Any Tube Experts?

[wb1ead]

Hello All..in my fairly large collection of older 4-pin tubes..i have one that for a few decades now cannot actually identify..nor can i find anything on either of it's numbers..let me explain..it has the number 18 or as you turn it complete to the other side upside down or is that right side up the number 81..question is what is this number and where can i get the specs on same?none of my tube manuals list either no#..it is assembled with actual bolts and nuts internally(sorry no can do picture)..made by Arcturus..can anyone take a shot at this and solve a long running mystery?..came out of a Western Electric Radio w/wooden horn spkr..ran on batteries..my Mom had the junkman haul it to the dump when i was at Parris Island..the tube is all that remains
                Tnx 73 de DAVE
ps: the number is at the tube top so that might explain the mystery of why i can't figure it out..

[k4kyv]

..came out of a Western Electric Radio w/wooden horn spkr..ran on batteries..my Mom had the junkman haul it to the dump when i was at Parris Island..the tube is all that remains

I have heard that same story repeated many, many times - the parents junked the radio while the owner was away at university or in the military.  Sad.  Anything Western Electric would be worth a mint to collectors these days, especially a wooden horn speaker.

The type 81 is a rectifier.  See http://scottbecker.net/tube/sheets/127/8/81.pdf

I don't recall ever hearing of a type 18.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Some info here:
http://www.bill01a.com/articles/arcturus-a.htm

and here a list of all the Arcturus tubes and their specs:
http://frank.pocnet.net/other/Arcturus/ArcturusTubes.pdf

[wb1ead]

Tnx Don..yah i had been told that most likely it's an 81..but who knows there may have been an 18..tnx too very much for the info on basing and such as all my manuals show an 80 but no 81..true story about the radio..it had 2 doors on front left and right..radio rolled out on rollers to access tubes(4 if memory serves) shiny bakelite front panel with 2 big knobs connected to massive variable caps..everything inside appeared to be silver or chrome plated..very shiny..nice real walnut case..worked too..more sad news? she threw away my baseball cards too..lots and lots of 50s and 60s..enough of that..don't wanna see a grown man cry..agn tnx tnx very much Don..(by the way you amongst a few others have a strapping signal
up here in moose country on 75!)  73 de DAVE

ps: Hey tnx Pete..guess you were typing at same time..definetly solves the mystery for sure..it's an 81..if only they had put a line under the number..been trying off and on for years to solve that one..tnx to both of you!

[WZ1M]

The #18 tube was a 6 pin pentode power amp with 14 volt heater
There was also the G18T, HV-18, M-18A and the ever popular V18T
My two cents worth.
Regards,
Gary...WZ1M

[k4kyv]

None of my tube data books list it, nor do any of the old ARRL handbooks.  The closest numbered tube is the #19.  But there is something vaguely familiar about it.  Do you know the manufacturer?

[W1EUJ]

Dave,

When you plug it into the Sylvania tube tester, which setting does it respond to?

With that said, I bet $100 its an 81 tube. The rectifiers are always bigger and prettier.

[wb1ead]

Hi Gary Don and Dave..well what do you know..1951 ARRL handbook listed the 18 tube..on pg V23..it's a pentode class A amp with
seven pins..basing is 7S..charecterestics same as 6F6G..81 as Don said is an half-wave rectifier..4 pins..basing is 4B..Dave since we all now know that it's an 81 for absolute sure..checked the roll chart and number 81 not listed..however if it were an 18 no problem.....i had totally forgotten about the handbooks showing tubes and all in back of every older edition before the advertising section..mystery solved for sure..guess we've all graduated with honors..thanks to all of you!!  73 de DAVE

ps: see ya Sunday Dave..

[WZ1M]

HMMmmm, thats strange, must be a misprint. My book says its 6 pins.
Hy-Sylvania was the maker.
Regards,
Gary

[W2NBC]

Hey guys.. regarding the #18 tube

http://www.nj7p.org/Tube4.php?tube=18

This was the result of a standard tube query of the index..

take care,
Jeff W2NBC

[k4kyv]

I found it here also.  Just didn't click on the button for the multiple pages of charts for tubes that start with the digit "1". 

The type 18 is a 12-volt filament version of the type 42, which is electrically identical to the octal based 6F6.  At 0.3 amps of filament current, it would work in a series filament string with the standard 6-volt/0.3a tubes like the 6A7, 6B7, etc.  Interestingly, the French Sylvania site lists the filament voltage at 14 volts instead of 12.6.

Learn something new every day.

[KM1H]

An 81 doesnt exactly lend itself to battery operation.

Plus any brand version of the old globe style glass would be a 281; the 81 would be a ST style

Scare up a camera somewhere and post a pic.

Im starting to think the 81 may actually be 01 ??

Carl
KM1H

[wb1ead]

Evening all..1st up sorry Gary WZ1M..it IS 6 pins with 6b basing..says so too in the handbook..had a dozen tubes out checking thru them when i was writing here..wrote the specs for another one..sorry bout that..KM1H Carl you got me to thinking that the tube i have just may have come from a Kolster International that the junkman didn't get..floor model must've been too big for him..still have it but i stripped the tubes over 30yrs ago..the story about the Western Electric WAS true and thinking about it they did seem like much larger tubes then this one..oh yah FOR SURE Carl it's an 81..Arcturus is the manufacturer..the only book/manual that i had to show the difference was the '51 handbook and i totally forgot about the tube section in the back..searching on the web would have turned up some info too..it turned out to be a "learning experience" for me as well
                    Tnx all agn 73 de DAVE

[G0MJY]

Hello All..in my fairly large collection of older 4-pin tubes..i have one that for a few decades now cannot actually identify..nor can i find anything on either of it's numbers..let me explain..it has the number 18 or as you turn it complete to the other side upside down or is that right side up the number 81..question is what is this number and where can i get the specs on same?none of my tube manuals list either no#..

Dave there is a 18 valve it's a pentode...base number is 6b heater volts is 14v at 0.3 amps.
I found it out in my Electron Tube Locator by George H. Fathauer, and thanks for the url for this site

[k4kyv]

That's the guy who shipped me the two HF-300's loose in the box with just a single  layer of bubble sheet wrapped round each tube, the stuff with the little 1/4" diameter bubbles.  When they arrived freely rolling about in the box, with the internal guts in pieces,  he was surprised, because he thought he had packed them well.  But he promptly returned my money without question. 

I would rather have had good tubes than the money.

[KE6DF]

Well here is another chance to get an HF-300 -- or at least the united electronics equivalent??

http://cgi.ebay.com/KU-23-United-Electronics-Tube-Same-As-HF-300-Amperex_W0QQitemZ170286549175QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item170286549175&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[Tom WA3KLR]

From Ludwell Sibley's reference book "Tube Lore", page 9 :

18  Also known as KR18; power pentode similar to 42; heater 14 Volts @ 300 mA., sold by Sylvania and National Union for use in 110 V DC receivers, base 6B.