Tube Testers

ŠJ.S.

Note that most of the manuals I have for these tube testers are now available as PDF scans for download. If you need a scan that is not available here then most likely I do not have the manual in PDF form and I do not have the time to make more scans. For those who paid me to make scans before the PDFs were made available for download, thank you for the support.

Accurate Instrument CRT Tester, model 159

This late 40s-50s CRT tester is made by Accurate Instrument Co., model 159. This CRT tester is unique considering the fact it does not require a tube chart like most tube testers. This CRT tester was designed to test all kinds of B/W and color CRTs (at its time), and also can rejuvenate (restore) weak CRTs that pass an inital test.

Eico 667

The Eico 667 tests tubes mostly from the 1940s to 1960s, such as octals, lockals, miniatures, and subminiatures. This tube tester also is equipped with a transistor tester.

Knight KG-600B

The Knight KG-600B is a very useful tube tester that can test various tubes from the 1930s to 1950s, such as 4-pin, 5-pin, 6-pin, octals, miniatures, etc. I never obtained the manuals for this tester, but it was not too hard to figure out after looking at the roll chart. The Knight is my primary tube tester because it is easy and quick to change the settings for a new tube.

Mercury 1100A

This Mercury 1100A tube tester tests mostly miniatures, compactrons, and some octals (mostly tubes from the late 1940s to 1950s). The manual and tube chart are available here for download: mercury1100manual.pdf (3.1MB) and mercury1100chart.pdf (14MB).

Readrite 430

This is a nice old Readrite 430 tube tester with a Triplet meter. If my sources are correct, it was made in 1937. The cabinet is not in good shape and probably due to bad storage, but the original chart is still in good shape. I use this tester frequently for testing the late 1920s to early 1930s tubes because it is surprisingly accurate for such a simple tester. Several revisions of the chart and instructions are available here for download: readrite430.pdf (3.3MB).

Simpson 1000

This Simpson 1000 is a very good and high quality tube tester that can test various tubes like the Knight KG-600B, but it is very difficult and tedious to change the settings for testing a new tube. Look at all those levers that have to be set one by one. I use the Simpson only as a "second opinion" tester for odd performing tubes that check out fine on the Knight KG-600B. The operating manual, which includes a tube chart for mostly 1940s tubes, is available here for download: simpson1000.pdf (15.5MB).