20070426.ba v04_n045.bam.20070426 >From ???@??? Thu Apr 26 10:26:46 2007 -0500 Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:25:30 GMT From: Old Tube Radios To: Old Tube Radios Subject: BOATANCHORS digest 4045 Message-Id: <20070426152531.EBF18470180@srvr1.theporch.com> BOATANCHORS Digest 4045 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) RE: Old Oil Filled (was: Old 'Lytics) by "Art Lebermann" 2) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... by "John Gillespie" 3) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... by WA5CAB@cs.com 4) Re: Re Jerry's: but now CD ignition by Richard Loken 5) RE: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... by "Bill Hawkins" 6) Re: Re Jerry's: but now CD ignition by "Tom Rauch" 7) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic by spr@earthlink.net 8) Re: Power Saving Device ( Ya Right!) by "Sandy W5TVW" 9) Oldes Living 'Lytics by John Sehring 10) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic by "ChasW3KC" 11) Re: Old 'Lytics by "Arden Allen" 12) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic by Buzz 13) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic by WA5CAB@cs.com 14) Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic by Richard Post 15) RE: Power Saving Device ( Ya Right!) by stuck in 50s 16) Interesting site: by n6nae@ix.netcom.com 17) Large Collection of Halli Manuals on line by John Poulton 18) CDI by "Eric Jones" 19) blama-lytics by "Eric Jones" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <380-220074325165212468@earthlink.net> From: "Art Lebermann" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: RE: Old Oil Filled (was: Old 'Lytics) Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:52:12 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Yes - I've had experience with an exploding oil-filled capacitor. I'm a Broadcast engineer, and (many years ago) was in charge of maintence for a 5,000 watt FM transmitter at a radio station in Detroit. This transmitter was "under-designed", and had a history of component failures. Late one night, while testing the transmitter, I pressed the "Plate On" button, and was greeted with a very loud "BANG". I opened the back door of the transmitter, and found the interior was coated with oil. The ceramic cone insulator on the top of the capacitor had separated and was launched with such force that it left a dent in the side of the steel cabinet. It looked like it had been hit with a .38 bullet. Very interesting! Art Lebermann W6REQ > [Original Message] > From: David Stinson > To: Old Tube Radios > Date: 4/25/2007 3:29:07 AM > Subject: Old Oil Filled (was: Old 'Lytics) > > Anyone ever have an oil-filled go off? > I did once; it was in a power supply for a 2KW 75 meter amp. > One of the 3-400s arced and Ka BOOM! > The power supply was in a wooden cabinet > with a closed door right in front of my knees. > The crimped top stuck in the wood. > Big mess. > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <000001c7875b$94a58e40$f531bb40@k9a1e1> From: "John Gillespie" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: "old tube radios" Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:01:38 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Herbert I had one of those too, I believe they were called "Mark 10" ...... john ----- Original Message ----- > metal box, had a couple of TO-3 switching power transistors and a large > capacitor and other switching components within. According to specs, it > changed the size of the spark according to the rpm you drove, etc. by > using a capacitor discharge, controlled by the points' speed, to your > coil instead of just the battery to the coil. ------------------------------ From: WA5CAB@cs.com Message-ID: Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:39:34 EDT Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_ca5.cfb314a.3360ec56_boundary" --part1_ca5.cfb314a.3360ec56_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The CD units were sold by a number of companies. Although of course some came with exaggerated claims, many did work pretty well. Variants of the design eventually found their way into production vehicles. One good thing about them back in the day was that if you replaced the points when you installed one, the point life became the life of the cam follower. The other was that if one ever failed, all that you had to do was reconnect the original wiring and you were back in business. In a message dated 4/25/2007 11:04:21 AM Central Standard Time, jgillespie@porchlight.ca writes: > I had one of those too, I believe they were called "Mark 10" > ...... john > > ----- Original Message ----- > >metal box, had a couple of TO-3 switching power transistors and a large > >capacitor and other switching components within. According to specs, it > >changed the size of the spark according to the rpm you drove, etc. by > >using a capacitor discharge, controlled by the points' speed, to your > >coil instead of just the battery to