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AUTRONIC-EYE: 1952 CLASSIC CAR ACCESSORY - GM Chevrolet Vacuum Tubes - Part 1 Initial Diagnosis [4K]

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CAUTION: when operating, this unit puts out 1000+ Volts on a wire which is literally hanging outside of the case of the amplifier unit. Do not attempt to do anything you see in this video; it is for entertainment only. You are at your own risk. Just watch and enjoy looking at this old tech, the Guide Autronic-Eye from 1952.
High Tech for your car in 1952. Let's take a look at this classic car optional accessory from 1952. It is used to automatically dim the car's headlights due to the lights from on-coming cars. It does this with a high voltage Photomultiplier Vacuum Tube.
Due to the available technology at the time, the voltage required for this design to work is very high.
This system was originally introduced by GM on Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles in 1952, then to the broader General Motors lines in 1953. This design was replaced as newer technologies were developed but was discontinued in the early 1970s in GM cars except for availability for Cadillacs up until the late 1980s as "Guide-Matic". Each Eye unit was designated for certain models of GM car; this one is designated for a 1953 Chevrolet.
This came from GM's Guide Lamp division. Guide Motor Lamp Company, formed in 1906, formerly made acetylene lamps for early cars and then moved into electric lighting soon afterward. They were early innovators in headlight technology and the development of dual filament headlamps for "dipping", or lowering the beam.
NOTE: This is not instruction, it is for entertainment for people like me who enjoy watching projects and the experiences gained. Do not attempt to do anything in this video. If you attempt to do any of the things in this video you are at your own risk. I am using special tech-bench safety equipment not detailed here so don't take for granted you can just plug these old items in safely without them being checked and repaired correctly. Check out the link below to Mr Carlson's Lab video below.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND REFERENCES:
[note: am in no way representing how these folks have shown doing these things - I don't even know if they would approve.]
Thanks to shango066 for championing the approach of "fix it first", before mass re-capping. See shango066 for many examples of that approach.
‪@shango066‬
Awesome discussion of bench safety including variacs and isolation transformers by Mr Carlson's Lab (highly recommended):
• Tech Tips Tuesday, Iso...
‪@MrCarlsonsLab‬
Modification method for a commercial Tripp Lite isolation transformer for tech-bench use by Todd Harrison, his channel is called ToddFun:
• ToddFun.com: Isolation...
‪@ToddFun‬
People who may find this video interesting are those interested in antique or classic cars, vacuum tube electronics, tube radios, tube televisions, 1950s technology, repair or restoration of vintage electronics, phototubes, obsolete technology, Chevrolet, Cadillac, General Motors history
Camera: Canon G7X Mark III
Mic: Rode Micro
Video Editing Software: Power Director
Video Editor: just me

Опубликовано:

4 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 17

@hestheMaster Год назад

Saw the article on the post 1954 version at jalopyjournal with lots of imformation on that system. It is great to have the original tech material for yours as it is a little different especially where the high voltage and some connections to the amp were concerned. Thanks for showing it.

@PracticallyFixed Год назад

Hi Steve, yes, I saw the excellent posts by 'Abomination' there. Interesting also to read the history of Guide Lamp Company at various sites. The unit in this video is apparently the original design with the light entering the photocathode from the side, hence the photomultiplier turned perpendicular to the light (details of that to follow in another video). Shortly thereafter a tube seems to have become available with the light designed to enter the end, such as the one you described. That led to a more streamlined design, and even an adjustable sensitivity the driver could adjust while driving. Later innovations in photocells led to the designs used through the 80s. Looking at some of the material Abomination shows seems to indicate a plug receptacle at the amplifier unit in a slightly later revision, which would be a great improvement to the wire connection issue I identified here. I am laboring to get the editing of the next part done. I am cutting out literally hours of video. Thanks for the comment.

@DERB_Seymour_Indiana Год назад

Interesting circuit analysis. I'm surprised a similar updated device in not more common these days given the computer systems in vehicles these days.

