What is a good tube tester?

The Hickok models

  • Hickok low-cost types like the 533, 533A, 534, 534A, are good testers for most service type work and for testing tubes with Gm values below 15,000 micromho’s (Mutual Conductance Values).
  • The Hickok models 536, 538, 538A, 539 and the 539A, which was the predecessor to the 539B/C are much better.

What is a vacuum tube tester?

A tube tester is an electronic instrument designed to test certain characteristics of vacuum tubes (thermionic valves). Tube testers evolved along with the vacuum tube to satisfy the demands of the time, and their evolution ended with the tube era.

Can tubes be tested with a multimeter?

What do we need to test to ensure the tubes are working correctly? Open or shorted filaments can be detected using a multimeter, and should be done before plugging the tubes in.

What is a Supreme tube tester?

This is one of the oldest and simplest Supreme tube testers. It was one of the first test instruments Supreme manufactured that only tested tubes. Other Supreme testers of the time performed several tests (see Radio Diagnometers ). The model 17 has two test buttons, one for a 20 milliamps scale and one for grid bias.

What is a Supreme Tester 17?

It was one of the first test instruments Supreme manufactured that only tested tubes. Other Supreme testers of the time performed several tests (see Radio Diagnometers ). The model 17 has two test buttons, one for a 20 milliamps scale and one for grid bias.

What are some of the best tube tester models?

Hickok – Triplett – Readrite – Supreme – Weston – Jewell – More Schematics, Manuals, Operating Instructions, and Tube Tester Data for the models listed below are directly from the manufacturer’s original publication*. Each file is individually digitized in high resolution to provide the clearest possible scan in a downloadable Adobe PDF file.

What does the superior td-55 test?

The Superior TD-55 is an emission tester which is basically a miniature version of their popular model TV-11. But, unlike the model TV-11, the TD-55 will not test the early (large pin) tubes from the 1920’s – early ’30’s. It will test nearly all other consumer tubes from the mid 1930’s – mid 1960’s.