Hi I am in need of a replacement meter. Any information where to look greatly appreciated. bill...

eBay. Try searching under Weston, too.

:eBay. Try searching under Weston, too.
Thanks, Thomas... Iwill keep an eye open. I am told I need a 200 uf fs @156 ohms. Gonna be a tough one. bill

hi guys:
i have a Jackson tube test model 658/ not the 658-A
i assume it works, i switch it on and it lights up and the meter centers itself. with 2 manuls and some physical damage. where can i go to learn more about it? i have an old tv and old radio; should i go ahead and pull out a tube and test it to see how well the 658 works.

::eBay. Try searching under Weston, too.
:Thanks, Thomas... Iwill keep an eye open. I am told I need a 200 uf fs @156 ohms. Gonna be a tough one. bill

You can try testing it with a tube. However, this will only tell you if the switches work properly and that something is happening. If the tester is a simple emissions tester and not a transconductance tester, what you need to do to make it work properly is check the transformer voltages against a good multi-meter. Then check all resistors for drifting (disconnect one lead of each resistor you test for accurate measurement). Replace any drifted resistors. If the unit has any condensers (perhaps one across or in series with a neon shorts light), check for leakage (anything less than 10 meg or infinity). Replace any leaky condensers. If all switches work well and the sockets contact the pins properly (and none of the wires have broken underneath), then your tester should work fine after this. The meter centers itself on the "line" test. This has nothing to do directly with testing tubes, but is simply a measurement of the line voltage the tester is seeing after the line adjustment rheostat. Since line voltages vary from house to house and city to city, the only way to get accurate tests from the meter is to have a line adjustment device that corrects for this. Usually when the meter is centered on "line," you will find that the "110 volt" filament voltage is at about 115. It may be something else like 117 or 120, or maybe even 110. Whatever it is, whenever you plug the tester in and center the meter on "line," it should be the same for consistent readings. The other voltages should be fairly accurate, too, when the meter is centered on "line" for the line test (6.3 volts should measure at 6.3 on your multi-meter, etc.). The reason why the 110 volt setting may actually measure at 115 is because 115 to 120 is actually the more common line voltage. Most cities have had this higher voltage for many years. The old 110 volts hasn't been used much even before most antique radios were produced. By the 1930s, 117 volts had been established in most localities in the U.S.A. as a standard. People still refer to line voltage as 110 volts both then and now, even though it isn't anymore. You may find some really old light bulbs or electric fans that are rated for 110 volts A-C, and the fan motors will tend to run a bit warmer than normal (though shaded pole motors tend to run hot anyway due to their inefficiency). Most of these devices will pre-date the mid-1920s.

Thomas

Thomas

www.Vintage-electronics.com has a 648 model for sale I think for 38 bucks you probably could salvage the meter out of it.
Elton
:You can try testing it with a tube. However, this will only tell you if the switches work properly and that something is happening. If the tester is a simple emissions tester and not a transconductance tester, what you need to do to make it work properly is check the transformer voltages against a good multi-meter. Then check all resistors for drifting (disconnect one lead of each resistor you test for accurate measurement). Replace any drifted resistors. If the unit has any condensers (perhaps one across or in series with a neon shorts light), check for leakage (anything less than 10 meg or infinity). Replace any leaky condensers. If all switches work well and the sockets contact the pins properly (and none of the wires have broken underneath), then your tester should work fine after this. The meter centers itself on the "line" test. This has nothing to do directly with testing tubes, but is simply a measurement of the line voltage the tester is seeing after the line adjustment rheostat. Since line voltages vary from house to house and city to city, the only way to get accurate tests from the meter is to have a line adjustment device that corrects for this. Usually when the meter is centered on "line," you will find that the "110 volt" filament voltage is at about 115. It may be something else like 117 or 120, or maybe even 110. Whatever it is, whenever you plug the tester in and center the meter on "line," it should be the same for consistent readings. The other voltages should be fairly accurate, too, when the meter is centered on "line" for the line test (6.3 volts should measure at 6.3 on your multi-meter, etc.). The reason why the 110 volt setting may actually measure at 115 is because 115 to 120 is actually the more common line voltage. Most cities have had this higher voltage for many years. The old 110 volts hasn't been used much even before most antique radios were produced. By the 1930s, 117 volts had been established in most localities in the U.S.A. as a standard. People still refer to line voltage as 110 volts both then and now, even though it isn't anymore. You may find some really old light bulbs or electric fans that are rated for 110 volts A-C, and the fan motors will tend to run a bit warmer than normal (though shaded pole motors tend to run hot anyway due to their inefficiency). Most of these devices will pre-date the mid-1920s.
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:Thomas
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:Thomas