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 Post subject: WE (Hickok) KS15560L1 Low Gm Readings
PostPosted: Jul Sat 07, 2012 1:51 am 
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Joined: Nov Fri 18, 2011 3:34 pm
Posts: 193
Location: Centerville, Utah 84014
I brought this tester back to life, so to speak, but there is one or two existing difficulties. My findings so far are: The plate, screen, signal, and filament votages all test great. All of the capacitors, resistors and the two resistor/inductors (L2 mod) have been verified good by myself and another. Both of the rectifier tubes test good and have been swapped out for verification. All of the switches are nice and clean. The selenium rectifier has been removed and replaced with silicon diodes. The bias voltage checks good (other than going higher than 5 and 50 volts now). All of the bulbs are working and test good.
When testing a tube, I get very minimal movement on the meter. I cleaned the spade connectors and swapped out the 50mfd cap thinking this could be it, but no.
I recently received a 1954 version of the WE manual and schematic (Thanks Alan) to go along with my 1969 version. There are two noticable differences in the shorts circuit and this one is connected as per the L2 version.
The only thing I'm noticing now is the dual 5K resistor is getting pretty warm during testing.
Any thoughts on something we have missed? Appreciate your time.


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 Post subject: Re: WE (Hickok) KS15560L1 Low Gm Readings
PostPosted: Jul Sat 07, 2012 2:13 am 
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Joined: Jan Thu 01, 1970 1:00 am
Posts: 7080
Location: Latham NY
You say the bias checks other than going higher??? What does this mean? If you replaced Selenium with silicon then you would need to add some resistance to compensate i would think.


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 Post subject: Re: WE (Hickok) KS15560L1 Low Gm Readings
PostPosted: Jul Sat 07, 2012 2:47 am 
Member

Joined: Nov Fri 18, 2011 3:34 pm
Posts: 193
Location: Centerville, Utah 84014
The bias voltage reaches above -8.6 volts on the 5 volt setting and -55.6 volts on the 50 volt setting. The two 5K bias resistors get pretty warm but remain stable. I verify the voltages using the recommended tester method between pin 6 of the octal socket and the grid test point to ensure the bias voltage is correct through the tester. Switch settings are JR 00360 and the analog bias meter readings correspond with the voltages indicated from my fluke. I was worried about the higher bias voltages until I checked them out this way. Anything fishy here?


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 Post subject: Re: WE (Hickok) KS15560L1 Low Gm Readings
PostPosted: Jul Sat 07, 2012 11:33 pm 
Member

Joined: Nov Fri 18, 2011 3:34 pm
Posts: 193
Location: Centerville, Utah 84014
Rearranged the negative bias voltage on the switch and now I have -5.8VDC with the pot maxed and -55.6VDC maxed, no overly hot resistors. Man, these things are touchy and the one line drawings are busy and hard to interperet.
Went over all of the voltage checks this morning and now I'm showing only 130VDC instead of 150VCD for the plate voltage. Something has given out somewhere. Hickok tube checkers are quirky, but fun. I'm amazed more of the finicky ones haven't turned up on ebay......oh wait a minute, they have. Onward.


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