What's the biggest full wave damper diode?

[leadbelly]

Working on a big guitar amp finally, big enough to need a GZ34.

I was wondering if there was a damper diode alternative to that? I know about the 6CD3/6CE3/6CG3, but these are only half wave, and 2 would need lots of heater current. I know about the 6BY5, but that's only good for 175mA I guess.

 

[Tom Bavis]

6AX6? Good luck finding any... a pair of dampers would do as well.

 

[Rodango]

My personal favorite is the Soviet Svetlana 5C3S. They are 5U4s on steroids and can be obtained inexpensively on ebay.

 

[Colt45]

'cept that isn't a damper --^

there isn't really fullwave dampers as such, because you only need one damper diode in a TV...

 

[mashaffer]

Just for my edification what makes a damper diode different from any other vacuum diode?

 

[mcs]

Just for my edification what makes a damper diode different from any other vacuum diode?

Slow heat-up, low internal impedance (= low voltage drop), and a good heater/cathode isolation so you can use a common heater supply.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[DougL]

Just for my edification what makes a damper diode different from any other vacuum diode?

A damper diode (or efficiency diode in Europe) was used in TV in the horizontal output stage. The circuit was high voltage, high current, low pulse duration service.


Understanding the Horizontal output stage

HTH

Doug

 

[Eli Duttman]

Working on a big guitar amp finally, big enough to need a GZ34.

I was wondering if there was a damper diode alternative to that? I know about the 6CD3/6CE3/6CG3, but these are only half wave, and 2 would need lots of heater current. I know about the 6BY5, but that's only good for 175mA I guess.

Dude,

The 6BY5 is good for 175 mA. continuous DC per plate. Carefully peruse the 6BY5 data sheet.

BTW, Chinese made 5AR4s from reputable dealers, like Jim McShane, are both reliable and reasonably priced.

 

[vanofmonks]

What about the 6by5?

Chris

 

[athos56]

I'm using a pair of 6D22S's in my new project

 

[JoshK]

Does the 6by5 warm up slow?

 

[kevinkr]

Does the 6by5 warm up slow?

Yes, very.

Work just fine for small stereo amplifiers using the 45, 71A as well as 2A3, 300B SE monoblocks as well as any pre-amplifier you could think of.. I have the impression (and experience) that they really perform best in applications where the load current is moderate - in the vicinity of 100mA or so, and/or in cases where you want to economize on filament windings.

 

[Bandersnatch]

6AX6? Good luck finding any... a pair of dampers would do as well.

Haven't seen one yet. Also, at 2.5A of 6.3, a pair of 6AX4 would be lighter on the heater current. 6DE4 only slightly heavier, and 6DW4 very much higher capacity than any single bottle pair.
cheers,
Douglas