I'm watching a few Tripplite voltage conditioners on eBay; 600 watt units.
They are supposed to regulate the AC voltage, but I can find concrete specs
on the percentage of regulation they offer. I'd like to use one behind the
voltage dropping xformer on my boatachor receivers. My SX-101A will
wander a bit when a large load hits the AC line and I'd like to tame it down
a bit.

Pete

Tripp-lite specs for the power conditioners are pretty fuzzy. The 600 watt data sheet says that it maintains "usable" 120 volts out with an input range of 87 to 140 volts. Sounds about like a SOLA constant voltage transformer.

Wish I could be of more help.

Tony

Yep, exactly what I thought... Fuzzy specs. I see some other brands
that are more specific regarding percentages, but they are also much
less common than the Tripp Lite stuff.

Mine might be dated experience, Pete, but we once (late 90s) had a bunch of similarly named units from TrippLite and they used a relay to step around the the input voltage. They were horrible.

We're getting units nowadays that will handle a window like 100-280 incoming without using physical relays and xfmr taps.

I had one installed to operate a cable modem & router. There was no indication that the battery was going bad... I did a routine check of it and found it so hot that the battery had melted down and actually fused to the side of the plastic case... I scrapped it and never replaced...
I serviced quite few of these power conditioners when I was working. They had a trickle charge and high charge available for the on-board LA battery. They could detect a 1/4 cycle dropout and replace the wave from the battery. However, batteries had to be replaced every two to three years.

Chas

The ones I am looking are strickly conditioners, no battery backup.

Pete

Pete,

Looking at the manual (it is online at their site) it sounds like a tap switcher. The specs call for it maintaining 120 volts +/- 3volts AND it notes that clicking sounds coming from the unit are normal as it adjusts for changing voltage and the clicks will be more frequent depending upon how frequently your input voltage changes.

So depending upon how sensitive your SX-101A is to small changes it may or may not help. Have you looked at the old QST article (November 1975, p.37) which addressed a similar issue with the Heathkit SB-300/301 receivers by regulating oscillator filament voltage?

Rodger WQ9E

Ugh! It does use relays. I'd like to put at least three of my BA receivers on a regulator.

It could be the filament, but the change is rapid... if I use one of the heat guns on the workbench the RX will move a good kHz when I first start the gun. They are on the same AC branch.
Seeing the '101 uses a separate supply for the 12BY7 it might be feasible to put in regulator.

You might also measure the regulated B+ voltage to see if it is truly staying regulated, perhaps the VR tube itself has deteriorated. A counter or external receiver will show which oscillator is responsible for the change.