Finally got my own tube rejuvenator

This is all the manual mentioned about calibration.
That would be your heater voltage adjustment and is most likely the only calibration adjustment.

These testers are 40-50+ years old and really need to be gone through before safely or reliably using them.

New caps, reflow headers, check all of the resistors (especially the carbon composite), diodes and transistors in circuit with your meter.

Replace anything open or out of spec and then do your heater calibration.
 
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See? They aren't there.
Even on B&K's download site....the 490 instruction, service, and set up manuals aren't there. Still.

They may exist somewhere on the web by now. But when I did my overhaul like 3-4 years ago, they were NOWHERE to be found.
The nice lady at B&K hooked me up with original manuals for the 470 and the 490.

EDIT:

I guess it was longer than 3-4 years. It looks like Ken Layton get everything scanned in 2018-ish.
But I don't know where the scans are now.
The manuals are archived on KLOV

 
The manuals are archived on KLOV


Nice. I thought they were! But HOW THE HELL did you find them????
Seriously, how could I find them without the direct link? It is far from obvious.....


I answered my own question. If you follow any of the "Library" links you should give up. You've already lost.

To find the manuals, you have to drill down in the "Tech" menu on the main site top banner: Tech -> Manuals
Then browse for what you want. Not so obvious and since I only got there like once a year, I forget and have to relearn that the library isn't the library.
At least not the one I want to use.

I only see 2 of the 3 the 490 manuals, BTW. The schematic and the parts list are there. But the instruction manual isn't.
 
That would be your heater voltage adjustment and is most likely the only calibration adjustment.

These testers are 40-50+ years old and really need to be gone through before safely or reliably using them.

New caps, reflow headers, check all of the resistors (especially the carbon composite), diodes and transistors in circuit with your meter.

Replace anything open or out of spec and then do your heater calibration.
I'll do that thanks! After calibration do you think it would be safe to use the remove shorts feature on this unit giving its capabilities? Or if I were to ever need to remove a short should I look for a more dependable model. I agree with @cwilkson on rejuvenation being a last ditch hail mary to revive a dying tube, but I'm not knowledgeable enough yet to know how the remove shorts feature works on a rejuvenator.
 
I'll do that thanks! After calibration do you think it would be safe to use the remove shorts feature on this unit giving its capabilities? Or if I were to ever need to remove a short should I look for a more dependable model. I agree with @cwilkson on rejuvenation being a last ditch hail mary to revive a dying tube, but I'm not knowledgeable enough yet to know how the remove shorts feature works on a rejuvenator.
They're all different. But basically it's going to dump a lot of current through the short to try to melt it like a fuse or simply blow it loose (small explosion). This can be ok, or risky....depending on which 2 elements are shorted. If the CRT is truly shorted, then it won't work in most cases. So it's dead and you might as well try it.
 
I tread lightly with mine usually. But I've used it to successful recover a seemingly dead tube. One color was barely moving the meter and the other two were very low. It took a bunch of tries but putting it face-down (on a towel so you don't scratch the face) and tapping with a plastic screwdriver handle ... probably a bit harder than you might think you want to hit glass ... made it a little better, then totally shorted, then better, then shorted, then better again. In the end, I got all three guns solidly in the green part of the meter and the picture was good. It's been fine for months. But I had to use the strongest rejuv setting and crossed my fingers.

So I guess my advice is don't give up when it seems dead. Since it's going in the trash if you can't fix it, go for broke!
 
They're all different. But basically it's going to dump a lot of current through the short to try to melt it like a fuse or simply blow it loose (small explosion). This can be ok, or risky....depending on which 2 elements are shorted. If the CRT is truly shorted, then it won't work in most cases. So it's dead and you might as well try it.
Thanks for the info, I'm still learning about a bunch of stuff like this. I've never had one before and I don't want to make repairs anymore risky than they have to be. But then again I've probably had 50 or so machines go through my hands and I've yet to encounter one that had a shorted monitor or needed a full rejuvenation, hopefully my luck continues lol. I have however just started collecting 19" and 25" tv's with compatible tubes for spares, I've never needed to use one yet, and I hope I never have to lol. I want to save them for the day I can no longer source replacement monitors, plus as a crt enthusiast I hate the ideal of sacrificing a good set for replacement parts, but I have a feeling in the distant future that may start to become one of the only viable ways... I hope I'm wrong though.
 
Nice. I thought they were! But HOW THE HELL did you find them????
Seriously, how could I find them without the direct link? It is far from obvious.....


I answered my own question. If you follow any of the "Library" links you should give up. You've already lost.

To find the manuals, you have to drill down in the "Tech" menu on the main site top banner: Tech -> Manuals
Then browse for what you want. Not so obvious and since I only got there like once a year, I forget and have to relearn that the library isn't the library.
At least not the one I want to use.

I only see 2 of the 3 the 490 manuals, BTW. The schematic and the parts list are there. But the instruction manual isn't.
I just Google search "Arcade Museum Manuals" and it pulls up the correct link. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
I'll do that thanks! After calibration do you think it would be safe to use the remove shorts feature on this unit giving its capabilities? Or if I were to ever need to remove a short should I look for a more dependable model. I agree with @cwilkson on rejuvenation being a last ditch hail mary to revive a dying tube, but I'm not knowledgeable enough yet to know how the remove shorts feature works on a rejuvenator.
I would think that it would be good to use "if"
it has a short. Test it first, no need to do anything if the picture looks good and it tests fine.

However, I have no experience with this model and as others have mentioned the older models are more aggressive. So proceed at your own risk.

I would always recommend starting off learning on a bad or weak tube that you won't be upset about if it gets worse. It will help build your comfort level with using one.
 
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