Vintage Tek Restoration pictures by Martin

[Martin.M]

to use american test gear in germany you have to transform the 230V into US Plugs.

this is my uncle sam. It provides 2.5 kVA    (to handle by two persons)

[helius]

now that looks like a wonderful trafo, Martin.
but it isn't a motor-generator set; do the scopes you use work ok on 50 Hz?

[tautech]

now that looks like a wonderful trafo, Martin.
but it isn't a motor-generator set; do the scopes you use work ok on 50 Hz?

It was common for even old scopes to function with mains supplies of up to 400Hz.

[helius]

That's not what I asked. Running a transformer at a higher frequency makes it less efficient, producing higher losses in the core and windings. But running it at a lower frequency can lead it into saturation, which is more serious.

[vk6zgo]

That's not what I asked. Running a transformer at a higher frequency makes it less efficient, producing higher losses in the core and windings. But running it at a lower frequency can lead it into saturation, which is more serious.

Tektronix Oscilloscopes had a lot of iron in their transformers & they were built to be used anywhere in the world,so it is most unlikely to be a problem.

[coppice]

to use american test gear in germany you have to transform the 230V into US Plugs.

this is my uncle sam. It provides 2.5 kVA    (to handle by two persons)

What American test gear do you have that lacks a 110V-230V selector or universal input? The only things I've seen like that are products very much tailored to US only needs, like telephone test equipment that only supports US telephony standards.

[VK5RC]

Hi Martin et al,
I thought I would post a picture of my 453 repair inspired by you guys. It is displaying a 10MHz GPSDO signal.

[etienne51]

What American test gear do you have that lacks a 110V-230V selector or universal input? The only things I've seen like that are products very much tailored to US only needs, like telephone test equipment that only supports US telephony standards.

Just an example, I know the EICO 1030 regulated HV power supply only has 110V primary winding, no way to switch to 230V easily.

[etienne51]

Just like VK5RC, I was inspired by people restauring old Tek scopes. Among them, Martin.M here. So thanks a lot to him and everyone for sharing their nice work and all the details! *Moar glowy electronics*

Hope you don't mind me sharing my story, and a few *that's a lie* pics here in your thread... A year ago I got a 2465B which quickly became my main oscilloscope. It was in printine condition, and worked just fine. That was before I had any interest in vintage vacuum tube scopes. I was trying to build all the circuitry necessary to drive small CRT tubes, and also some nice stuff like scope clocks. I really needed an awesome analog oscilloscope, and this was the one.


(All the pics are limited in size, and can be clicked to get the full size.)

I opened it up the day I received it, and I noticed some electrolytic caps that were already replaced. The Dallas DS1225 memory was also replaced, so it seems like this unit is bullet proof for many years coming! I spotted some cracked, but not yet damaged, X2 caps in the PSU board though, which I did not replace right away. Maybe I should have... one of them blew up a few months later! No harm done, I replaced them all, thanks to another thread on EEVBlog with many details about this scope.


(There were a few others that I replaced too, this and these.)

Apart from that, everything was so clean it could have been a brand new unit. So, this was not a restauration project.

More recently, last week, I finally got my very first vacuum tube oscilloscope, a Tektronix 310A, with the plastic handle and BNC connectors, compared to some others with a leather handle (that does not age really well, actually) and UHF connectors. I got this one on eBay US, imported all the way to Reunion Island (where I live). It was really dusty, that was to be expected. I won't go too much over the details about the cleaning process, but basically, the first thing I did was removing as much dust as I could using a vacuum cleaner and a soft paint brush. Then, I had to rewire the transformer for 234V operation.


(Fortunately, the silver solder spool was there at the back.)

This scope was advertised as working, with a pic showing a trace on the CRT. So I replaced the fuse at the back with a 800mA slow blow, and I give it a shot. Success, it worked!
Time to get to the real cleaning now. I did not take any pics of before, this is the only one I have. It looks quite a bit dirty, but it was a lot worse inside.


(This was taken by the package forwarding company.)

So, I took the unit apart, removed all the panels, the CRT and shield, all the parts of the frame that could be removed (except the panel where the AC outlet is, because I would have to desolder the fuse and mains connector). I also removed all the front and rear knobs. I washed all that using running water, soap, a plastic brush and an old toothbrush for the small parts. It tool multiple passes to get everything perfectly clean. I also used alcool for some panels and a paintbrush, but I had to be really careful with that, since it could easily remove the writings. I also removed the rear hinge which was matte and yellowish.


(This one was hard to clean, but here it is, nice and shiny!)

Like I said before, the handle on the model I got, aged pretty well, unlike the leather one. I polished the supports on the sides.


