Dark tinted Honeywell meters

[62vauxhall]

Do any former PL hands have knowledge of these meters? Or more accurately the dark tinted lenses - the meters themselves are fine.

My recently acquired four fin 400 (March1973) has those dark lenses and I have to think that their use must have been a stopgap measure.

When first encountered, this amp's meter illumination was barely detectible. Only peering inside the meters, directly at the bulbs could one see that they were in fact lit up - all four of them. The light was so dim I was convinced someone put in higher voltage lamps than what should have been in there. After delving inside the amp I found that the lamps were all original therefore of the correct voltage.

Since meter illumination is barely noticeable, it seems to me doubtful that such a darkly tinted meter would have been a first choice pick.

I do have a White Oak board but with blue LED's which are also feeble inside the meters. Joe is sending some bright white replacements but said he had no direct experience with these dark lenses.

I was wondering if any, with first hand knowledge, can say if this will provide sufficient light for the meters to be viewed from a distance.

 

[oldphaser]

Do any former PL hands have knowledge of these meters? Or more accurately the dark tinted lenses - the meters themselves are fine.

My recently acquired four fin 400 (March1973) has those dark lenses and I have to think that their use must have been a stopgap measure.

When first encountered, this amp's meter illumination was barely detectible. Only peering inside the meters, directly at the bulbs could one see that they were in fact lit up - all four of them. The light was so dim I was convinced someone put in higher voltage lamps than what should have been in there. After delving inside the amp I found that the lamps were all original therefore of the correct voltage.

Since meter illumination is barely noticeable, it seems to me doubtful that such a darkly tinted meter would have been a first choice pick.

I do have a White Oak board but with blue LED's which are also feeble inside the meters. Joe is sending some bright white replacements but said he had no direct experience with these dark lenses.

I was wondering if any, with first hand knowledge, can say if this will provide sufficient light for the meters to be viewed from a distance.

Yes. Phase Linear did use darker lenses on some of their meters. I do not believe it was a"stopgap measure". I would double-check the voltage to the panel lamps coming off the secondary winding of the transformer. In some cases this was greater than 6 volts. I believe Jewell Instruments may well have been a division of Honeywell at one time as the 75T series of VU meters were sold under both company names to Phase Linear.

Ed

 

[62vauxhall]

You got me curious so I proceeded with checking the voltage going to the newly attached for power LED light board but something boneheaded happened. One of the common black leads (for meter signal) was not tucked out of the way well enough and it's ring terminal contacted a trace, which promptly melted. From the looks of the board (although I am not sure in the case of this one) it looks like I can jumper the break to pad 4.

I keep saying it but one of these days I've got to start leaving well enough alone.

During the second or two the DMM was connected before the short, it looked like 12.6 volts but I won't swear to it. After the short there are 10.5 volts AC at one wire and 13.5 volts at the other.

I wonder if I should chuck the whole LED board and get another - with bright white ones in place? The way things have been going for me DIY wise lately, I'm sure I'd f**k up exchanging white for blue. Or, learn that that short messed up something else.

 

[OneTonScoutII]

I do have a White Oak board but with blue LED's which are also feeble inside the meters. Joe is sending some bright white replacements but said he had no direct experience with these dark lenses.

I was wondering if any, with first hand knowledge, can say if this will provide sufficient light for the meters to be viewed from a distance.

I have a friend with the dark lenses and the blue as you said was too dim, the bright white is better but hard to see in a well lit room.

 

[62vauxhall]

Yeah, not blindingly bright, that's for sure but much better than the original incandescents or blue LED's.

That's kinda why I thought the dark tint meters might have been a stopgap. Like the supplier/distributor being unable to provide clear lens veresions. It just struck me as odd, since it must have been seen right away during final assembly, that the meters were for all intents and purposes unlit when the amp was powered up.

 

[Gepetto]

Yeah, not blindingly bright, that's for sure but much better than the original incandescents or blue LED's.

That's kinda why I thought the dark tint meters might have been a stopgap. Like the supplier/distributor being unable to provide clear lens veresions. It just struck me as odd, since it must have been seen right away during final assembly, that the meters were for all intents and purposes unlit when the amp was powered up.

I agree, they probably had to make shipments and that is all they could get

 

[laatsch55]

Phase Linear....compromise??? Surely you jest!#