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THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => Technical Forum => Topic started by: K1ZJH on November 28, 2011, 01:26:06 PM



Title: 826 triodes vs. senility
Post by: K1ZJH on November 28, 2011, 01:26:06 PM
I remember playing with a stash of NOS 826 triodes back in the sixties (wanted to make an AM amp for my Twoer--never happened.)

Anway, I recall that when I tried powering up filaments on the first two tubes they immediately went open. The ones I slowly brought up the filament voltage on survived.

Was this the luck of the draw, or did these tubes require some sort of filament conditioning after being in storage for 20 years?

Just curious...

Pete


Title: Re: 826 triodes vs. senility
Post by: W7TFO on November 28, 2011, 01:30:29 PM
Not so much conditioning as using a high-reactance filament trans or soft-start.

Most TX fil trans had an adjustment rheostat (not a variac) in the primary to achieve this.

Modern bench supplies have a very low source impedance and can pop a filament instantly due to the current inrush.

Also, if those tubes were used, the filaments get very brittle and easily die from the thermal shock of lighting them up full bore.

73DG


Title: Re: 826 triodes vs. senility
Post by: The Slab Bacon on November 28, 2011, 02:56:32 PM
I used to have a pair of Gonstipated amps with them. Each had 2 in shove-yank. (one for 6m and 1 for 2m) They were very persinckity to come up with good spares. I ffound bunches of them at hamfests, but few had survived storage very well. I went through dozens to come up with a couple of good ones.

They either were damaged from shock (broken filaments or plates broken from supports) OR....................

The seal had lost it's seal and they were airbound or gassy. The ones that had lost all of their vacuum would let off yellow smoke inside the bulb and frost up the glass when lit off.

Due to the fact that they are a very fragile tube I would shy away from using them in anything. Electrically, if you get good ones they are hard to kill, and happy to run along all day with the plates lit up as bright as the filaments.


Title: Re: 826 triodes vs. senility
Post by: Opcom on December 04, 2011, 11:50:27 PM
The ones that had lost all of their vacuum would let off yellow smoke inside the bulb and frost up the glass when lit off.

Christmas ornaments!


Title: Re: 826 triodes vs. senility
Post by: The Slab Bacon on December 05, 2011, 06:57:00 AM
The ones that had lost all of their vacuum would let off yellow smoke inside the bulb and frost up the glass when lit off.

Christmas ornaments!


or target practice  ;D  ;D


Title: Re: 826 triodes vs. senility
Post by: KB2WIG on December 05, 2011, 12:42:36 PM
or send 'em to that guy in France that makes his own tubes.


klc
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