Avo VCM163 adaptors

[ed731pdh]

I have a 163 valve tester here, the majority of the bases on the top are good for most valves but I can't test the 4 and 5 pin types.  Can anybody point towards wiring diags where I can make the adaptors up, i.e. octal to 4 pin etc?

Thanks

[Cleggy]

I'd guess that your over-estimating the problem. I made up some adapters using a B9A plug and a UX6 socket so that I can test my HRO valves. All you need to do is wire pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2 etc. Of course pins 7 and 8 on the B9A get "orphaned", but that doesn't matter to the 6-pin valve which gets all the connections it needs.

[pamphonica]

Cleggy, that's absolutely correct. Pin1 to Pin1 etc.
I tend to use an octal base for adapters, as it is more robust (and stable) than the B9A.
But any of the existing bases (taken from a dud valve perhaps) would be fine.
If the adapter has longish wires and the valve under test might be oscillating, just slip some tiny ferrite beads over the wires in the adapter to stop any problems.
Jeremy

[ed731pdh]

Right, so as long as I follow that wire 1 to goes to 1 etc, and follow the dials setup on the tester, I should be OK.

[Yorkie]

I made four adaptors for my Taylor 45D, namely, B4, B5, B7 and M.O. which I wrote up in an article published in the BVWS Bulletin in 2014. Such adaptors were originally available as accessories, but of course, rarely crop up and when they do, like valve-testers themselves, fetch ludicrous prices. The originals used a 10 pin socket on the 45D, but as I didn't need any adaptors with more than 8 pins, I used the Octal socket as octal bases are easily found. I scavenged  bases from duff octal valves, but later discovered that they can be bought new very cheaply from China. EG:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4pc-8pin-Bakelit...1007865837

I've attached a few pics which might be of interest, including the wiring diagrams, which as has been said, are simply pin for pin - 1 to 1, 2 to 2 and so on. I turned couplers from plastic to  incorporate the valve-holders that I needed, and for the plugs. (As seen in the wiring diagram, I used the resistor colour code for wiring up, so as to minimise the risk of getting the connections wrong - brow red orange = 1,2,3 etc).

Hope that helps.

[ed731pdh]

Sir, you are a gent.

[Yorkie]

If you don't have lathe facilities to make the plastic couplers, let me know and I'll turn them for you FOC - postage only.

They wouldn't be blue, but either light green or white - your choice.

If that's a help, I'd need the octal 'plugs' and the valve-bases to fit to the couplers. (I'd leave you to do the wiring up!).

You can get new good quality octal plugs from the link I posted above, for $5.94 post free from China on e-bay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161007865837

In  my case, a kind forum member provided the four bases that I needed - B4, B5, B7 & M.O.

Let me know if that's helpful.

[ed731pdh]

I'm waiting for the rod to turn up in the post, then the lathe gets a mission.

[Yorkie]

Glad to hear that you're geared up up to turn them.

Good luck with them - don't get tangled up with the streamers of plastic swarf that gets all over the place!
 

[ed731pdh]

Large lump of 50mm Polyproplene rod turned up this morning. Let battle commence.