Modern valve testers

[ppppenguin]

That's quite a beast. Looks like a lot of relays in there too. As for what real benefits it gives you over the uTester is another question. Says it uses continuous DC rather than limited duty cycle as in uTester. This may give more accurate results but the question is by how much. Looks like it sorts out patching/switching the pins.

[Mike Watterson]

The continuous DC will only make a (possibly small difference) on high power devices. It's going to make no difference on RF/IF/Preamp/battery valves / Magic Eyes. You can actually bypass the pulse switches on the uTester for lower power valves (RF/IF/Magic Eyes etc), I have those internal connections brought to my patch area (Ronald explains this).

It's a sort of modern hybrid of the uTester and the Mullard HST concept.
An Audiophile tester for people with near unlimited budgets

[Nick]

If you have loads of dosh, you could go for the RoeTest V9 - this is a new version with 12-bit DACs - not cheap - probably 1100 euros built, but very fancy - good s/w and integrated matrix switch so no plug-panel. Been watching this one for years - maybe one day!

http://www.roehrentest.de/RoeTest9.html

[Craig]

The roetest has higher anode voltage/current (600V/300mA), much higher heater capability (0-20V, 6A 20-127V 0.6A), and higher control grid voltage (0 to -100V) as compared with the uTracer. It also has much more sophisticated software.

And costs about an order of magnitude more once you have boxed it up.

Like you Nick - one day....

[Sparks]

I would imagine that modern valve testers are limited to a few of the most popular valves used in amplifiers, but would not be suitable for more obscure types.    Having only had a valve tester for a few weeks, it took ages to acceot the fact that it was working OK.    But the results don't really make much sense to me because some valves that I know work very well, are showing very poor, and hardly any are going well up into the green.     I am still investigating testing valves, but only from a practical point of view, not having any great interest in theory beyond the most basic elements.     I would really like to evolve something that gives me an accurate picture of what condition a valve is in.     Not asking for suggestions here, because I now have sufficent clues to proceed.
Bob
PS Saw two mercury vapour rectifiers on the car boot sale this morning, but gave them a miss after recalling one or two of them exploding in the public address system of a passenger ship many years ago!

[Mike Watterson]

Email from Ronald Dekker today:

The number of uTracers around the world has been slowly growing

to almost 850 in no less than 45 countries!
The support of all these uTracers has been keeping me quite busy,
while also my regular job is putting an increasing demand on my time.

This does not mean that there haven't been any new developments!
I myself am experimenting with a tube tester/tracer circuit for
higher voltages and higher currents. This concept is however very,
very far from becoming a kit the coming years.

In the meantime Filip Van Kenhove and his 15 year old son Michiel
have been quite busy! Filip complemented his uTracer with a Bluetooth
interface, while his son made an Android app that implements the
Quicktest function. They wrote down their experiences and even
made an extensive manual that explains the installation and use of
the app. I am sure that many uTracer users will be interested in this very useful extension of the uTracer!

http://dos4ever.com/uTracerNotebook/Notebook.html#app1

A Bluetooth interface for the uTracer

There are two ways of installing a Bluetooth interface to the uTracer:

1. By connecting a HC06 module direct to the Tx and Rx of the PIC processor.
   
2. By interfacing a HC06 module via the RS232 connector.
   

Then you need an app, there is a "quick test" app for Android.

Since it's Serial over Bluetooth, it's possible the Windows program might work with a suitable laptop instead of USB to serial adaptor.

Alternatively it your Android tablet or phone already has a USB to Serial adaptor cable installed, then that might work?

[Mike Watterson]

I would imagine that modern valve testers are limited to a few of the most popular valves used in amplifiers, but would not be suitable for more obscure types.

No, they will test ANY type.
On the uTracer I've tested Acorn, 2V (1929 to 1945 types), 1.4V, ECH41, ECC85, EF80, UL41, all the Russian Rod Tubes, wide range of Magic Eyes.

I'm looking for some nuvistor sockets as I have a few NOS.

All you need the pin out and heater rating.

The "roetest" difference is that it tests Audio power types under full static load. That's an Audiophile Power Amp feature. I don't need it. I'm rarely going to test more than an UL41/ EL33 / 6V6  / EL84 off a radio and the uTester is fine for that.

[Nick]

I added Bluetooth to my uTester for galvanic isolation back in 2013 - it's easy and works well - wrote it up on the uTracer support forum at:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/utracer/oj7JzgMjolw

You don't need an app for Bluetooth at all - if your PC has Bluetooth the uTracer will appear as a new COM port and you use the standard uTracer Windows app with no changes, except to select the new port. If your PC doesn't have Bluetooth, just get one of the very cheap USB Bluetooth dongles off eBay or Amazon. Windows supports Bluetooth natively - no extra drivers needed or anything

The uTracer will test whatever is placed in front of it - any valve, any base (or just use short croc clips if you need to), any vintage - within the physical capabilities of the board.

One thing it's not great at is driving high current low voltage heaters due to the funky way that it generates heater power. This is easily overcome by using an external heater supply just for those devices. One of the few weaknesses in the design, but not really an issue - it's a really we'll thought out device...

[Mike Watterson]

You don't need an app for Bluetooth at all - if your PC has Bluetooth ...
One thing it's not great at is driving high current low voltage heaters due to the funky way that it generates heater power. This is easily overcome by using an external heater supply just for those devices. One of the few weaknesses in the design, but not really an issue - it's a really we'll thought out device...

Yes, the bluetooth app only needed for Android.
You can get USB isolators  or RS232 with 2KV isolation.
Adding bluetooth to a Laptop is under £5, I have USB BT dongle so as to use a BT mic/ear piece and a BT GPS since about 2006.

I have separate built in switchable PSU for 0.7V to 2.8V

[ppppenguin]

Does galvanic isolation really matter? The uTester is floating anyway, unless you deliberately earth something.