Subj : Re: Storage
To   : Holger Granholm
From : Ed Vance
Date : Fri Jul 04 2014 10:17 am

07-02-14 21:38 Holger Granholm wrote to Ed Vance about Re: Storage

 HG> @MSGID: <53B53308.658.amtradio@capcity2.synchro.net>
 HG> In a message dated 06-30-14, Ed Vance said to Holger Granholm:

 HG> GE Ed,
GM Holger,

 HG> It has been a busy day today so that's why I continue with echo
 HG> mail now

 HG> Also we had a taste of summer with 17. C so I made a 10 km
 HG> scandinavian walk dressed in shorts and shortsleeved shirt.

Glad to hear the WX has improved in Your area.
WX here is in the 59F/15C to 79F/25C range today and expected to reach
88F/31C B4 Sunday Night when we have a chance of Rain.

 HG> For tomorrow we have varying forecasts between 14. and 21. in
 HG> the afternoon so the meteos have covered themselves, hi.

I think "the WXman makes a new forecast every hour".
But that's their job.

 EV> I suppose I could give it a "Smoke Test" by loading it in the
 EV> Heathkit Cantenna.

 HG> Yeah, do that and you'll get back to the dawn of digital
 HG> communications.

 EV> While I was searching for the HEATHKIT Catalog I flipped the Power
 EV> Switch and the Filament Switch on the TS-520S to ON.

 EV> After finding that 1967 catalog I loaded up the XCVR to the
 EV> Cantenna.

 EV> It dipped to 200 ma CW in the IP Meter Position and I didn't SEE or
 EV> SMELL any Smoke in the Ham Shack.

 HG> To make the smoke test you don't even have to connect a dummy
 HG> load. The HV is normally highest while the transceiver is
 HG> idling because the HV is there all the time while the final
 HG> tubes are only cut-off by the grid bias.

 HG> You was lucky that no smoke emerged but don't feel safe yet. It
 HG> may come next time you switch on the transceiver. Normally,
 HG> starting up old tubes you should let only the filaments on (at
 HG> reduced voltage ) fopr several hours to burn away the gases
 HG> that have leaked in because the glass seals for the tube
 HG> element wires are not air tight.

I was thumbing through those Heathkit Catalogs about 35 minutes before
I tuned up the rig.

I saw the comment You wrote to Tom about gases leaking into old tubes,
I never heard of that b4, Thanks for sharing that.

 HG> Then switch on the HV while feeding a reduced (via a variac)
 HG> mains voltage to the transmitter to let the electrolytics
 HG> recover from a long hiatus. After that the mains supply voltage
 HG> may be slowly increased while smelling for smoke or listening
 HG> for arcing.

Yes, it is better to be safe than sorry.
I hadn't thought of starting out with a lower A.C. Voltage.
I may have a Variac, can't remember for sure, but think I got one at a
Ham Radio Flea Market a long time ago but never used it for anything.

.... A soldier surviving mustard gas is a seasoned veteran.
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