the coil. > Robert Downs - Houston (Web Store) MVPA 9480 (Primary email) (Backup email) --part1_ca5.cfb314a.3360ec56_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --part1_ca5.cfb314a.3360ec56_boundary-- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:54:53 -0700 From: Richard Loken Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: but now CD ignition To: Old Tube Radios Cc: Old Tube Radios Message-id: MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII CD ignition wasn't snake oil, it was just a way of delivering higher voltage to the spark plug and eventually it became standard equipment on new cars. It is years since a cared and I don't know how the high voltage is delivered on new cars but I know that I only buy spark plugs every three of four years. -- Richard Loken VE6BSV, Systems Programmer - VMS : "Anybody can be a father Athabasca University : but you have to earn Athabasca, Alberta Canada : the title of 'daddy'" ** richardlo@admin.athabascau.ca ** : - Lynn Johnston ------------------------------ From: "Bill Hawkins" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: RE: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:07:29 -0500 Message-ID: <000601c7876c$f84a8700$061ba8c0@cyrus> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit CD Ignition probably doesn't qualify as snake oil. Back in the '70s, I worked on a distributorless CDI for Formula V race cars. The guy who tuned up the engines wanted to save about 5 HP by eliminating the distributor's rotating parts. He got a net HP increase beyond the 5 HP. His car could pass anyone in the straightways, but the driver was poor at curves, so it didn't win. The fat CD spark had to be doing a better job of lighting the fuel-air mix in a high RPM engine. So, how about a CD spark transmitter? Bill Hawkins -----Original Message----- From: owner-boatanchors@theporch.com [mailto:owner-boatanchors@theporch.com] On Behalf Of WA5CAB@cs.com Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 12:40 PM To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... The CD units were sold by a number of companies. Although of course some came with exaggerated claims, many did work pretty well. Variants of the design eventually found their way into production vehicles. One good thing about them back in the day was that if you replaced the points when you installed one, the point life became the life of the cam follower. The other was that if one ever failed, all that you had to do was reconnect the original wiring and you were back in business. In a message dated 4/25/2007 11:04:21 AM Central Standard Time, jgillespie@porchlight.ca writes: > I had one of those too, I believe they were called "Mark 10" > ...... john > > ----- Original Message ----- > >metal box, had a couple of TO-3 switching power transistors and a > >large capacitor and other switching components within. According to > >specs, it changed the size of the spark according to the rpm you > >drove, etc. by using a capacitor discharge, controlled by the points' > >speed, to your coil instead of just the battery to the coil. > Robert Downs - Houston (Web Store) MVPA 9480 (Primary email) (Backup email) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <05c501c78770$ce506290$660fa8c0@radioroom> From: "Tom Rauch" To: Old Tube Radios Cc: "Old Tube Radios" Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: but now CD ignition Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:34:11 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > CD ignition wasn't snake oil, it was just a way of > delivering higher > voltage to the spark plug and eventually it became > standard equipment > on new cars. It is years since a cared and I don't know > how the high > voltage is delivered on new cars but I know that I only > buy spark plugs > every three of four years. The reason spark plugs last so long is unleaded fuel and much more controlled fuel/air mixtures. I grew up in Toledo Ohio and the spark plug companies were major employers. Their business went down the tubes when the country switched to unleaded fuel, and then really died when carefully controlled fuel/air mixtures were mandated. The extra high energy ignitions actually increased plug wear, but that was compensated for by the fact the high energy ignitions would fire rounded electrodes just fine, there were no lead deposits to foul plugs, low tension piston rings required for better fuel mileage would maintain a better oil seal over time so there was less oil fouling, and of course compression ratios were less. As for the solid state ignitions, my first serious job was working for the company and for the man who developed and produced those gold colored solid state ignitions that had a bypass plug to convert back to points! It was quite a treat for me, being a bit of a gear head and having installed that aftermarket ignition on my Green 56 Studebaker with a factory Paxton supercharger and a factory Packard 352 cube engine. Too bad it didn't stop me from beating the car until the rods came through the block. I'd bet that car (I paid 500 bucks for it) would fetch a price today. The good old days. