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Trying to identify an old radio tube

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mdalzell

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Joined 2011
This may be an impossible task, but I'm trying to identify an old tube. Here's the deal... I bought this homemade amp that looks like it was built using transformers and some caps from an early 50s RCA radio perhaps. It has a 25L6GT and a 6AV6... and 3 small unidentified tubes. There's a bit of writing left on one and it looks like it may have said something like 6AK5W... but the A is the only firmly legible thing. First number may be a 3 or 8. Is there any way to guess what they may be? The person I bought it from suggested 6AH5... but I don't know if that was an educated guess or just an attempt to read it. Thanks for any help...

Mark.

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Tubelab_com

Tubelab_com

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Joined 2005
tubelab.com
I will place a bet on a 18AK5W, because it you said it's from a series-string radio and because the first digit looks like the remains of an 8.
Click to expand...

18AK5 draws 50 mA. 25L6 and 6AV6 draw 300 mA. They can't be in series.

Assuming the original tube has a good heater feed it 6 volts and see if it lights up.

The tube has the guts of a 6AK5 or a 18AK5 which was very uncommon in the US. The only evidence that they exist comes from Germany and the tubes were Siemens. There are a few other tubes that look the same 6AS6 and 6AJ5 come to mind. The 6AH5 is a large octal tube, also quite rare.
 
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