I have produced an effective solid state replacement for the 83 mercury vapor rectifier tube (a hazardous waste item today) and the 5Y3 rectifier tube for use in Hickok tube testers. You can now replace either tube, or both with reliability and the knowledge that the operating values will be within the Hickok tolerances and your tester will meet all test performance requirements. Calibration drift is greatly reduced to component drift (much slower process) rather than tube drift, this means it will remain in calibration much longer. It is required to re-calibrate the tester after the installation. However it is also required to re-calibrate the tester whenever you replace either tube with a new tube as well. Good calibration practice with tubes would be yearly at minimum.
These devices are designed for use in Hickok tube testers only!

Built-in Version

I also provide the same basic design built into the tester at a lower cost. The higher cost for the plug in units is due to the parts cost for the smaller size, the tube socket and the additional labor to build the small plug in units.

The picture on the right is the typical built in replacement for the 83 mercury vapor rectifier tube and the hard 5Y3 rectifier tube used in Hickok and other similarly designed tube testers. These power supplies have been designed specifically around the Hickok bridge measurement system used in most all Hickok tube testers and many other makes and models as well. They are warrantied to work correctly and to provide the proper operating potentials and to insure correct calibration of the tube tester! All tubes will measure correctly and accurately with these power supplies installed.

The built-in units are not sold as parts! These are only available to customers who have their testers repaired/calibrated by me and only available when installed by me! This is for safety reasons, to protect customers from high voltages/currents and due to the fact I can not mass produce these, and I am not interested in their mass production.

Note: My business is not one of making and selling parts, components, or additions as individual items. Please do not ask me to sell these as parts, or to provide you with the circuit design information. I will not do either!

Read my technical article about these replacements

SS-83b: Built-in version: $45.00
SS-83p: Plug-in version: $55.00
SS-5Y3b: Built-in version: $45.00
SS-5Y3p: Plug-in version: $55.00