a tester ? I would love one that takes all the sockets sizes and shows amount of life left as well as shorts. And would not want to put out more than a 100 bucks at most. Any suggestions as to brand or vintage era ?


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## Church-Audio (Sep 27, 2014)

Dont waste your time. There is no such thing as a tube tester that tells you how much "life you have left" unless your going to get into some real money. Even then I have seen tubes test fine on a low voltage tester and melt down under real plate voltage. Take your tubes to thetubestore you are in hamilton. They can test them for you on the $5k tube testers they have. Thats what I do when I have something of real value. Otherwise I use my BK747B to do the basic testing. There are testers that test for leakage they are cheap under $200 but again leakage is only half the story on a tube. Orange came out with a really sexy tester but its $550 and I do have my eye on it... Its really basic it gives you a go no go test and allows for basic matching.. But it does not do rectifier tubes.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

good info, thx guys!


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