Joined: July 24th, 2015, 4:17 pm
Posts: 1819
Location: Parkville, Maryland
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It is said that need is the mother-of-invention. I had need and someone else did the invention. My Hickok 6000A died from a failed rectifier tube. So I ventured out to find replacements.
The tube checker uses two active devices in the form of a 5Y3 full-wave rectifier and an 83 full-wave mercury-vapor rectifier/voltage regulator. 5Y3s are plentiful, but the 83?
There are some out there -- but for how long? I did find that some DIY guy out there that designed and constructs solid-state replacements for the tubes and they are available on eBay.
Here is the link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/285418200109
I took a shot and bought them. They work perfectly and the side benefit is there is no-warm up time.
Typically you need to shut the tester off between tubes and turning it back on takes a while until the tester's tubes get hot again so you can adjust the line base-setting for the next test.
With the SS plug-in adapters -- no waiting -- no failed tubes. WIN-WIN! 
_________________
Walt
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