Great job! A very nice tool indeed. The phosphors don't get weak. The cathode emission decreases over time. Also, be aware that some of the six pin tubes have 12 volt filaments. This will also make them dim when the heater is supplied with only 6 volts. The eye tube is effectively an all electronic galvanometer. It's primary advantage is no mechanical moving parts. The magic eye tube was invented by Allen B. Dumont of CRT fame. His first incredible invention was the waxed paper milk carton that we still use to this day. He invented that at age 16 or 17 just before 1920. He won a prize of $10,000 for this. He invested the money and went on to develop the long life cathode for CRTs but it was also adopted into almost all vacuum tubes.
For the circuit boards, Google these: "LM2596/LM2596S DC-DC Regulator" (2 required for the low voltage supplies) "Nixie Tube Booster with MC34063" (1 required for high voltage supply) Sockets: 1 x 8 pin octal (chassis mount) 1 x 6 pin vintage vacuum tube socket type U6A (chassis mount) Pot: 5k linear taper
Very nice tester sir. I am considering building one, I have wanted to do so for years. Also one that could be battery powered, for use at radio swaps to test a few tubes. I am having an issue right now woth a pilot radio and it's eye. Long story, and I believe I have tried everything possible to get the tube to function ad far as the shadow action. It has no action at all, although the neg. grid voltage is varying. I've even tried to manually insert neg voltage on the grid, still no action. It was a 6E5 ir 6U5 tube, someone subbed a 1629, and added a 12V filament trans. For the life of me, cannot get a shadow. Target to plate resistor calls for 500K, when that's installed, the target is dim. Reducing that to about 30K the target is brighter. In either case, no action. I know for a fact the tube is fine, and the tube is getting B+ of about 100V. The target will fill completely, with no shadow at all. I know it must be something simple, but I am not seeing it. I"ve been thru the curcuit a few times, all recapped and resistors on spec. AVC is - .7 to - 4.9V I"ll keep looking around online. Been in the hobby over 40 years. Thanks for the video and have a great day!
Great job! A very nice tool indeed.
The phosphors don't get weak. The cathode emission decreases over time. Also, be aware that some of the six pin tubes have 12 volt filaments. This will also make them dim when the heater is supplied with only 6 volts.
The eye tube is effectively an all electronic galvanometer. It's primary advantage is no mechanical moving parts.
The magic eye tube was invented by Allen B. Dumont of CRT fame. His first incredible invention was the waxed paper milk carton that we still use to this day. He invented that at age 16 or 17 just before 1920. He won a prize of $10,000 for this. He invested the money and went on to develop the long life cathode for CRTs but it was also adopted into almost all vacuum tubes.
For the circuit boards, Google these:
"LM2596/LM2596S DC-DC Regulator" (2 required for the low voltage supplies)
"Nixie Tube Booster with MC34063" (1 required for high voltage supply)
Sockets:
1 x 8 pin octal (chassis mount)
1 x 6 pin vintage vacuum tube socket type U6A (chassis mount)
Pot: 5k linear taper
Thank you for showing how you made your tester. I know this will be a big help to many of us wanting to check out old eye tubes.
Hi, the link provided doesn't go anywhere anymore. Can you post a parts list and diagram please??
Schematic please
Very nice tester sir. I am considering building one, I have wanted to do so for years. Also one that could be battery powered, for use at radio swaps to test a few tubes. I am having an issue right now woth a pilot radio and it's eye. Long story, and I believe I have tried everything possible to get the tube to function ad far as the shadow action. It has no action at all, although the neg. grid voltage is varying. I've even tried to manually insert neg voltage on the grid, still no action. It was a 6E5 ir 6U5 tube, someone subbed a 1629, and added a 12V filament trans. For the life of me, cannot get a shadow.
Target to plate resistor calls for 500K, when that's installed, the target is dim. Reducing that to about 30K the target is brighter. In either case, no action. I know for a fact the tube is fine, and the tube is getting B+ of about 100V. The target will fill completely, with no shadow at all. I know it must be something simple, but I am not seeing it. I"ve been thru the curcuit a few times, all recapped and resistors on spec. AVC is - .7 to - 4.9V I"ll keep looking around online. Been in the hobby over 40 years.
Thanks for the video and have a great day!
Please, to send schematic
Buenas noches! Es posible me pueda compartir el diagrama
Thank you for making this, just happened upon one and this is perfect for testing
Devo usare magic eye ho bisogno di aiuto in italiano
Hello, it is a universal type isolating transformer with several outputs such as 6.3 volts and others? I want the diagram
Good morning, you sell this tube an how much is the costs?
I couldn't go anywhere with the link either.73