Heathkit IT-28 Capacitor Checker Repair plus demo Vintage Test gear how to

[@adzbasslines268]

I just managed to get my hands on one of these and fully restored it with quality parts and re-calibrated. Building amps, this piece of test gear is invaluable! The 1960's green painted version of the IT-11 are even more expensive to find than IT-28's. Some are in really bad shape. Finding them is getting harder these days. I heard the IT-28 discharge switch was spring loaded to return from leakage back to discharge if the user forgot to do so. Good idea. But my original IT-28 did not exhibit that to be so. I'll keep this thing forever!

[@nichesound]

I have had three of these the one I use is spot on for values. Still have the coveted manual!!

[@peteleoni9665]

I really enjoyed the info part which starts about 1/2 way in.

[@jonathanhorne6503]

I’d like to see a demonstration of the transformer checks. Ratio checks and any other transformer checks it can co

[@SendARope]

I'm learning a lot from your videos about electronics. Thank you for making them.

[@d-labelectronics]

+SendARope Thank you Sir, I will continue to post. Let me know if there is a particular subject that would help you

[@SendARope]

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about electronics building and repair. I am able to read a schematic ok. I'd like to see a video on amp building from start to finish. The why. the schematic. what tubes to choose and why you chose them. and where to find schematics and ideas for amp builds.

[@nichesound]

I just checked 11 coupling caps in a 1974 Twin Reverb they checked out PERFECTLY! Those blue gumballz!! I lifted one end it is easier than replacing them willynilly!

[@chb8037]

how do you test to see if they are leaking on the tester? i assume you checked if value hadn't drifted but whats most important is if they are leaking.

[@KC9KEP]

The manual says that the tester can be used to determine transformer primary/secondary ratios .. but I haven’t tried it with mine yet. That could be pretty handy when evaluating salvaged transformers 😁

[@zulumax1]

5:49 When you're done, be careful not to touch the bare metal of the red lead when moving the lever from leakage to discharge. I always return the voltage to the lowest setting as an extra precaution as well. I also use a short set of 3 inch bananas to booted alligator clips (from my MESR-100 ESR meter) to get my fingers away from this high potential area. You would have thought they would have designed the high potential area away from the switch, but they did not. This is a great tool, but treat it with respect.

[@johncunningham5435]

Interesting demonstration Terry; Your video has given me some idea's about testing procedures in general that would be invaluable. "Excellent"

[@ThomasACarlos]

I am on a quest to build a simple Capacitor Leakage Tester, utilizing concepts I have seen in several DIY builds. We would start with a variable 240 vac transformer, being able to generate up to 400 vdc, monitored by an analog voltmeter to monitor the the source dc. The circuit would be simple, something like a limiting resistor, a place to connect the cap, routing this through a dc ammeter (maybe something with shunts for two scales). There would be a switch for "Leakage Test" and the other position would be "Discharge", going through a 47k limiting resistor. A second voltmeter would monitor the voltage across the cap (in the "Discharge" mode). The Heathkit eye is more like a Go, No/Go but it does not give you actual measurements. So my approach is to look at actual dc leakage current and then determining if it is acceptable (using tables I found on the net). It might be a tad more complex than this, but that is the idea. As always, thank you Terry for posting this video.

[@harrystevens3885]

In my opinion the best thing you can do with this fantastic piece of gear is test NEW caps the old ones are out anyway but who knows what your getting with new ones.........

[@mikeflosse4538]

Hi, Related to the capacitor replacement topic, can you please let me know if it is a good idea to replace the two old original electrolytic 40µF 400V in series from my Heathkit IT-28 capacitor checker by three brand-new Solen PB-MKB 27µF 400V in series without balancing resistors? Budget is not an issue. Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you very much in advance, Mike

[@mikeflosse4538]

Great job. Please, could you let me know the reference number for the new good-quality banana jacks that you used to replace the old ones? Thanks a lot in advance!

[@d-labelectronics]

Best to locate them on ebay. I believe these were made by Smith

[@aircooledcamper]

I have the same model and like that it can measure ESR of electrolytics as well as capacitance and leakage.It actually measures power factor on the little power factor knob, but all that indicates is the percent of the capacitive reactance that the equivalent series resistance is in ohms. Easy to calculate because it is always feeding 60 Hz to the capacitors being tested. For example, on a 40 uF capacitor, the reactance is about 66 ohms--so if the maximum eye opening occurs at the 5% mark of the power factor control knob, the ESR is just over 3.3 ohms. (5% of 66 ohms = 3.316 ohms).Pretty handy.