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <17885473.1177529902565.JavaMail.root@elwamui-little.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:38:22 -0400 (EDT) From: spr@earthlink.net To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Folks, I am still using a Mark X in a 1970 Citroen. The CDI systems are NOT snake oil, and here's what they do: 1) extend contact point life several fold, since the points are now switching a 100 mA resistive load instead of the 4A inductive load the original system provided; 2) Ensure that you always have full spark voltage and energy, regardless of points or condenser condition; 3) Provide a fatter saprk under starting conditions, because the capacitor that stores the spark energy can do so at the high point in the battery voltage in between compression strokes; 4) Provide a faster spark voltage rise time, which is helpful in firing fouled or wet plugs. This is not generally a problem in four stroke car engines but is in 2-stroke motorcycle engines. 5) In the case of my car, get around a bad contact point system design and greatly improve starting. CDIs are not snake oil, they do real, quantifiable things. Note that I have not claimed more power or better gas mileage! Regards, Scott Robinson -----Original Message----- >From: John Gillespie >Sent: Apr 25, 2007 1:01 PM >To: Old Tube Radios >Cc: old tube radios >Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake... > >Hi Herbert > > I had one of those too, I believe they were called "Mark 10" >...... john > >----- Original Message ----- >> metal box, had a couple of TO-3 switching power transistors and a large >> capacitor and other switching components within. According to specs, it >> changed the size of the spark according to the rpm you drove, etc. by >> using a capacitor discharge, controlled by the points' speed, to your >> coil instead of just the battery to the coil. > ------------------------------ Message-ID: <015f01c78780$d497a4a0$21a0cdd1@gateway> From: "Sandy W5TVW" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Power Saving Device ( Ya Right!) Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:29:38 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The "big Laugh" is that you will pay them the $250 that maybe you saved on the lights you powered with it! Money in their pocket instead of the electric company's pocket. Now if you really want some humor...go to TMH electronics or TMH audio website. Some of the most expensive and hyped "audiophool" electronics in history? 73, Sandy W5TVW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerry Proc" To: "Old Tube Radios" Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 7:03 AM Subject: Power Saving Device ( Ya Right!) > Hi Gang, > > We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic "snake > oil" in quite a while. I have come to the rescue by > drawing attention to this power saving device > guranteed to save 30% power consumption or so it says. > > > Have a laugh! > > http://www.hydropowersaver.com/index.htm > > -- > Regards, > Jerry Proc > E-mail: jerry7proc@yahoo.com > > > Get a sneak peak at messages with a handy reading pane with All new > Yahoo! Mail: http://mrd.mail.yahoo.com/try_beta?.intl=ca > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.463 / Virus Database: 269.6.1/776 - Release Date: 4/25/2007 > 12:19 PM > > ------------------------------ Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary Mime-Version: 1.0 From: John Sehring To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Oldes Living 'Lytics Content-Type: text/plain Message-Id: <20070425230603.4DD053529C5@filter6.e-filtering.net> Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:06:03 -0600 (MDT) Thanks, Dennis, for a great web site on caps: http://electrochem.cwru.edu/ed/encycl/misc/c04-appguide.pdf Wow, this has been a great thread, fine "war stories" about explodind 'lytics. I'm going to be a little more careful around them. BTW, I use a Sprague TO-5 to measure & reform 'lytics, it's got current limiting & monitoring. --John Sehring WB0EQ/VE6 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:35:56 -0400 From: "ChasW3KC" Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic To: Old Tube Radios Message-id: <008601c78792$798988a0$2f01a8c0@chas> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=UTF-8; reply-type=original Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Heathkit made a nice CDI and I still use one on my '63 Volvo. It reduced ignition maintenence tremendously, and allows nice quick starts on those damp, foggy mornings that were often problematic. 