Electron Engine ™
Printed Circuit Boards by Emissionlabs ®

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  1. Tube Test System EE12. Introduction (You are here)
  2. Stand alone System, together with Power Supply EE11
  3. Tube Data Table
  4. Use EE12 with an existing tube tester (instead of Power Supply EE11)
  5. Typical Test sequence
  6. About the purpose of burn in.
  7. Fusing of the boards.
  8. Building instructions
  9. Options

Tube Test System EE12. Introduction.

A good example of what to do with tubes, stored in their boxes, is found in the Raytheon 5755 datasheet (from www.4tubes.com). They write on page 2, note 2, this message: 'Tube data is only correct after 150 hours of burn in, using a typical circuit for that'.

You don’t need to look very hard to find out what a typical circuit is. It is auto bias. The 5755 is a high gain precision tube for instruments, exceeding ECC83 by far, and still such an excellent tube from such a great brand is not recommended by it's own makers, to use without first give it 150 hours burn in.

The Test System EE12.

This is picture is preliminary, and this is not a 100% safe way to use the Socket Board EE12!

This is modular tube test system. We sell this product is a kit. We supply the bare PCB and the parts. It consists of the Power Supply EE11, which can drive 1...3 Test Boards EE12. Each bord is capable to burn in, and quickly oberserve plate current for 10 dual tubes, while looking at all tube sections simultaniously, by means of LED indicators for 1, 2, or 4mA. So a maximum of 60 tube sections can be observed simultaniously, while burning in the tubes, and observe if and how they change.

Grid current can be pre-tested and also monitored during burn in, for 10 tubes together on one board. Though grid shorts are rare, this can cause quite some trouble. Historical tube testers use a neon lamp for this, but I am sure they would have used an LED if these would have been available at the time. About the purpose of burn in.

Some possible tubes to burn in

5687, 5751, 5965, 6060, 6072, 6211, 6201, 6414, 6679, 6681, 6829, 6922, 7025, 7062, 7308, 7728, 8514, 6AQ8, 6CG7, 6DJ8, 6DT8, 6N1P, 6N2P, 6N6P, 6N11, 6N23P, 12AT7, 12AU7, 12AX7, 12AY7, 12BH7, 12DT8, A2900, CV455, ECC81, ECC82, ECC83, ECC85, ECC87, ECC88, ECC99, ECC186, ECC189, ECC801S, ECC802S, ECC803S, E81CC, E82CC, E83CC, E88CC, E182CC, M8162. Complete list here

With adapters sold on Ebay by the Chinese.

WIth 6SN7 to ECC82 adapter: 6H8C, 6H9C, 6SN7, 6SL7, 12SN7, 12SX7, 12SL7, ECC33, 5691, 5692, 6180.

With ECC808 to ECC83 adapter: ECC808