I am trying to pick fun tubes that have a glow. I've heard that the 866A's can produce a lot of UV. I've also seen a lot of amps sporting these tubes--usually at around 500V @ 350mA. The 816's are too small. Are there alternatives like with the 0A3's, 0B3's, 0C3's, 0D3's etc.? Is it generally ok to run these tubes without a screen at 400V @ 400mA?
I'm running a pair of 866A's at 485vdc out to power a stereo 6550 PP amp. I use a delay relay and a choke input (15H 65ohms 500ma). The power supply is very quiet and I love the glow!
Years ago, in the first colour TVs the only way to regulate the 25kv EHT was a shunt regulator called a PD500. We used to be able to see the wall behind the TV if the repair man left the metal cover off!
A nice bluey pink glow of UV and lots of Xray!
A nice bluey pink glow of UV and lots of Xray!
Don't expect it to kill a lot of CVID19 virus, 866 rectifier mostly emits in the UVa section of the spectrum.
The 866A produces UV, but not like its larger counterparts the 872A, 575A, 266B, 857B, etc. I used 816's to power stereo 7027A's push pull...the merc rectifier has constant voltage drop which makes it ideal (other than silicon) for AB amplifiers...I've worked with the large merc rectifiers with radio transmitters...the 857B produces UV and X rays when operated around 16 kv in one of the older 50 kw am transmitters....
Give the merc rectifiers a good 30 sec to a minute to preheat before applying HT and they will last a long time...
Give the merc rectifiers a good 30 sec to a minute to preheat before applying HT and they will last a long time...
"Page stopped in front of a smaller room, enclosed by heavy quartz. Inside that room was the great bank of mercury-vapor rectifiers. From them lashed a blue-green glare that splashed against his face and shoulders, painting him in angry, garish color. The glass guarded him from the terrific blast of ultra-violet light that flared from the pool of shimmering molten metal, a terrible emanation that would have flayed a man’s skin from his body within the space of seconds. * * * * The scientist squinted his eyes against the glare. There was something in it that caught him with a deadly fascination. The personification of power—the incredibly intense spot of incandescent vapor, the tiny sphere of blue-green fire, the spinning surge of that shining pool, the intense glare of ionization. Power…the breath of modern mankind, the pulse of progress."
from Empire, Clifford D. Simak, 1951
from Empire, Clifford D. Simak, 1951
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It's funny. Most people in the 50's would have some grasp of the content. But today, there are significantly fewer people who know what a tube is than do not. Most people from either generation would have a hard time wrapping their brains around this. Just saying it's like a 100 light bulbs just doesn't do it justification. Thanks for that.
PRR,
Thanks!
Very nice writing from that author.
That was a great blast from the past, which until now I was unaware of.
The third picture seems to have a ghost outline of an 833 or similar.
I never liked using mercury vapor rectifiers in my equipment, but does either a type 82 or a type 83 rectifier glow purple/UV?
I have used an OD3, it has a very pretty glow. And it helps to partially bleed down the B+.
Thanks!
Very nice writing from that author.
That was a great blast from the past, which until now I was unaware of.
The third picture seems to have a ghost outline of an 833 or similar.
I never liked using mercury vapor rectifiers in my equipment, but does either a type 82 or a type 83 rectifier glow purple/UV?
I have used an OD3, it has a very pretty glow. And it helps to partially bleed down the B+.
Yes, it is more blue than purple.
I used one of these for a few years. It may not have been the best choice of rectifier but I liked it. Then one day it arced over unexpectedly. I tried derating it but it continued to arc, so I finally put it to rest.
