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Solid State 83 Kit for Tube Testers

This is a Do It Yourself Kit for building an 83 rectifier replacement. I have built 100s of these that have sold on eBay. They have been used in all types of tube testers with 100% positive feedback. You will not find a better 83 replacement anywhere.

You will need a 25-watt soldering iron and wire cutters. Comes with enough solder to get the job done. After you build it, test it as an 83 in your tube tester to be sure it works right. To avoid electrical shock, Do not touch the circuit board while testing or in operation as high voltage is present.

As type 83 mercury vapor tubes are getting scarce & expensive, the need for a good solid state replacement was becoming apparent. This replacement kit contains 2 diodes, 2 Zener diodes for regulation and proper voltage drop, 2 resistors, a circuit board and 4 pin base that when built emulates a glass type 83.

I did a series of tests on my newly rebuilt and calibrated in August 2014 TV-7B/U by Dan Nelson. Here is how it compared to a glass 83:

Test results 

                            Glass 83           SS83R

6V6GT                     89                    88

12AX7                     44 & 42            44 & 42

01A                         26                      26

807                         89                     89

This test was also done on a Hickok 800A with repeatable results. No calibration was needed to get correct test results on either tester. The only adjustment done to the testers was a slight line control setting.

Other SS replacements I have tried that were made way back in the 1970s or earlier (1N2634) often made correct line adjust impossible and test results were way off because of improper voltage drop.

I often forget to turn off my tester so it can run overnight and as the 83 tube wears out, the calibration on the tester changes. The SS83R ( solid state 83 regulated) does not wear out.

Less power draw and way less heat on tester transformer and other parts so longer tester life before recalibration.  

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How to fuse protect your tester. I get questions about fusing the solid state rectifiers just in case a diode shorts out. It is not a bad idea but in all the SS83R replacement rectifiers I have sold over the years, I have yet to have one go bad. I do have the tester I use for testing the SS83R fused but again have never had a fuse blow. I put 1/4 amp fuse rated for 600 volts in line with the plate wires on the 83 tube socket. This gives me up to 250ma plate current draw protection.

Comments from a happy customer:

EXCELLENT solid state 83 kit !!!! 14.6 watts less draw on my R.D. 1575b Hickok and 15.2 Watts less draw on my 538a Hickok…..unchanged calibration on both of my testers...I can even test KT88`s with the fuse lamp barely lighting. Before, they both lit up my Hickoks like a street lamp!!!! I`m sure I`ll be a repeat customer in the future!!!
thanks, Alan

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