My recollection is that all that usually happens to
such a diode, when you try to get more current from it
than it is capable of delivering, is it doesn't deliver
the current. The cathode is just too small to deliver
the flux of electrons necessary to get more than 1ma
of current.
-Chuck
n4buq wrote:
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I plan to test it per the suggestions. It is possible, though, that I might have damaged it feeding the 50-ohm terminated output of the 3310B directly to the tube tip as I expect that would have produced more than 1mA unbridled current from the generator. I did that before I read about the 1mA rating.
This poor probe, though, had multiple problems so the tube might have been bad when I got it. I mentioned that the spring connector was falling out of its slotted socket, but I also discovered that the cable's braid was not connected to the sleeve of the plug so the heater couldn't work. I can't tell if it was that way from the factory or whether someone did that intentionally (and I can't figure why anyone would want to do that). Connecting that let the heater start working but have not successfully gotten a signal through the tube.