(On the top right, I couldn't clean this since the adjustable caps are soldered in place...)

Then I removed the tubes one by one, and cleaned them with water, and just my bare fingers, no brush or anything since it's not needed, and the writings were so easily removed. I cleaned some components inside, but it's not done yet. I'm not sure how to clean all the components, since there is not much room for a brush or anything. It will be fine for now, I'll see if I can do better a bit later.


(This side is almost completely cleaned up, except for the turret assemblies which I didn't touch at all.)


(The other side. It's slightly better now, I did not take another pic though.)

The inside, were not too dirty, I just used the vacuum cleaner again, and tried to wipe as much dust as I could with a brush. I can definately do better than that, but it's going to be tricky... One thing that needs to be done, is cleaning up the contacts of the turret switch that sets the Volts/Div. It's quite touchy and a bit hard to set right.


(I'd say it looks pretty clean on the pic.)

So, that's about it. Now I need to calibrate it. That's going to be hard, since it seems like some pots are acting a bit strangely.
Everything else seems to work just fine. The CRT is terrificly precise! (Can't really see that on the pics, sadly.)


(Here it is, displaying the output of the calibrator. The right backlight bulb is dead.)

Just a few more pics...


(This is it, after complete cleanup of the outside. I need the fourth graticule nut.)


(Side view.)


(Bottom view.)


(And rear view. I really need a 234V tag, and two feet.)

And to end this, some artistic pics of glowin' tubes.





There are some more full size pics, on Flickr or Dropbox.

[Martin.M]

boah, you opened the shutter from the camera for a long time to make that so much glowing 

About the bulb in the graticule illum ofclassic Tek scopes: this is a GE#47  bayonett socket lamp (not a #25!)
When yo look exactly you will see that a #47 have very long holding wires inside to have the tungsten what is lightning directly upside in the glas dome.
This is useful bec. the bulb is mounted to bring the light from the side in the plexi glas with the graticule. Is there another bulb the tungsten is behind the glas and you get lower illumination.
The plexy can be rotated (mount headstanding) to change between white and red lines. Easy
310A, this little friend was oftenly used as service scope for glowing computers. If you want to smile look at the differential adaptor (with IBM logo), it contains only a gold contact mechanical chopper to switch fast between the both inputs, it was displayed on the 310A like a chopped second channel.

Your scope have still the little roll with the 3 per cent silver solder. Oftenly that is missing today.

greetings
Martin

[etienne51]

Yes indeed, I fiddled with the camera quite a bit to get these nice shots!

Ok thanks a lot for these informations about the bulbs, now I'll be careful when looking for them. I didn't know about these adapters to get a chopped second chanel. That's interesting stuff.
About the silver solder, I know, I've seen a couple 310A (and others) where it was missing. Those are for sale separately on eBay though, but it's always better to have it along with the scope.

Now I'm thinking about models like the 454, 545A/B and/or 547, but for the last two, the weight is going to be a real issue since I'm importing these overseas.

[Martin.M]

what means overseas?

Tek manufacturings was in

Portland, Oregon, USA     = Serial No. begins with a 0
Beaverton, Oregon, USA = Serial No. begins with a B
Guernsey, the channel islands = Serial No. begins with a 1
and Heerenveen, NL = Serial No. begins with a 7

Some of the 2000 series was made in London in the manufacturing of Telequipment, = Serial No. begins with a 2

ask at first in the technical university, oftenly they have downstair some very nice Scopes, and they like to give that when you let them be shure it is for restoration, not for parting out.

greetings
Martin

[coppice]

Some of the 2000 series was made in London in the manufacturing of Telequipment, = Serial No. begins with a 2

The Telequipment plant wasn't actually in London. It was in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, a little north of London.

[etienne51]

Oh, I can most definately assure you, there is absolutely nowhere I can find a vacuum tube Tektronix scope where I live. It's a small island, named Reunion Island, a French department lost in Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mauricius.

I did not know that some Tek scopes were assembled in UK! It seems like mine came from Portland, the serial number being "021904".

[Martin.M]

you can ask at the university if they have an old Tek for you 

Pôle Entrepreuneuriat Etudiant de la Réunion,
15 Avenue René Cassin,
Saint-Denis 97400,
Réunion

greetings
Martin

[Martin.M]

thank you.

