TEN TEC TITAN

[KB5MD]

Has anyone tried retrofitting a Ten Tec Titan II with another tube other than the 4cx1600B, which is unavailable?  I have this amp and it currently works 100% and I like it, but
I am thinking way down the road, so-to-speak.

[n2bc]

There's some old chatter here:  http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=187.0

One fellow points to the 4CX1500, requires a different (expensive!) socket & new filament transformer.

I've picked up 4CX1500's on eBay over the years (from hams) with good luck & reasonable prices.

RFPARTS website indicates they have the Svetlana 4CX1600...   $1400.  

The original Titan used a pair of 3CX800's - Inexpensive sockets, no screen voltage - Chinese made new ones are $450ish each.

Good Luck & 73, Bill  N2BC

[flintstone mop]

I can understand the fear of no NOS tubes or just not available any more. I would keep looking for some pulls that would be guaranteed. 
You might be short changing the longevity of your amp. Unless you are already seeing degradation in the max output of the amp. If they haven't been abused or overdriven; they should last a long long time in the Ham world.
I would be more afraid of the band switch going south or the padder caps for 160M crapping out. Difficult areas to affect a repair...Sending it to Ten Tec will hurt $$$$$$$
I HAD one of those and the bandswitch died......$750, mostly labor for a $25 switch. Got it back and got rid of it. New owner happy as sh^^ with 2500 watts of PEP.
Bought an AL1500, that I CAN WORK ON!!!

Fred

[John K5PRO]

Excerpt from my reply, #31, posted on a different topic on QSO>RE: Ten Tec is Bubbling With Changes, on January 14:

Some time back I bought a Titan II used, knowing that it was a dead-end design, with the Russian 4CX1600B source gone. I bought it for a reasonable cost, for the box, the power supply, meters and controls, with plans to convert it to another tube that I have available. It had been at the factory, as the last 4CX1600B had killed the bias/screen regulator board multiple times. This tube apparently had developed a hot short or a breakdown path inside, that would come and go. Anyway, I got the unit shipped directly from the TT service department, after being repaired. The whole deal on this amplifier had been in limbo for about 1/2 year as it was stuck in repair at TT. They were likely happy to see it leave, as it was eating their time and there wasn't an easy fix except to keep replacing the silicon on the PC card. I don't think there was a good tube remaining anywhere.
-------------------------------

I have both a 4CX1000A and a 4CX1500B with socket and filament transformer, to put into this amplifier. It will need some adjustment of screen voltage and bias. I see no reason to believe it shouldn't work, and would make a more reliable amplifier. The 4CX1600B has very short spacing internally, and if it shorts, the amplifier is not well protected against it.

[KB5MD]

The amp is 100% now and no more than I use it, it should last a long long time.  Thanks for the input everyone.

[Opcom]

About labor charges:

 

Others charge less than I do.
They know what their time is worth.