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Datasheet for Russian 6p3s-e

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I tried the usual suspects attempting to locate a data sheet for the 6П3С-Е tube. This is the one with the octal coin base. Sellers typically claim it is a substitute for the 6L6GC. I've heard others say it ought to be treated as a 6L6GB (19 watt plate limit) and it'll do just fine. I couldn't find a good data sheet for the thing. The Frank Phillipse archives have info on the lesser 6П3С tube, but nothing for the 6П3С-Е. Duncan's Tube Data Sheet Locator pointed me towards City Radio and oldradio.qrz.ru. They have pinout info, but no specs. I bought a pair of the things and they had a tiny datasheet with them. Here it is, if anyone is interested.



I'd still be curious to see a set of plate and transfer characteristic curves, if anyone has a copy...
 
George, did you torture 6P3S-E?

I have some Russian "6L6GC's" that I tested a while back. I came to the conclusion that they sounded as good or better than the Chinese "Coke bottle 6L6GC" but tended to glow at a lower dissipation level. I just got some out of the closet and checked them. They are 6P3S (no E). They have the same manufacturers logo as the data sheet shown in the first post. They are over branded "Orion 6L6GC". I don't have any with the "E".
 
The 6p3s-e is the one on the right. It doesn't have nearly as large a plate structure as a KT88 (left) or an Electro Harmonix 6CA7 (center). I'm going to guess the 6p3s-e isn't going to handle as many watts as either.

I'll plug it into my Simple SE tonight and see how well it does. I've got about 450V B+, and 560 ohm cathode resistors.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
 
The previously mentioned Russian 6P3S (not E) exhibit a faint glow in a dark room in a Simple SE under the same conditions (450V B+, and 560 ohm cathode resistors). EH 6CA7's do not.

EH KT88's do not glow in the same amp with 360 ohm (1K in parallel with 560 ohm) cathode resistors (about 100 mA) but the power transformer gets hot! It flat rocks though, you can hear the bass in the house across the street. How many SE amps can do that.
 
No!
Russian analog of 7CA7 is called 6P27S! 6L6 may melt in conditions designed for 6CA7.

Ty_Bower said:
The 6p3s-e is the one on the right. It doesn't have nearly as large a plate structure as a KT88 (left) or an Electro Harmonix 6CA7 (center). I'm going to guess the 6p3s-e isn't going to handle as many watts as either.

I'll plug it into my Simple SE tonight and see how well it does. I've got about 450V B+, and 560 ohm cathode resistors.

 
tubelab.com said:
The previously mentioned Russian 6P3S (not E) exhibit a faint glow in a dark room in a Simple SE under the same conditions (450V B+, and 560 ohm cathode resistors).

As predicted, these guys are running 102%. The plate glow is subtle, but definitely there. Under these conditions, life for these tubes will likely be hard and short. If they were $4 a piece, I probably wouldn't care a whit. Unfortunately, they're about double that. If I end up keeping them in, I should probably up the cathode resistor a notch or two. I'm showing about 34.5 volts over the 560 ohm resistor, or just under 62 mA (~23.5 watts).

They do sound nice, though. :)

 
Ty_Bower said:



They do sound nice, though. :)


It is called Swan's Song. ;)
Do you know why?


th_P1100546.jpg
 
Ty_Bower said:
@Wavebourn

I wondered why you had taken such an interest in this thread. I just followed the link to your web page, and looked at your Pyramid amplifier. You are no stranger to this particular tube, are you? Nice looking amplifier, by the way. :)

Thanks!
I am also no stranger to all Russian tubes, resistors, capacitors, transistors, ICs, etc... ; when I was a kid we had a Russian shortwave tube radio. All my neighbours had Russian radios, and all relatives, all had Russian radios with Russian tubes only. ;)
...because it was in Siberia. :D

Here is Pyramid in darkness.

wavebourntubepp.gif
 
I have a question... Isn't the tube in the picture with the small base the tube that's sold as the Russian 5881 by New Sensor/Sovtek and everyone else. I always thought that the Russian "6L6" to watch out for had a standard size base but a rather small envelope and internals. This tube was sold by Groove Tubes for a while as their 6V6HD. It was a VERY low performing tube if used in place of a 6L6GC and tended to blow up rather easily along with being tough to bias. That "5881" is a very good tube and I think I've only seen one failure ever. They don't sound all that great but they last a long time in a guitar amp.
 
DaveMcLain said:
I have a question... Isn't the tube in the picture with the small base the tube that's sold as the Russian 5881 by New Sensor/Sovtek and everyone else. I always thought that the Russian "6L6" to watch out for had a standard size base but a rather small envelope and internals. This tube was sold by Groove Tubes for a while as their 6V6HD. It was a VERY low performing tube if used in place of a 6L6GC and tended to blow up rather easily along with being tough to bias. That "5881" is a very good tube and I think I've only seen one failure ever. They don't sound all that great but they last a long time in a guitar amp.

The answer is above, in post #3: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1616491#post1616491

When I worked as a senior staff engineer in railway electronics and communications' support in Soviet Union, we used such tubes in relay stations for multichannel SSB voice transmission over long lines. They performed well and had a long life when used in modes specified by the manufacturer.
 
Ty_Bower said:
They are very pretty tubes. I especially like the large grid alignment holes in the plate.

Interesting, is that what the holes were really put there for?

I got Chinese 6L6-GCR with straight glass no bigger diameter than
the octal base. Only the top mica is supported against the interior
of the glass, the bottom sits on enough wires I guess its stable...

Two getters on either side, near the base, standard octal base.
But the base is only populated with 6 pins...

There's also a small set of wings above the top mica that appear
to be a radiant heatsink for G1. There is no similar sink for G2.

Anyways, there don't seem to be any holes at all in this 6L6's plate.
You can look under or over the plate and see the grids are aligned,
there is about a few mm gap between the plate and the micas...
The plate appears to be self supporting, there are no rods up the
sides like in your pictures. Only the grids seem to have rods...

If I was looking in the bulge on the side (where the holes seem to
be missing), I would be seeing only the beam forming plate anyway.
The anode plate's spot welded seam (8 spots per seam) juts out
right where you would expect it to get hottest, maybe it is aligned
this way for radiant heatsink?

I can photo and/or XRay this tomorrow if having it for comparison
is meaningful.
 
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