... and I have forgotten: A Tek where the serial No. begins with a 3 is a SONY Tek, soldet in Tokyo.
This is allmost the 300 Series ( some early 300`s are US made like 310, 321 )
typical Sony Tek are the little 323, 324, 305DMM, 336 and so on

greetings
Martin

[etienne51]

you can ask at the university if they have an old Tek for you 

Pôle Entrepreuneuriat Etudiant de la Réunion,
15 Avenue René Cassin,
Saint-Denis 97400,
Réunion

I see you did some research! Thanks. Actually, I know someone at the university, and I already asked him a few weeks ago. He told me he didn't know of any old Tek equipment, but in case he ever finds something interesting, he'll get back to me. Maybe I'll be lucky, but It still doubt that.

And sadly, the university here do not have any program for learning electronics...

I'm wondering, generally in 500 series scopes, the rubber mounts for the fan are either not in a good shape or just broken sometimes. When I imported my 310A, this was not a concern at all, there is no fan. But one day, I'll probably see if I can import a 547. This particular one is the best "big box" oscilloscope Tektronix ever made, but sadly it has lots of transistors and not so many tubes. A few years back I had a Sony GDM-FW900 24" CRT monitor delivered to me, from France, it was 12Kg heavier that the 547 so this won't really be a problem I guess. I just do not do things like that often, since it's not cheap... What I'm worried about is that fan. Do you think it could be a problem during transport?

[Martin.M]

no I think not. When the rubber is too old and dried it will be defect, transport or not.
My english is not the best, but look in the german ebay for the search word Silentblock, there is a very lot of them, fresh and with varius sizes.
If you need some I can send 

About the 547: yes, that is amazing. And if you need that double look for the 556 !
I use it oftenly, one of my favorites beside the work bench.
The transport weight of Tek556 exceeds 45kg, including 2 Plugins. (netto)

[etienne51]

Okay, I see. Well, I hope it will be fine whenever I'll find a nice 547 for sale in France at best, or Europe. I've seen a few of these rubber mounts on eBay weeks ago.

The 556 is just too big and heavy, but if I lived in Europe, US or anywhere else (maybe one day), I would most definately get one! It's basically two 547 in one box, with one CRT. For now, I'll stick with the single beam models.

One thing I just thought about, do you have any idea where I might find spare parts like feet, graticule nut, maybe a 234V voltage tag for my 310A? I found some rubber bushings for the feet days ago for cheap, so I got 9 of them, but I did not find any of the other parts.

[Martin.M]

hm,

go on my homepage, there is a little forum full of Tek Enthusiasts.
"wanted to buy" will be the right place for that question 
We will also enjoy about some restoration reports and pictures if you like.

greetings
Martin

[VK5RC]

A 545  SN in the 7000s . I may have bitten of more than I can chew, it will be a LONG repair.
The front panel is neat and clean, quite a bit of paint scratching on the sides, LOTS of dust inside. The fan rubber mountings have given way. I get about 3ohms between active and neutral if switched on. About 50ohms between the earth pin and the chassis!
BUT all the bits are there, all the tube sockets have tubes in them, only minimal/minor surface rust/corrosion, the knobs are in great shape. Is still has the Tek solder loop inside!
Is there a known safe / good way to get tubes out of the socket? I was thinking of a fine wood wedge under the tube, above the socket.

[tggzzz]

I did not know that some Tek scopes were assembled in UK!

Actually, (ignoring the Telequipment scopes) they weren't; they were assembled in Guernsey, which is a Crown Dependency in The British Isles, but not part of the UK.

Confused? You will be after watching the amusing BTW, most of CP Grey's videos are worth watching, which is almost unheard-of on youtube!

[vk6zgo]

A 545  SN in the 7000s . I may have bitten of more than I can chew, it will be a LONG repair.
The front panel is neat and clean, quite a bit of paint scratching on the sides, LOTS of dust inside. The fan rubber mountings have given way. I get about 3ohms between active and neutral if switched on. About 50ohms between the earth pin and the chassis!
BUT all the bits are there, all the tube sockets have tubes in them, only minimal/minor surface rust/corrosion, the knobs are in great shape. Is still has the Tek solder loop inside!
Is there a known safe / good way to get tubes out of the socket? I was thinking of a fine wood wedge under the tube, above the socket.

It has a big,fat,power transformer,so  the primary resistance should be fairly low---3 Ohms is probably OK.
The 50 Ohms between chassis & earth pin is not!
Tubes?
Are you referring to the CRT itself?-------If not,with ordinary tubes,just pull 'em out!
Mark "which one came from where",first.

[Martin.M]

545, fine 

there is something to clean before start testing what`s going on.
A great old classic Tek.

greetings
Martin

[VK5RC]

Thanks guys,  I will go carefully with this girl,  I don't think it has been switched on in a long time. 
My rough plan is a clean first,  I may find some problems,  then power supplies ,  filter caps,  then others.