The boards are small and pretty stiff, I haven't noticed any flexing with octal tubes.
Perhaps on the final version I will see if there is a place to sneak an extra hole near the centre.
I don't think it is necessary but certainly nice to have.
Ok.
Here is my new jumper arrangement:
J1 for 6v tubes with 6v supply or 12v tubes with 12v supply. Pin 9 floating,
J1 + J2AC + J3AC for as above with pin 9 grounded.
J2AB + J3AB + J4 12v tubes operating on a 6v supply.
J2AB and J3AB will now be wires running under the board but I think this is the best compromise for not having long traces around pin 9 messing up my ground plane.
I now present 2 layouts that are slightly different:
V2.0
Or V2.1:
V2.1 is 5mm wider but moves the heater routing such that the +ve heater trace is "after" the decoupling capacitor. I am not sure if this actually makes a difference electrically but it makes sense to me.
Thoughts?
Here is my new jumper arrangement:
J1 for 6v tubes with 6v supply or 12v tubes with 12v supply. Pin 9 floating,
J1 + J2AC + J3AC for as above with pin 9 grounded.
J2AB + J3AB + J4 12v tubes operating on a 6v supply.
J2AB and J3AB will now be wires running under the board but I think this is the best compromise for not having long traces around pin 9 messing up my ground plane.
I now present 2 layouts that are slightly different:
V2.0
Or V2.1:
V2.1 is 5mm wider but moves the heater routing such that the +ve heater trace is "after" the decoupling capacitor. I am not sure if this actually makes a difference electrically but it makes sense to me.
Thoughts?
Most John's documents has C6 up to 1uF. However, I was questioned him before, he even told me to use 10uF which I did ... lol He said the larger the better.
C8 : 3.3kuF / 16v in some of his documents.
C4 and C5 can be replaced with 50uF 500v - MKP1848H65050JY5
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...KP1848H65050JY5?qs=vLWxofP3U2yDwmbSWL%2BFBw==
C8 : 3.3kuF / 16v in some of his documents.
C4 and C5 can be replaced with 50uF 500v - MKP1848H65050JY5
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...KP1848H65050JY5?qs=vLWxofP3U2yDwmbSWL%2BFBw==
OK, I think it is done.
I was going to say that having an option for the huge 4pin 50uF 500v capacitor wasn't going to fit without some serious rework. But then I saw it.
Using that huge filter cap does significantly decrease the size available for the output coupling cap but that is up to the builder.
Unless anybody has any objections or suggestions for significant improvement I think it is done.
Labeling is done. Vias and ground plane is done.
I can't see anywhere to place a centre mounting hole for extra strength.
The only place to do it is taken up with the instructions for the heaters.
All that remains is checking hole sizes.
I was going to say that having an option for the huge 4pin 50uF 500v capacitor wasn't going to fit without some serious rework. But then I saw it.
Using that huge filter cap does significantly decrease the size available for the output coupling cap but that is up to the builder.
Unless anybody has any objections or suggestions for significant improvement I think it is done.
Labeling is done. Vias and ground plane is done.
I can't see anywhere to place a centre mounting hole for extra strength.
The only place to do it is taken up with the instructions for the heaters.
All that remains is checking hole sizes.
Another half an hour of spare time and I came up with this:
A slightly of centre mount hole for extra rigidity around the sockets.
Extra pads for 37.5mm pitch 4pin film caps in the C4 position.
Extra pads for a 20mm wide film cap in the C3 position if the 37.5mm pitch C4 option is taken.
I should note here that if a 52.5mm pitch film cap is used in the C4 position. Then C3 can be at maximum a 37.5mm pitch, 10mm wide and 45mm long.
A slightly of centre mount hole for extra rigidity around the sockets.
Extra pads for 37.5mm pitch 4pin film caps in the C4 position.
Extra pads for a 20mm wide film cap in the C3 position if the 37.5mm pitch C4 option is taken.
I should note here that if a 52.5mm pitch film cap is used in the C4 position. Then C3 can be at maximum a 37.5mm pitch, 10mm wide and 45mm long.
Right. It is done.
The attached BOM deals only with capacitor dimensions.
Resistors values are up to the builder as there is no standard build for noval tubes unlike octals where 6SN7 is the default option.
Attached is Broskie's suggestions for noval tubes.
Resistor sizing is all for Vishay/Dale RN/CMF60 series except R12 which is sized for 3w metal oxide resistors.
Spades for all power connections.
In/Out is either standard 5mm pitch or 2.54mm pitch headers/screw terminals.
The attached BOM deals only with capacitor dimensions.
Resistors values are up to the builder as there is no standard build for noval tubes unlike octals where 6SN7 is the default option.
Attached is Broskie's suggestions for noval tubes.
Resistor sizing is all for Vishay/Dale RN/CMF60 series except R12 which is sized for 3w metal oxide resistors.
Spades for all power connections.
In/Out is either standard 5mm pitch or 2.54mm pitch headers/screw terminals.
Thank you Sadface!
Folks:
With Sadface's very kind approval, I am considering hosting an Aikido Noval pcb group buy and would like to assess the interest of members located in North America for pairs of these boards. My goal is to sell the boards at just above cost (consisting of the price of two Noval pcbs, a padded envelope and USPS). The small profit made from this group buy will be donated to diyAudio in honor of Sadface.
I guesstimate the price for two Noval pcbs delivered in the US to be $10. Shipping to Canada and Mexico will be higher (by the incremental shipping cost only). Those members located outside of North America who are interested in these boards would be far better off purchasing from a fab house than me -- shipping costs are a killer.
Please respond this thread if you're interested in purchasing a pair of boards and are located in North America. I am not asking for a firm commitment, just a show of hands at this point. Please don't respond if you're not likely to buy a pair of boards, though; I hosted two similar group buys for Mark Johnson's H9KPXG and VRDN boards, and a number of people initially expressed interest and then disappeared, skewing my value proposition.
Regards,
Scott
Folks:
With Sadface's very kind approval, I am considering hosting an Aikido Noval pcb group buy and would like to assess the interest of members located in North America for pairs of these boards. My goal is to sell the boards at just above cost (consisting of the price of two Noval pcbs, a padded envelope and USPS). The small profit made from this group buy will be donated to diyAudio in honor of Sadface.
I guesstimate the price for two Noval pcbs delivered in the US to be $10. Shipping to Canada and Mexico will be higher (by the incremental shipping cost only). Those members located outside of North America who are interested in these boards would be far better off purchasing from a fab house than me -- shipping costs are a killer.
Please respond this thread if you're interested in purchasing a pair of boards and are located in North America. I am not asking for a firm commitment, just a show of hands at this point. Please don't respond if you're not likely to buy a pair of boards, though; I hosted two similar group buys for Mark Johnson's H9KPXG and VRDN boards, and a number of people initially expressed interest and then disappeared, skewing my value proposition.
Regards,
Scott
Hmmm... well, given the overall interest in the Aikido, I choose to assume most people would prefer to order Noval boards for themselves directly from fab houses rather than buy indirectly through me. I certainly don't have a problem with that! Still, I'll give this another couple of days before ordering boards for myself and Tom (6sX7).
I would recommend looking at the socket footprint. There are some with slit-eyed pin holes, pretty good for sockets with flat pins:
