Signal Tracer Troubleshooting Repair and Modification
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- More electronic troubleshooting adventures! Join Paul in the Lab as he explains "in great detail" the circuitry inside a Heathkit T-3 signal tracer. Then Paul will discover and fix some design flaws. See how the Watt meter (eye tube) and noise tracer functions work.
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Mr. Paul, what can I say except you produce the BEST videos I have ever encountered. Camera work A+, knowledge A+, explanations A+. You make other people's productions look like a pre-school finger painting.
I have been doing what you do as a hobby for 20+ years and the first video I watched made me feel like I knew nothing. Please never stop, it has become Saturday ritual to watch 2-3 videos. I have learned SO MUCH,, keep up the awesome work.
FYI I have been a chip head since age 10. Thank you so much cause I can imagine the gobs of time it takes to make just 1 production.
Way to go, thanks again,
Doug USA Philadelphia
Thanks for the kind words Doug! More video's on the way.
Couldn't agree with you more mr. Carlson is amazing the genius so glad I found his channel also!
Right on. The amount of innate knowledge that just pours out of this channel is second to none. I'm a 'know-nothing' compared to most of you but a 'know-everything' to my friends lol. I have loved electronics since I was a kid but never got the chance to stream through it in a formal education sense so my theory lacks substantially. It's great to learn from people like Mr. Carlson.......especially Mr. Carlson. Explanations, theory, 'hidden secrets' ....you get it all here. Thanks Mr. C!
@@minkorrh a
I gotta know, Mr. Merlin--------exactly what is a "chip head"? Thanks!
The reason Heathkit used unusual tubes in their 1950s kits (particularly test equipment) is because they were WW2 surplus and Heathkit got them for almost nothing. The 12C8, 12SH7, 12A6 and 1629 were common WW2 surplus that weren't used in "civilian" electronics so there was little demand for them, and Heathkit got amazing bargains on carloads of them. As they used up their supply of WW2 tubes, they gradually changed over to more-common types.
The 1629 is a 6E5 with an octal base and 12.6 volt heater. It was used in the SCR-274N (ARC-5) transmitters.
EXCELLENT video!
Brilliant timing. I was cleaning that pot last night AND my audio is crackling too! Where’s my soldering iron and parts bin!! Man, I love this channel…and this hobby! Thank you.
Thanks for your kind feedback Wesley!
Excellent trouble shooting, and demonstration of noisey resister..... keep these videos coming, this is your great legacy..
Take my breath away??
This one of the most educational thing ever! 😮Thanks
I am watching all your videos from start to finish and I have to sat you explain things better than anyone else on TH-cam.
I wonder how far we really have advanced since the 1930's though. Yes, computers are smaller and can run faster, but making things smaller and faster comes at the expense of accuracy and knowledge. More people knew how to handle things properly 90 years ago to what they do now.
I've now watched most of your videos here and I think out of all of them I've enjoyed watching this one most. Of course they've all been really very good and I can honestly say I would have loved to have had this kind of access to your knowledge and instruction back in the days when I worked in electronics repair.
Thank you, Paul, for sharing!
David
Paul, thank you for yet another exceptional video. I'm 76 and my dad was building HeathKits in the 50's, while I was building them starting at about 1967. Back in those days HeathKit offered their products both as Kits and "Factory Wired & Assembled". My memory of those days remember a higher resale value of the factory wired versions. Not surprising because many kit builders had awful wiring and soldering skills. I have a friend and old coworker who's motto is "The bigger the glob, the better the job"! I would tell him I've seen rookie welders with better joints! 😂
Wakodahatchee Chris
Another excellent video. Very detailed and sequenced. I am humbled at how well you know electronics repair. My success rate is around 50/50 and i won't tackle anything with surface mount components. Keep up the great work!!!!
Thanks
Thank you for sharing another great lesson.
I would never find that a simple resistor could cause so many problems.
73
Hi Paul,
Excellent. I would surely expect a bad volume control and either replaced it or doused it with contact cleaner. Your in depth kinowledge of troubleshooting has been very well presented and at my advanced age (81) I can still learn and appreciate the skills of others. Thank you for your excellent presentation and looking forward to more great learning videos.
Don
Hi Don. Age is only a number, and at 81, using a computer and interested in electronics..... That's absolutely great!!!! I'm very glad your enjoying the video's, and thanks for your kind words too!
Very good video. I was very impressed the with grid bias and coupling circuit addition and the isolation of the faulty resistor. Very informative, would have liked to have seen this video when I first got into electronics back in the early 60's.
Another excellent video, Paul! I know it takes a lot of time making these videos and then editing them, plus the time it takes to upload them to TH-cam. For that I am truly greatfull. I wish today's technology was around in the '50s when I was a lad. My learning curve would not have been so steep!
73, Mick Bradford - WB4LSS
Mr. Carlson, Great video, I really enjoy the way you explain these circuits, I take notes and keep them in a binder, for my own use, great job....
You're very welcome Daniel!
Very educational. Nice troubleshooting tips for noisy components, etc. Thanks, a bunch!
Great Vid. I like how you explain the signal path through the unit and explain how all the components work and what their used for. Very interesting. I wish you could do that with a Fender Black face AB763 amplifier circuit. That would be so great. I would probably watch it a 100 times. You do great videos. Keep up the good work. Thanx!!
Paul that was brilliant! I loved the way you explained the circuit and then did the mod to calm the voltage drop. But the noise troubleshooting was just out of this world. Big thumbs up my friend. You out did yourself on this one. I have an Heathkit IT-12. It quit on my last year. Man I miss it. Eye tube went bad. Will enjoy the next video on the SG and the series to follow. Working through a new series myself on the FT-101. I have 5 of them....Keep up the great work my friend.
Thanks Buddy! Have a great 4th. Our 1st went well up here.
Very nice demo, explanation and repair ! 👍👍👍
Really good troubleshooting video. I'm sure there are design defects in some kit gear, that were never discovered.
Why use a 2 wire line cord on a device with an all metal chassis and cabinet? I would have made it a 3-wire with a grounded plug for safety.
Hello Paul. Thanks for the video - it was (again) very well done.
Long term technician here. Now 70. You do a great job of explaining as you troubleshoot. I grew up with vacuum tubes and still love them if one can love something like that. I've taught many troubleshooting classes over the years and am always amazed at the looks I've seen from students when I bring a vacuum tube device in for them to diagnose and repair. The "deer in the headlights" types of expressions. You do an excellent job in your presentations and video work. I especially like your thoroughness to make a device work as well as it can, even if some mods are required. Keep the videos coming.
Best. Channel. Ever.
Thanks!
i love the quality of your videos and how in depth you go. even though im only 14 i have restored a kriesler 11-81 valve radio from ~'59 and it works great with all new caps. ive just started my second valve radio. a awa ma-528 i think.
Mr. Carlson, Thank you for another awesome video, your attention to detail and explanation of trouble shooting steps in this project are outstanding.
You have helped me out tremendously, the light has gone on for me, as I now see how useful and import to have a properly working signal tracer is. Noise is bad, and that's why we can test for it. So cool. Thanks again for your time and sharing with us all. Happy holidays to you and yours! Joel
Thanks Joel! You will really like my next video. It should be up in a day or so. Have a Merry Christmas!
Paul - I've been continuously practicing electronic troubleshooting for 50+ years and I learn at least of a couple new tools and thoughtful insights - sometimes subtle, but always useful - with every video. And your even, unassuming demeanor and respect for the student are present throughout. Thanks and bravo!
Probably the best troubleshooting / repair video I have seen for ages.
You are so clear and and easy to understand. I like that even though you are doing - with my knowledge - a quite advanced repair, you still explain the simple steps too.
I found the noisy resistor very interesting. I have heard that they exist, but never seen it demonstrate and with such a extreme result.
Using the signal tracer to trace its own faulty components... mind blown.
What an awesome video. I was able to follow along and completely understand what you were saying and doing. A++++++
Keep them coming!!
Thank You for your feedback Kurt, and your kind comment as well!
Great video. As a suggestion would the noise mode still be effective if a high value resistor was connected to the back of the input socket so as to limit the current to less than a milli amp so you wont get a shock off the test probe?
Thanks for this video. I just finished rebuilding a T-3 signal tracer with all new caps, resistors & wiring. I want to implement the design improvement you mentioned for the 12SH7 grid bias issue but have question. You mention that you used a 5.6M resistor but I didn't hear you specify the capacitance value. Some blogs say use a 0.01uF. I have a bunch of 0.047uF 630V caps left over from the rebuild. Is that an acceptable value? Thank again!
EDIT: OK, my bad. The capacitor value is 0.01uF as shown in Mr. C's redlined schematic at 58.25. Cheers!
Mr Paul, awesome work. Question: What de-soldering pump do you use. Thanks for the education.
My biggest bring home with this video was the noisy resistor. I have read about and performed calculations for resistor noise but nothing to bring it out of the theoretical. Mind blown.
Thank you
yes, well its clear to me you are one smart cookie, the best part is you can explain what you find and why you are doing what you do to make it better. Sharing your gifts is the best part of the videos. Thank You again and again, Great effort and result. D
If you can make the boards for us, i would love to make your Super Probe and Capacitor tester. I am getting an old Eico 147 you said the probe could be used with it, but had not changed to BNC connector.
My Eico 147 arrived today but it has NO Tubes inside. Good price but now i need all 5 tubes, Green Eye Too. Are there upgrades to this i should consider too. D
Thanks for a great video... As always.
Btw, did anyone notice the unamused look on the 6x5 tube on the schematic??
My T-3 makes that scratchy noise as I tune the Gain control, so I thought ah-ha! Mr. C's mod on the 12SH7 might be the solution. Nope, the schematic and wiring for my evidently later model is different. The inputs to the Gain control are reversed on the wiper and top side of the pot. I did try wiring it just like Paul with the cap and resistor, but that just created a loud hum.
Spectacular troubleshooting. A modern day whodunnit starring a huge cast of angry pixies, with Mr. Carlson as The Scientist.
Great video Paul, I have the T-3 also with the same hum issues. Now I can modify accordingly. Was that an O-11 scope, have that one also, getting ready to restore that this as a winter project. Keep up the great work.
Very good video, My question to you is on the power cord. Is it a good idea to use a 3 prong grounded cord that will ground the chassis to earth ground ? Does a earth ground to the chassis affect the circuits and or calibration of vacuum tube devices ? Maybe the subject of grounding would make an interesting video. Thank you for your time well spent, Christopher
Awesome, Thank you for this excellent job
I really love watching your videos. They are very informative and the vocal commentary is not rushed but at the same time, the level of information is very deep. Keep up the good work.
Hi Paul,
You're really a very good not only in troubleshooting but teaching as well. You have a very deep understanding about all the circuit you're working on. I really enjoy watching all your videos coz I learned a lot from it. Keep it up. Gobless!!!
Thanks for your kind words!
Great video. I don’t have the original probe. Can I use a normal scope probe for AF tracing?
Depends on the tracer, and the probe.
Doug of Philadelphia says it well. Thanks for all you make available for us to view and absorb.
Very good safety advice at beginning of video.
Where do you get ceramic standoff ... Part Number/Vendor???
Great Video, I just had stop and appaud your statement about the problem not only giving a chance to continue troubleshooting but have fun as well. This is wonderful.
Thanks!
Wow! Guess I'm flabbergasted that a resister could cause an internal noise problem like you have found with the Heathkit T-3. But, there it is.
Well done.
Very good teacher.
My shop looks forward to your videos, we all have different backgrounds and levels of experience. Electronic repair is part of what we do. Suddenly BK, HP, Agilent, Stanford, and even Heathkit is showing up on our benches for fun experiments and things we can do for our customers. Keep up the great videos!
Glad you guys are enjoying Steve.
I don't know about the 12C offhand, but the rest of the tubes used were common military surplus right after WWII. Could it be?? Heath got a heck of a "buy" on a shipload of surplus tubes? The 1629 EG was used in the ARC-5 series Command transmitters.
They also used the 1625 for modulators in the DX-100's and so on. All surplus, but perfectly valid.
I’ve seen all of the master’s videos and am a Patreon supporter. This is one of his most beautiful repairs to watch because of his ability to troubleshoot and isolate faults.
What’s surprising here is Heathkit released this device with the design flaw that caused all the popping and static. That’s hard to believe. Is it possible it behaved differently with the original components when they were new and the popping was suppressed?
Thanx a lot Mr Carlson!
I learned a lot!
I am building a single ended tube amp,so this video came in handy!
I came on here 1hr 22 mins ago to watch a Meatloaf video but clicked on your channel and again just fantastic,never a wasted word is the way I describe your videos and you pass your knowledge on to other people better then anybody I have ever come across.Fantastic work.
Thanks for your kind comment Harry!
Meatloaf is not for listening to, it's for eating.
Musical taste is a fickle thing I guess.
Hello Paul. Fantastic how to and explanation !. Has always Liked,Shared and added to Playlists.
All my best.
Bobby
Amazing! I would have said the noise was caused by an old audio gain potentiometer and lived with it. Your design modification stopped the potentiometer crackling noise and stopped unnecessary plate current.
Very interesting!
I was brought up in the days of transistors and never really trained in tube technology, so they were somewhat mysterious hot fizzly dangerous high voltage thingies.. videos like this make them much less mysterious and I could understand the schematic - so thank you..
Paul another great video. I really like the way you describe the problem, explain the theory of the circuit and then show how you find the defective component. I have learned a great deal watching your videos. I hope you have a video showing us how you use this signal tracer to repair and antique radio.Thanks again for another great video.
Thanks a bunch Mr. Carlson. Having been around at the dawn of the transistor age as a teenager but also doing lots of vacuum tube radio and TV repairs after school, I truly appreciate your rigorous and back-checking diagnostic procedures. Lots of relaxing fun watching you do your thing.
Hoping to get my hands useful again shortly restoring about 10 ancient (pre- 1960's) radios and radiograms - all vacuum tube stuff. Can't wait! Something to do as retired, 71 year old, electronics design engineer.
Great episode! Really nice job on that tracer! You outdid the factory with your mods.
That's going to be a great series, fixing up other equipment using your restored vintage gear!
I love these videos! I was wondering if it was possible to modify a magic eye circuit to make it run duller as to prolong its life? or will it change how the eye opens? certain types of magic eye tubes are very rare and bright new ones are only going to get rarer, anything to extend their life would be good for us that like to use old equipment
Hi Mr. Carlson- Your a FANTASTIC teacher:-) Your idea to use the ceramic standoff insulator mounts on the old electrolytic is great- What is that type of insulator called- and where can we get them? Please keep your great videos coming, your an inspiration!
Mr. Carlson, I continue to adore your videos. I'm understanding more about these circuits than I ever have before! Wonderful!
At about 19:35 you mention replacing the paper cap line to ground with a safety cap; saw same on another person's video.... those blue Vishay/Kemet/etc. safety caps are NOT (that I could find) at not offered at the same value 500pf/.05Uf as the original. I understand that THAT cap has 2 jobs: #1 being a specific capacitance and #2 not ever shorting to ground. The safety cap takes care of #2, but what about the difference in capacitance and the IMPORTANCE of that capacitance value in that particular spot? Why is it ok to use .5uF when the original was (designed?) to use .05uF?
Amazing-another just plain totally awesome and very relevant, trouble-shooting video! However, for showing off his amazing test gear yet again, I am forced to levy a harsh penalty upon Paul. He must package up and ship at least 25% of his test equipment to (to an address I will provide later) where it will be awarded to an elderly-yet-highly-deserving curmudgeon who shall remain anonymous. Oh-and tube stock! He must surrender at least 50% of his tube stock….and….😉
Wow, today I learned the purpose of grid leak resistors, about noisy resistors and how to spot 'em, and about the signal tracers too. Much enjoyed watching. Thank you! :-)
OK, OK... I'll admit I didn't believe that Heathkit would miss-design a bias level which would present a problem. I was DEAD wrong, as Paul pointed out. I could have fixed the problem, had I correctly spotted the plate voltage disparity. Geeze... it takes someone with a LITTLE more trouble shooting time than mine to spot something which was so obvious to him. Nice job. GREAT job, in fact. .
I should have sent this along earlier. The signal tracer looks like new. What a find! This is another great video. I grew up when tubes were at the end of their golden era, and my formal education was all solid state, but I keep gravitating back to the tube devices. You sure do them up right! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and I am looking forward to more in your series.
I learned electronics in the mid to late 60's from hanging around a radio & TV repair shop. It was a 1-man shop, so I became his helper. He was an old head at fixing radios and televisions. In fact, other shops would often call on him for help when they came across a tough old dog. I learned a lot from him, and I was very blessed to be his helper. He was much like you Mr. Carlson in his ability to troubleshoot and explain how things worked. I guess that is just one of several reason I enjoy your videos. You give great detail and are very methodical. No doubt the younger folks and even older folks like me learn a considerable amount from your videos. There are very few if any who teach how to troubleshoot vacuum tube circuits today. Thank you.
Still amazed at your knowledge and expertise. Keep up the good work, and remember that I am a friend when your species takes over the world.
Yes Paul very good, I like following you and trying to make my idea whats wrong, must say got me beat on the resistor. Great info on the Mod made.Yes Paul be nice coming up on Using Older test Gear for trouble Shooting or Poor mans Work bench, which there are a few guys that can't afford those nice up to date gear with the whistle and Bells lol .So thanks again and your effort Paul 73's
These 1629 eye tubes intrigue me...need to do a little research on how they work. Love your vintage test equipment vids. Once upon a time, I put together a few Heathkit test equipment kits, but over the years I lost track of them. I want to put together another vintage bench like you are. Thanks for the videos!!
super cool restoration, troubleshooting and repair Paul!. Love this old lab gear. Take care 73
Thanks Peter!
Thank you very much for very thoroughly showing how all the controls on a signal tracer work. I especially liked the troubleshooting and repair/modification as well.
I'd love to see you showing how to actually use a signal tracer in a radio repair.
A lot of these units seem to come without probes. If you'd show in a little more detail how to make up a probe, that would be great!
Regards, Tom
Thanks for your input Tom!
Paul, are you still planning on continuing this series of repairing tube electronics using this old test gear? It would be a very interesting see how its done.
Hi Denis, I'am planning to do this, just have run out of room. If this Patreon thing goes well, I plan on expanding the lab, and having two separate sections, old time workshop, and another using modern gear.
Your level of knowledge and the ease at which you explain your troubleshooting process boggles the mind. Keep up the excellent, excellent work.
Thank you!
I second this statement! Looking forward to the signal tracer! Can you also do a function generator! Thanks!
Really cool video Paul. What a neat little piece gear too. I never would have suspected a resistor over a VR as the cause of some of that noise. One always assumes a dirty or bad VR. Thanks again for a very informative and interesting repair. All The Best! Derek
Great info and video , just so happened i finally needed to use the sig tracer , however didnt know it worked ! it and the matching Sig generator was purchased at Dayton Hamfest years ago ! Thanks for all the great work , good luck !
Enjoyed the signal tracer video and in particular your comments such as athe transformer location and the "why" of its orientation and what effect might result were it mounted differently.Bob
Hi Paul, I really enjoyed watching you diagnose and repair this Signal Tracer.... You always explain your methodology so that even I understand what and why your doing it (very helpful for improving my own diagnosing skills) .. Great video as always!! Thanks for sharing, Tom
I think I would be absolutely lost without mine. I have a Paco Z-80 on my bench and use it daily. I actually have three of that model, one of those Heathkit's and a Elenco. All basically the same thing just look a little different. The only thing I modified on mine was to change to a BNC for the probe and added a off switch for the eye tube to extend its life.
thanks enjoyed very much keep them coming
I wish I had this exceptional man looking over my shoulder as a teacher and I’m in my 60s trying to work on old equipment. Amazing man. Thanks for your helpful and pleasant demeanour.
