Re: Warm up time on old capacitor checker

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "S & J Young" <youngs-at-konnections-dot-net> 

John,

No, 10 minutes indicates a problem, like one or more of the tubes having
very low filament emission and taking a long time to start boiling off
electrons.  If good, it ought to be useable in a minute, although a few more
minutes would be needed to achieve some measure of stability.  But for 50
cents, it is a good buy just for its novelty and antique value - something
to show grandkids.  I think I saw my last "green eye" in a 50s vintage radio
receiver.
--Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2003 8:31 AM
Subject: Warm up time on old capacitor checker


 > Original poster: "John Richardson" <jprich-at-up-dot-net>
 >
 > Hi,
 >
 > This is directed to a few of the old timers out there.  I have an old
 > hamfest Heathkit capacitor checker, and was doing some MMC readings last
 > night.  It didn't even want to register anything on the green eye until it
 > warmed up for at least ten minutes!  Is this normal for these things?  I'm
 > used to new stuff, where results are instantaneous in this solid state
age.
 > Each of my 942 series caps measured out at .15 on this old thing, and a
 > string of 7 measured about .02, even though it should be about .0143.  Do
 > you think that this is accurate, or is my "Ten Minutes to Warm Up
Heathkit"
 > off a little bit?  I'm not disappointed if it is, as it was only fifty
 > cents.  One more question, since this is directed at the old timers:  How
 > old is our oldest list member?  I recall John Couture mentioning that he
 > turned eighty five this last year.  It amazes me that the demographics of
 > this hobby are so wide.
 >
 > Thanks,
 > John Richardson
 >
 >
 >