73 Chas W3KC ------------------------------ Message-ID: <009a01c7879b$5452ed70$14e47443@KB6NAX> From: "Arden Allen" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Old 'Lytics Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:42:17 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > What bell-shaped curve? All the curves I've seen from capacitor > manufacturers are either exponential or S-shaped. The Arrhenius > equation for capacitor life is of exponential form., .... OK, Brian, I stand corrected. I guess a failure rates specialist would be more concerned with accelerating failures in populations. You never want to get to the top of the bell shaped curve because that would mean at least half of everything has already failed. Hell of a way to run an airline ;-) > ......And MTBF curves are usually bath-tub shaped. One has got to get into the tub before one can find failure rates to be acceptable. Infant mortalities (one end of the tub) are weeded out during test/burn in. Geriatric mortalities (other end of tub) are what BA'ers have to contend with. Arden Allen KB6NAX ------------------------------ From: Buzz To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:36:19 -0700 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I built a CD back in the 60's, but without the high amperage going = through the points the oil fume blow by coming up the distributor shaft would foul = the points. Every few weeks the engine would quit so I'd pull over, clean = the points with my handkerchief and away I'd go. I finally changed back to conventional ignition. Buzz On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:38:22 -0400 (EDT), you wrote: >Folks, > >I am still using a Mark X in a 1970 Citroen. The CDI systems are NOT = snake oil, and here's what they do: > >1) extend contact point life several fold, since the points are now = switching a 100 mA resistive load instead of the 4A inductive load the original = system provided; > >2) Ensure that you always have full spark voltage and energy, regardless= of points or condenser condition; > >3) Provide a fatter saprk under starting conditions, because the = capacitor that stores the spark energy can do so at the high point in the battery = voltage in between compression strokes; > >4) Provide a faster spark voltage rise time, which is helpful in firing = fouled or wet plugs. This is not generally a problem in four stroke car engines = but is in 2-stroke motorcycle engines. > >5) In the case of my car, get around a bad contact point system design = and greatly improve starting. > >CDIs are not snake oil, they do real, quantifiable things. Note that I = have not claimed more power or better gas mileage! > >Regards, > >Scott Robinson > > > > >-----Original Message----- >>From: John Gillespie >>Sent: Apr 25, 2007 1:01 PM >>To: Old Tube Radios >>Cc: old tube radios >>Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic = "snake... >> >>Hi Herbert >> >> I had one of those too, I believe they were called "Mark 10" >>...... john=20 >> >>----- Original Message -----=20 >>> metal box, had a couple of TO-3 switching power transistors and a = large=20 >>> capacitor and other switching components within. According to specs, = it=20 >>> changed the size of the spark according to the rpm you drove, etc. by= =20 >>> using a capacitor discharge, controlled by the points' speed, to your= =20 >>> coil instead of just the battery to the coil. >> ------------------------------ From: WA5CAB@cs.com Message-ID: Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:50:42 EDT Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic To: Old Tube Radios MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_d02.e18ae54.336189a2_boundary" --part1_d02.e18ae54.336189a2_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit You shoulda hooked the PCV valve back up. I had a similar problem on a '69 4-cylinder Petrol Land Rover. When I spent the money and put the factory vent system back on it, the oiling problem went away. In a message dated 4/25/2007 10:38:01 PM Central Standard Time, muttman@charter.net writes: > I built a CD back in the 60's, but without the high amperage going through > the > points the oil fume blow by coming up the distributor shaft would foul the > points. Every few weeks the engine would quit so I'd pull over, clean the > points with my handkerchief and away I'd go. > I finally changed back to conventional ignition. > > Buzz > Robert Downs - Houston (Web Store) MVPA 9480 (Primary email) (Backup email) --part1_d02.e18ae54.336189a2_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---REMAINDER OF MESSAGE TRUNCATED--- * * This post contains a forbidden message format * * (such as an attached file, a v-card, HTML formatting) * * Mail Lists at theporch.com only accept PLAIN TEXT * * If your postings display this message your mail program * * is not set to send PLAIN TEXT ONLY and needs adjusting * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * --part1_d02.e18ae54.336189a2_boundary-- ------------------------------ Mime-Version: 1.0 Message-Id: Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 03:07:54 -0400 To: Old Tube Radios From: Richard Post Subject: Re: Re Jerry's: We haven't bashed any electrical/electronic Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" I