EL84

wdcw · 30th June 2011, 10:44 PM

On the datasheet I have for the EL84 is has 6.3V for the heater supply, can I run these heaters on 12v safely?

Cheers

vinylkid58 · 30th June 2011, 10:59 PM

No!

nightanole · 30th June 2011, 11:01 PM

no they will blow up with 12v. You can run 2 el84 heaters in series with 12 volts. You can also convert the heater supply to regulated.

wdcw · 30th June 2011, 11:28 PM

Thanks for the replies,

I have two 12AX7's & two EL84's in the circuit, so if I wire the all the heaters in series, 12v heater supply should be ok.

Cheers

chrish · 30th June 2011, 11:43 PM

No, you cannot wire 'all' of the heaters in series, only the two EL84s. You would have to set a series/parallel arrangement I would think. You do know that 12AX7s can be run on 6.3 volts by wiring its heaters in parallel don't you? You could set up a 6.3 volt heater supply for to heat all of those tubes in parallel.

wdcw · 30th June 2011, 11:54 PM

Gday chrish,

Yeah I know about using 6v & wiring all the valves in parallel, I wanted to try using 12v but haven't done it before, hence the question.

I have read that 12v filament arrangements have less noise than the 6v supply due to less current, so I just wanted to test it out basically.

Cheers

chrish · 1st July 2011, 12:18 AM

maybe worth worrying about on small signal tubes, but I would not think it is worth the bother on power tubes.

nightanole · 1st July 2011, 01:55 AM

Poddwatt Class-A Stereo EL84 (6BQ5) Vacuum Tube Amplifier

He uses dc but its the same thing as the OP

vinylkid58 · 1st July 2011, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightanole

Poddwatt Class-A Stereo EL84 (6BQ5) Vacuum Tube Amplifier

He uses dc but its the same thing as the OP

Sort of the next best thing if you can't do regulated.

jeff

DF96 · 1st July 2011, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdcw

12v filament arrangements have less noise than the 6v supply due to less current

If magnetic induction is a problem then there may be a grain of truth in this, but correct wiring practice (e.g. minimising loops) is much more important. Bear in mind that a 12V supply may carry twice the noise of a 6V supply, so if there is capacitive coupling you make the problem worse!

Note that if you simply wired a 6.3V heater for 12V, as you seemed to imply in your original post, then you get more current not less up to the point that the heater fails.

30th June 2011, 10:44 PM	#1
wdcw diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2010	EL84 On the datasheet I have for the EL84 is has 6.3V for the heater supply, can I run these heaters on 12v safely? Cheers

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30th June 2011, 10:59 PM	#2
vinylkid58 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Victoria, B.C.	No!

30th June 2011, 11:01 PM	#3
nightanole diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	no they will blow up with 12v. You can run 2 el84 heaters in series with 12 volts. You can also convert the heater supply to regulated.

30th June 2011, 11:28 PM	#4
wdcw diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2010	Thanks for the replies, I have two 12AX7's & two EL84's in the circuit, so if I wire the all the heaters in series, 12v heater supply should be ok. Cheers

30th June 2011, 11:43 PM	#5
chrish diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sydney	No, you cannot wire 'all' of the heaters in series, only the two EL84s. You would have to set a series/parallel arrangement I would think. You do know that 12AX7s can be run on 6.3 volts by wiring its heaters in parallel don't you? You could set up a 6.3 volt heater supply for to heat all of those tubes in parallel.

30th June 2011, 11:54 PM	#6
wdcw diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2010	Gday chrish, Yeah I know about using 6v & wiring all the valves in parallel, I wanted to try using 12v but haven't done it before, hence the question. I have read that 12v filament arrangements have less noise than the 6v supply due to less current, so I just wanted to test it out basically. Cheers

1st July 2011, 12:18 AM	#7
chrish diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sydney	maybe worth worrying about on small signal tubes, but I would not think it is worth the bother on power tubes.

1st July 2011, 01:55 AM	#8
nightanole diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	Poddwatt Class-A Stereo EL84 (6BQ5) Vacuum Tube Amplifier He uses dc but its the same thing as the OP

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