W WA G GC ON TUBES?

[W2PFY]

What do these letters indicate? Where can I find a reference?

As always,

many thanks.

Terry

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Try this site:
http://www.electronicsgenius.com/Tech_Info/Tube_Info/tube_info.html
Scroll down to the USA (RETMA) system

[The Slab Bacon]

FWIW I hope this simplifies it a bit, here is basically what the basic suffixes are:

No suffix (letters and numbers ie 6SK7) is a metal type.

G = glass bulb, sometimes shaped with "shoulders"

GT = glass bulb with tubular shape

A, B, C,  are upgrades to the original design

W = ruggedized version (usually military)

In many cases the ruggedized and upgraded versions are interchangeable with the original, however in some cases they are not, you must research the differences to be sure.

Substituting metal and glass types is not always doable !! you must check the skizmatic for your piece of equipment. Spme applications rely on the metal bulb
(usually tied to pin #1) for shielding pourposes. You may have to install a tube shield for the glass type to work properly. Some equipment that was designed for glass types use pin #1 for a tie point under the chassis, inserting a metal type could give you a nasty surprise, like a full B+ zapp!! Always check your equipment before making substitutions.

I hope this clarifies it a bit for those new to toob gear.
           
                                                                                  the Slab Bacon

[W2PFY]

Thanks Guys, Yup, I found out the shocking way on a Ranger two that the metal on a pair of 1614 were hot. luckily for me the plug was pulled and the bleeder resistors were pulling th HV down. I didn't like the bite one bit.

[N8LGU]

   Thanks for the link, Pete. I needed a comprehensive cross reference chart. I added it to my keepers.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

FWIW I hope this simplifies it a bit, here is basically what the basic suffixes are:

No suffix (letters and numbers ie 6SK7) is a metal type.

Not always true. i.e. 12AX7, 6146, 6C10, 6CA7 and many others are glass and have no G or GT suffix.

[The Slab Bacon]

FWIW I hope this simplifies it a bit, here is basically what the basic suffixes are:

No suffix (letters and numbers ie 6SK7) is a metal type.

Not always true. i.e. 12AX7, 6146, 6C10, 6CA7 and many others are glass and have no G or GT suffix

Picky, picky, picky, OK, I should have said "octal" types DESIGNED in the 1930's and 40's..............................

[WA1GFZ]

octal tubes only have the g gt gtw etc. minatures are all glass
I've never seen a metal loctal

[k4kyv]

Before the RETMA system (originally RMA - the "T" stands for Television), US tube types were 3 digits.  Examples are 201, 247, 227, etc.  The first digit sometimes varied according to manufacturer, but the last two digits designated the tube type.  For example, an RCA 280 and a Cunningham 380 were the same tube type, a full wave rectifier.  Later, the first digit was dropped, and the tube became known as simply a type 80.  Sometimes the manufacturer would attach an additional prefix such as RCA's UX-280 and UY-227.  The X meant it was a 4-pin socket, and the Y indicated a 5-pin  socket.

Early triodes such as the 201 evolved into the 201-A.  The "A" suffix indicated a thoriated tungsten filament, while the original had a pure tungsten filament.  The "A" tubes were not always interchangeable with the original tubes, because the original tubes drew several times the filament current of the "A" versions.

Originally RCA had a series of tubes, the 200, 201, 202, 203 and 204.  The prefix was "UV" which indicated a 4-pin base with short pins and bayonet pin at the side.  Succeeding numbers indicated more power handling capability.

The type 200 was a "soft" detector, while the 201 (and later 201-A) was the standard receiving amplifier triode, both for RF and AF.  The 202 was a "5-watt" transmitting triode.  The 203 was a "50-watt" transmitting triode, and the 204 was the largest transmitting triode, rated at 250 watts.

For some reason, those tubes evolved into the 200-A, 201-A, 203-A and 204-A, but they never released an "A" version of the 202.  The nearest thing was the type 210, used as a low power transmitting tube, but primarily designed as an audio tube.

[WA1GFZ]

and the last digit was 5 for triode 6 for tetrode and 7 for pentode.