I am 65 as well, continuing to work on my hobby (hobby (#5) electronics,) now starting a more concentrated effort towads a major focus on Electronics & Amateur radio 📻. I have dabbled in electronics since approx 1966, I had parent's that were either too trustworthy or totally ignorant towards the dangers of "high voltage" in 📺 's! When I was approx 12 years of age I got to close to the high voltage transformer for the crt and was thrown clear across my bedroom. I didn't learn much, as all I did was get up, brushed out any lingering cob webs, walked back to my exploration adventure of a newly acquired TV set. Since that time l attempted to learn electronics on my own with mixed results! I have shocked myself a few times but never to the Olympic Games level of Manitoba puddle jumping adventures. There is a lot we can learn from this and so many more great teachers one can find on TH-cam. Between all of my great books available, the internet and TH-cam instructional videos, an individual can learn a lot, have fun and help the environment out.
57:00 You added a cap and R. The R value was stated as rule of thumb between 1M & 10M. What calculations were made? Are they listed somewhere?
Class act mate! Finds the spooky resistor and feeds it to the tester as desert. You crack me up sometimes. Love your work. Keep it coming.
These videos on vintage test gear are awesome and always with the best presentation and quality!
Please keep them coming Paul! Many Thanks!
I just started to watch your videos and I'm hooked....
I'm not an engineer by trade, actually I'm a paramedic. I love these videos, as I've always had an interest in IC/EE/RF since a young age. My father is an EE by degree and trade. Keep up the great videos, I love them.
Great video! The speed of explanations (structure of the device, the schematics, etc.) is excellent, at least for me. Very smart fault finding procedures. How do you get all the mega-in-depth know-how? Probably you went to a lab, not to a kinder-garden :) . Amazing.
Hi Mr. Paul, just a simple question please: is the chassis of the tracer isolated from the mains? If not, how easy would be to install a power cable with earth?
Thanks a lot in advance!
I am so glad that you do these videos. I don't think there's anyone on the 'tube that does similar teardown+repair/mods on interesting equipment like this, let alone your truly impeccable teaching ability and delivery. Once again I thank you for another quality video! I learn so much on every single one, which is priceless to say the least.
Thanks for your kind comment alecjahn!
Ditto
Thanks for the great video! Amazed with how few subscribers you have, your channel deserves times and times more!
Paul, Where do you get the little solder type ceramic standoffs that you use to mount to the old cap lugs? Those look very handy. Thank you
My bench looks as if it came out of the 1940's. I restore vintage tube radios and amps and other vintage electronics using all the test gear from the same era. When I sit down at my bench to work (play) it's as if I've been transported back in time to a 1940's radio repair shop. I find it very gratifying as well as escapist. It's a hobby I've done for nearly 40 years and still love it, as well as accumulating a collection of wonderful old radios. Nothing sounds like tubes, even in AM.
Thanks for taking the time to write Chris!
~Excellent videos, thanks.
Mr. Carlson, I really enjoy watching your videos even though I don't understand much , just barely! LOL. I'm fascinated by electronics. But I was not good at mathematics and electrical theory. Still I enjoy watching!! Thank you!!
You're welcome Steven.
Wow. I saw this thing in a shango666s videos a few moments ago and now it's on your workbench. Magic. :D
I noticed the same thing. I sub to both of them. Awesome timing haha
+mikedrz , I too love both of those guys...... Very different styles!😜
Shango sucks balls
Only difference is this guy know what hes doing it is entertaining watching shango rig and burn up antiques. Wouldnt have that guy change a light bulb in my dogs house that dude sucks ass worst crappiest half ass tech on you tube by far.
VERY informative-!!
Mr. Carlson, About the line cord, can you use a polarized cord???
Paul, carbon firm and carbon composition are very noisy at higher resistance values. I recommend instead to use metal firm resistors, which are much quieter.
With these 2 resistance coupled pentode stages, the gain is very high so, will quickly highlight any unwanted noise pickup.
I have seen some unbelievable problems with carbon resistors. With heat, voltage, and moisture, the marked value can really change, especially with some of the non Allen Bradley carbon comp types. When checking the resistance of the part, check it twice, reversing the polarity for the second measurement. Surprisingly, they can develope semiconductor properties when they go bad.
Which brings me to E.F. Johnson VFO issues. :^) Thanks for your input Bill, its appreciated!
Great to find what can caue noises in a circuit Thank You again