[@djfrank59]

A very valuable piece of test gear for the bench! I have an old EICO that I swear by. It puts the cap in the real world situation running it at the actual working voltage. I've used my ESR meter, but it has lied to me too many times for me to trust it. They're OK for lower voltage caps, but not with high voltage caps used in tube gear. Heathkit made some classic test gear. Even their VTVM's were solid!

[@d-labelectronics]

+Frank Ferraro Hello, Yes Heathkit has always been my favorite. I looked forward to that box under the Christmas tree. Drooled over the catalogs. A great era. Wish it could have continued.

[@kd5ozy]

I started using a megger to check caps I built a high voltage leakage tester that works good but the megger is the shiznitts man. Good video

[@Mr71chevyvan]

i have one of these but would love to find the much more attractive face of the IT-11. even with original caps in place accuracy is great.

[@Digital-Sparks]

I realize this is an older video, but I am in market for one of these older style Capacitance meters, and was wondering if you had a preferance as to which brand/model you liked most. I also repair old vintage radios, work on old boat anchors and tube type transceivers as a hobby.

[@Digital-Sparks]

by the way I ran across your videos as a result of working on some old tube style am/shortwave radios and found your videos very helpful. Thanks for the great videos!

[@clints8771]

I am restoring a Heathkit IT-28 I just bought with leaking capacitors... I see you are using 47uF caps in place of the 40uF caps. Did you have to make any other changes to adjust for the change.

[@scotland770]

Hello Terry and thank you, so much, for your videos. I just found the same unit and just replaced the old paper electrolytics. But, I found some replaced CC resistors with metal film. Since I can not find a manual or schematic, for this bad boy, could I send you a few pics of my IT-28, to compare to yours?

[@tubeDude48]

At 5:25 you didn't switch the left-switch to Electrolytic!

[@21anthem12]

Hi Terry, could this be used to reform old caps, say large as 10-15k uf like from a big stereo amp?

[@zulumax1]

I have one of these, but I would not recommend large value low voltage caps. It would take a long time to build up a charge and once it was charged would take a long long time to discharge before you could remove the capacitor safely. These are effective on capacitors less than 1000 mfd and voltages higher than 150vdc thereabouts, even though the voltages go lower an ESR meter will tell you more for low voltage types. Those big ones in transistor amplifiers I just let them reform on their own making sure they are not producing much heat after a few minutes of power on. If there is any heat, they are leaking. Should not get warm enough to be uncomfortable to the touch. If they reform, they will cool back down.

[@p0k7lm]

thanks 4 video

[@michaelswindal428]

Thanks for the info. Just checked out mine, bought on ebay. The leakage test voltage only appears on the two highest settings; otherwise, no charging voltage appears on all lower ranges. How could this problem occur in rotary voltage control?

[@d-labelectronics]

Michael Swindal Hello, sounds like you have an open voltage dividing resistor or a bad solder joint. Take a close look at the voltage rotary switch

[@Scribaux]

Nice tool. Thanks for sharing. I tend to change caps automatically, but it could be very useful. 😉

[@51nw]

Been trying to find one for months now. Apparently it is built with huge amounts of gold in it because everyone wants $200 and up for them. Absolutely ridiculous.

[@Mr71chevyvan]

i also own a model IT 28 .however i like the nicer more colorful look of the previous model IT 11 instead.

[@ncilmo]

I have both as well. My IT 11 sits on the shelf looking pretty while my IT28 is put to work. LOL

[@TROTSKYSAN]

I have one of these heathkit IT-28 capacitor checher, i don't know if it's working, but the green light turns on, if anyone is interested, (it has no manual or box)

[@Mr71chevyvan]

i have the IT-28 but prefer the face of the IT-11

[@captlarry-3525]

basic good advice here.

[@juandavidgalvisortega7183]

I have one I want to sell they know of someone

[@nor4277]

To bad you can't buy those any more they work better

[@ncilmo]

You can buy them off of Ebay.

[@bombtwenty3867]

@@ncilmo He means new

[@ncilmo]

@@bombtwenty3867 - Really? OK. I bought mine off of Ebay and refurbished it. It works like new. I use it in my shop along with my solid state test equipment.

[@bombtwenty3867]

@@ncilmo Yes there are very few on Ebay. and when they appear 90%+ of the time it's in US ebay. So obviously not everybody can get hold of one, like I said he means new for obvious reasons.

[@ncilmo]

@@bombtwenty3867 - So Ron is in another country? You know that he talking about a "new one" or are you speculating?

[@rhjernigan]

I have one in working condition if anybody interested !!!!!