Even though it looks liie a tube, plugs in like a tube, etc., a ballast tube is just a resistor with special temperature/resistance curves. Look at the schematic and test it with an Ohmmeter. It will either be open or have continunity. If it is open it is bad. If it has continunity, it is good. Simple as that.
Lewis
Thanks Lewis!!
Andy
:::Hi; Does anyone know the settings on a Jackson 648 to test a 50A1 ballast tube from a Zenith Trans-Oceanic Y-600 set. This is the first tube I've come across which I have been unable to test on my faithful 648!! Thanks for any help.
:::Andy
::
::
::Even though it looks liie a tube, plugs in like a tube, etc., a ballast tube is just a resistor with special temperature/resistance curves. Look at the schematic and test it with an Ohmmeter. It will either be open or have continunity. If it is open it is bad. If it has continunity, it is good. Simple as that.
::Lewis
:
:Thanks Lewis!!
:Andy
:I would add this: if your 50A1 is bad (open), you can replace it with a dropping resistor and the radio will work fine with today's better-regulated line voltage. Those tubes are scarce as hens' teeth.
:Doug
:
:
::::Hi; Does anyone know the settings on a Jackson 648 to test a 50A1 ballast tube from a Zenith Trans-Oceanic Y-600 set. This is the first tube I've come across which I have been unable to test on my faithful 648!! Thanks for any help.
::::Andy
:::
:::
:::Even though it looks liie a tube, plugs in like a tube, etc., a ballast tube is just a resistor with special temperature/resistance curves. Look at the schematic and test it with an Ohmmeter. It will either be open or have continunity. If it is open it is bad. If it has continunity, it is good. Simple as that.
:::Lewis
::
::Thanks Lewis!!
::Andy
Yes, you'd wire it between Pins 1 and 7. If your 50A1 is open, you can plug it in just for ornamentation.
Here is the story I've heard about the 50A1. The TransOceanic was Zenith's Commander McDonald's "baby." He was a world explorer and wanted the radio to work in remote places where the there were wide variations in line voltage. The 50A1 would help compensate for those situations. Unless you're planning on going someplace way off the beaten track (maybe Timbuctu?), it's totally unnecessary.
Doug
:Hi Doug; thanks for your comments. I know what you mean about this tube being scarce and expensive!! I should have mentioned that I am troubleshooting a completely dead Y-600 T/O. Are you saying that I can remove and discard this tube and replace it with a dropping resistor across pin sockets 2 and 7? I'm not sure what a dropping resistor is; is it just an ordinary resistor which
:"drops" the a/c line voltage if there is a voltage surge and if so what size resistor should I use. Why would Zenith not have used one instead of a more expensive glass tube? By the way, my 50A1 has continuity so I'm assuming it is good even though you can see the actual filament bouncing around inside the tube when I tap it. I will keep all this info in mind in case I have a problem with the 50A1. I appreciate your help.
:Andy
:
:
:
:
:
:
::I would add this: if your 50A1 is bad (open), you can replace it with a dropping resistor and the radio will work fine with today's better-regulated line voltage. Those tubes are scarce as hens' teeth.
::Doug
::
::
:::::Hi; Does anyone know the settings on a Jackson 648 to test a 50A1 ballast tube from a Zenith Trans-Oceanic Y-600 set. This is the first tube I've come across which I have been unable to test on my faithful 648!! Thanks for any help.
:::::Andy
::::
::::
::::Even though it looks liie a tube, plugs in like a tube, etc., a ballast tube is just a resistor with special temperature/resistance curves. Look at the schematic and test it with an Ohmmeter. It will either be open or have continunity. If it is open it is bad. If it has continunity, it is good. Simple as that.
::::Lewis
:::
:::Thanks Lewis!!
:::Andy
OOps, I used the wrong name again.
Andy: Be sure the 50A1 is bad before you go rewiring the radio. It is just a resistor that, when it gets hot, the resistance increases, and therefore it acts like a current regulator. If it is good, it will be good for the next hundred years unless something really bad (like lightning or being dropped) happens to it.
::Andy: Try a 1.3K-ohm resistor rated at least 10W. That should drop about 8V to the filament ckt. You can then check the voltages against the schematic: http://www.transoceanic.nostalgiaair.org/600/y600.pdf
::
::Yes, you'd wire it between Pins 1 and 7. If your 50A1 is open, you can plug it in just for ornamentation.
