Servicing equipment and Tools

Here are a few pieces of test equipment and tools that I have successfully used used for many years.

They are not expensive and will do the job of more expensive equipment in most cases.

1. Zener diode tester. This device plugs into a multimeter, and will give an open circuit voltage of about 78volts with a new battery inside. Place the diode to be tested to the clips, cathode to red, anode to black lead, and with the tester pluged into a multimeter, press the test button and read the actual zener voltage on the meter. Zener diodes are not precision devices, so do expect up to 10% error. Note, make sure that the tester is discharged before connecting the diode to be tested, otherwise it is, “Goodnight Nurse”
2. Low ohms meter. E.S.R. Meter. Lets face it. This is really only used to test electrolytic capacitors. It is the most effective tool in your servicing arsenal . It is much more effective than using a capacitor tester with a loss control. It can be used to check caps in circuit, which I mark with a black marker pen, before moving on to the next cap to be checked. This is truly the Holy Grail of servicing.
3. Horizontal Output Transformer Tester. For such an inexpensive tester, this works surprisingly well. You will need to use something else to check diode split transformers.
4. An earlier Horizontal Output Transformer Tester (shorted turns tester) This is an earlier version of the one that I used to use. I bought this one in Ballarat from the Orpheus radio museum just before it folded.
5. Scope battery soldering iron. Back in the days when I used to up end TV's in peoples homes and change resistors, capacitors, valve sockets and horizontal output transformers, this is what I used. (We were not all valve jockeys) I must admit, they did look funny with the four legs sticking up in the air while I had the bottom cover removed to gain access for voltage measurements/parts replacement.
6. Dual beam oscilloscope. This oscilloscope was used mainly for alignment of V.C.R.'s it is only a 15MHZ model. It was later replaced by a 1GHZ model (not mine)

I won't dredge up my old frequency counter. I hardly ever had to use it. It did a little service on CB radios, and TV chroma circuits, and various oscillator circuits on V.C.R.'s

Tell me what you use to service your TV's.

The C.R.O.

[N2IXK]

Interesting stuff.

One nitpick, though. That 'scope is a dual TRACE unit, not a dual BEAM.

A dual beam scope actually has 2 separate electron guns in the CRT, with individual intensity and focus controls for each. The primary advantage of a dual beam scope is that it allows the use of different sweep speeds on each channel.

Examples of dual beam scopes would be the Tektronix 555 or 556.

Sorry about that. Point noted.

Wayne.

[DavGoodlin]

Labrat, That's a most efficient and interesting toolkit

When I was 12, I did a lot of tube radio work. I built a Heathkit IM-18 Vacuum Tube VoltMeter which cost $49 as a kit. The function was similar to an RCA (later Viz) WV-98 Senior VoltOhmist, which cost over $100. Using a junky battery radio's local oscillator as a signal generator, I could do RF-IF alignments.

Once I got into TV 's, a capacitor tester EICO 950 was another invaluable kit. I never saw an ESR low ohm meter before very interesting
Another necessary piece was the EICO 635 tube tester, a Heathkit flyback-yoke ring meter/HV probe combination then a CRT tester/rejuvenator Heathkit IT-5230, pictured below.
Heathkit IT-5320.jpg

The better equipment that the real TV repairmen had was way too expensive and nobody was letting go of it back then either.

I have decided to add a few more items of test gear which do not, or did not cost the world.
First is my picture tube tester/rejuvinator. When colour TV came to Australia, technicians wanted Colour Tube Testers, and the old B&W testers could be bought second hand cheaply. I converted this one to work with colour tubes as well as B&W. See the added switch, and the D socket added to the panel.
I made my own adapters to suit various tube types.

Next is my H.V. Probe. I extended the end of the probe to more easily slip under the ultor cap. This probe was bought from the local electronic enthusiasts shop. Coming from a hobby shop, it did not cost the earth.

My Signal Generator. Leader model LSG 11 these were very good sellers. Everyone seemed to have one. I think there was a model LSG 8 and LSG10 but the LSG 11 had the most features. My boss used to align television I.F.'s with one. It is easy when shown how. I have a sweep,marker generator that I have never used.

My colour bar generator. It took me years to get one of these second hand.

Lastly, this is a little monitor that I use at work when installing and adjusting cameras. It is worn on the wrist as can be seen and it looks like a Dick Tracy watch. It is much safer using this when up a ladder than what I used previously. The final two pictures will follow shortly.

Part 2

Wayne