@PracticallyFixed Год назад

Hi Doug, thanks. Yes that's true. With the way those self-driving cars detect objects, people, traffic lights, etc. I bet you are right. Part 2 is coming up in a few days - working on it now. Thanks for the comment.

@ElectromagneticVideos Год назад

Its amazing to see somthing with tubes so clean - your so lucky to have a nos one. And what "space age" technology as it would have been considered back then. My first thought was those things cant possibly last very long. But unless someone did a lot of night driving, it probably got way less running hours than a tube+vibrator car radio so probably lasted a lot longer. I wonder how service of that sort of thing was handled. Certainly not something a mechanic of those days could fix - maybe swap the whole module or maybe each dealer would have an arangement with a local Radio and TV repair place? Interesting video! Thanks for posting it!

@PracticallyFixed Год назад

Thanks, stay tuned for the next part coming up, it gets better I think. We saw in the manual for the Chevrolet radio I posted recently that customers could expect "many months of uninterrupted service"! As shown in this video the dealerships had a repair manual which gave information on changing tubes and some basic items and also includes some Troubleshooting information coming up in the next video on this project. They were trained about the high voltage issue at the dealers, I would hope. I once saw a film made for car dealership hands on servicing tube radios. The repair manual I have for the Chevrolet radio even had signal tracing instructions through the RF/IF stages, so they probably had a "radio-guy" in the shop. A lot of folks knew their way around tube gear in those days with tube testers in every drug store. Dad and I did the run with a box of tubes from the TV every few months it seemed in the 60s and 70s, and that was how I fixed the first TV I owned in 1980. But these tubes were only labeled with GM part numbers so it was definitely a dealer-only type repair. Thanks very much for the comment! See you in Part 2.

@ElectromagneticVideos Год назад

@@PracticallyFixed How intersesting! I'll amazed the car dealers would have had a "radio guy" but it makes sense as more and more cars back they would have had radios and it would have been a lucrative business as only the the richer customers would have had car radios in the tbe era. Tube TVs - we have seem to have most the same history with them - like you I remember going with my Dad to the drugstore to use the tube tester which fascinated me. In the early 80s when I was in high-school I used to fix old junked tube TVs and sell them. Actually got a surplus tube tester kit, built it and used it extensivly becuase the drug store tube testers were pretty much gone by then. I'll look forward to part 2!

@tigerelectronics5966 Год назад

Vibrators getting stuck from sitting is a very common issue, the contacts get tarnished. gotta open them up, clean the contacts with some light sandpaper, and put back together and they will usually run again :) I have saved plenty of vibrators that were stuck, all of them working happily :)

@PracticallyFixed Год назад

Yes, that is one way to do it... 😉 Thanks for watching and commenting.

@brucebuckeye 11 месяцев назад

Yes, do be careful how you talk about that sensitive coil! 😂😂😂 Great video! Not something you see every day (or in a lifetime!).

@PracticallyFixed 11 месяцев назад

You bet! Thanks for the comment. Take a look at Part 2 when you can to see what we can do to get this thing working. You may also like the series on the old Chevy car radio. Thanks again.

@jimnewman5596 Год назад

Great video, I would guess that you plan on removing the vibrator cover and polish the contacts.

@PracticallyFixed Год назад

Hi Jim, and thanks. Maybe...

@UpcomingJedi 4 месяца назад

Right. I just happen to have all these 'dangerous' products just laying around and the FIRST thing im going to do is grab it to make a voltage test. BBZZZZZZ! Yup, its good.

@user-ly6kl6kx8j 7 месяцев назад

Hey man, I need help! My ballast tube is dead, can you tell me what is the current and the voltage after the ballast tube? I want to make a circuit to not have to buy another one

@PracticallyFixed 6 месяцев назад

Sorry, but I did not measure the impedance of the ballast tube while I had it - I wish I had.

@user-ly6kl6kx8j 6 месяцев назад

No problem, I bought it, had to import from us because I’m from Brazil! Do u know how to regulate the potentiometer?? I’m having trouble to do it, it’s 3 potentiometers, do u know which one I regulate fist?