::
::Here is the story I've heard about the 50A1. The TransOceanic was Zenith's Commander McDonald's "baby." He was a world explorer and wanted the radio to work in remote places where the there were wide variations in line voltage. The 50A1 would help compensate for those situations. Unless you're planning on going someplace way off the beaten track (maybe Timbuctu?), it's totally unnecessary.
::Doug
::
:::Hi Doug; thanks for your comments. I know what you mean about this tube being scarce and expensive!! I should have mentioned that I am troubleshooting a completely dead Y-600 T/O. Are you saying that I can remove and discard this tube and replace it with a dropping resistor across pin sockets 2 and 7? I'm not sure what a dropping resistor is; is it just an ordinary resistor which
:::"drops" the a/c line voltage if there is a voltage surge and if so what size resistor should I use. Why would Zenith not have used one instead of a more expensive glass tube? By the way, my 50A1 has continuity so I'm assuming it is good even though you can see the actual filament bouncing around inside the tube when I tap it. I will keep all this info in mind in case I have a problem with the 50A1. I appreciate your help.
:::Andy
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::
::::I would add this: if your 50A1 is bad (open), you can replace it with a dropping resistor and the radio will work fine with today's better-regulated line voltage. Those tubes are scarce as hens' teeth.
::::Doug
::::
::::
:::::::Hi; Does anyone know the settings on a Jackson 648 to test a 50A1 ballast tube from a Zenith Trans-Oceanic Y-600 set. This is the first tube I've come across which I have been unable to test on my faithful 648!! Thanks for any help.
:::::::Andy
::::::
::::::
::::::Even though it looks liie a tube, plugs in like a tube, etc., a ballast tube is just a resistor with special temperature/resistance curves. Look at the schematic and test it with an Ohmmeter. It will either be open or have continunity. If it is open it is bad. If it has continunity, it is good. Simple as that.
::::::Lewis
:::::
:::::Thanks Lewis!!
:::::Andy
marv
:Andy: Try a 1.3K-ohm resistor rated at least 10W. That should drop about 8V to the filament ckt. You can then check the voltages against the schematic: http://www.transoceanic.nostalgiaair.org/600/y600.pdf
:
:Yes, you'd wire it between Pins 1 and 7. If your 50A1 is open, you can plug it in just for ornamentation.
:
:Here is the story I've heard about the 50A1. The TransOceanic was Zenith's Commander McDonald's "baby." He was a world explorer and wanted the radio to work in remote places where the there were wide variations in line voltage. The 50A1 would help compensate for those situations. Unless you're planning on going someplace way off the beaten track (maybe Timbuctu?), it's totally unnecessary.
:Doug
:
::Hi Doug; thanks for your comments. I know what you mean about this tube being scarce and expensive!! I should have mentioned that I am troubleshooting a completely dead Y-600 T/O. Are you saying that I can remove and discard this tube and replace it with a dropping resistor across pin sockets 2 and 7? I'm not sure what a dropping resistor is; is it just an ordinary resistor which
::"drops" the a/c line voltage if there is a voltage surge and if so what size resistor should I use. Why would Zenith not have used one instead of a more expensive glass tube? By the way, my 50A1 has continuity so I'm assuming it is good even though you can see the actual filament bouncing around inside the tube when I tap it. I will keep all this info in mind in case I have a problem with the 50A1. I appreciate your help.
::Andy
::
::
::
::
::
::
:::I would add this: if your 50A1 is bad (open), you can replace it with a dropping resistor and the radio will work fine with today's better-regulated line voltage. Those tubes are scarce as hens' teeth.
:::Doug
:::
:::
::::::Hi; Does anyone know the settings on a Jackson 648 to test a 50A1 ballast tube from a Zenith Trans-Oceanic Y-600 set. This is the first tube I've come across which I have been unable to test on my faithful 648!! Thanks for any help.
::::::Andy
:::::
:::::
:::::Even though it looks liie a tube, plugs in like a tube, etc., a ballast tube is just a resistor with special temperature/resistance curves. Look at the schematic and test it with an Ohmmeter. It will either be open or have continunity. If it is open it is bad. If it has continunity, it is good. Simple as that.
:::::Lewis
::::
::::Thanks Lewis!!
::::Andy