built a Mark (something or other) CD kit back in about 1977-8. Worked great in my '67 Plymouth Fury III convertible, 318 CI. Has a switch to reset to straight points in case of component failure. Seldom had to touch the points after installation. Still have the car but has been stored in the garage for the last couple of years. Rag top leaks a bit on rainy days. Rich KB8TAD At 7:35 PM -0400 4/25/07, ChasW3KC wrote: >Heathkit made a nice CDI and I still use one on my '63 Volvo. It >reduced ignition maintenence tremendously, and allows nice quick >starts on those damp, foggy mornings that were often problematic. >73 Chas W3KC ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:39:42 -0400 (EDT) From: stuck in 50s Message-Id: <200704261239.l3QCdgXR010843@fracas.netboobie.org> To: Old Tube Radios Subject: RE: Power Saving Device ( Ya Right!) > accomplished by supplying electricity locally at the load by the use of specially designed capacitor. you don't suppose "Back to the Future" flux capacitor ------------------------------ Message-ID: <17261556.1177599416458.JavaMail.root@elwamui-norfolk.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 07:56:56 -0700 (GMT-07:00) From: n6nae@ix.netcom.com To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Interesting site: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Has this surfaced in the past? Sorry if it's a repeat. Lotsa stuff on Command receivers. Does the Trio radio look vaguely familiar? http://www.shlrc.mq.edu.au/~robinson/museum/index.html Richard ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:11:49 -0400 (EDT) From: John Poulton To: Old Tube Radios Subject: Large Collection of Halli Manuals on line Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Recently a friend loaned me a huge collection of original Hallicrafters manuals, and I've now finished scanning them and putting them up on my website at: http://jptronics.org/radios/Hallicrafters/manuals.html Hope these will be usesful to some of you. If you find any problems, missing pages or links or whatever, send me mail and I'll attempt to fix the problem. The manuals need to go back to the owner, so sooner would be better.. 73, John K4OZY -- ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00c501c78817$0d92fa70$e404b4d8@yourxb2x7j77gn> From: "Eric Jones" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: CDI Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:04:42 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit de N4TGC Eric I inherited one of those Heathkit gizmos from my father - only reason I didn't keep using it, it was for 6v positive ground! Used on '55 Dodge V-8 for years, I removed it afore it was sold for scrap. Finally threw it away a couple years ago ... I put a J.C. Whitney-sourced LED/interrupter electronic ign. in my '65 Dodge truck slant-six about 25 years ago; it's still in there and still worx FB. The plugs last way longer, the thing starts easily (tho it's getting a *little* cranky, since I also haven't rebuilt the engine in 25 years ...), and it improved the milage/drivability a mite. I don't think JCW has stocked it in a decade. Anybody wanna buy a truck?! haha I do need to sell it and swap the tool body to something newer. It has a 4-speed trannie out of a munitions carrier, diff. chunk from a Charger, hydraulic clutch, etc., but no power, no air, and whups me down when I have to use it for work (I'm just too old and tired to drive it anymore ...) And w/o air, the windows fog horribly here in the warm, (usually) soggy south ... BTW, I think the gearshift T-handle is made from a cadmium reg. rod from a reactor (unused, I hope ... at least, it's not radioactive ...). Either that, or the hardest brass known to man ... the trannie came from a machinist who worked for Brown's Ferry. e ------------------------------ Message-ID: <00c701c78817$1282b610$e404b4d8@yourxb2x7j77gn> From: "Eric Jones" To: Old Tube Radios Subject: blama-lytics Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:22:50 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit de N4TGC Eric I usually re-form using a home-brew 265v doubler-rectifier with a neon bulb current limiter. Quick and simple, tho I also have TO-5 and Knight-Kit cap. checkers, and they are more elegant for the purpose ... the bulb will blink as the cap. charges, then should go out; if not, I leave it on for a day, or even overnight. The neon lamp won't ever quite go out on large, leaky 'lytics, but the 'acid test' is to un-clip the cap, wait a couple minutes, then see if it sparks when shorted (use a res. for large ones!) If it hasn't held a charge at least a couple-three minutes, it's a goner and gets tossed. And of course, the final test is does it work in the circuit ... I don't recall ever having one actually blow up; usually it just smokes the trannie and/or filter-dropping res., or cooks the tube. This is quite enough drama for me ... e ------------------------------ End of BOATANCHORS Digest 4045 ******************************