• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

quick question about tube relays

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Hello,

This is probably really off topic but I thought i'd come to the experts since a search brought up nothing.

I was wondering if a "tube relay" acts the same way as a traditional relay?

The reason I ask is that I am currently installing two butler tube amps and a butler tube crossover in my car and i thought it would be a great little addition if the relay was also a tube.

thanks in advance,

scott
 
Yea,sorta.
They usually have a delay,the exact amount of delay depends on the type of relay tube. (commonly 15,30,45 or 60 seconds)

Essentialy they use a small heater (looks like a tiny wirewound resistor) to heat a bi-metal contact..once it's warm,it 'trips'.

Not an instantaneous 'trip' like a normal relay,wether that's an issue or not is up to you. 😀

One more note,they're usually 6.3V,you might be able to find 12V versions though..Personally I've never seen a 12V relay tube,but I assume they're available.😕
 
6V, 12V and 24V-26V thermal delay relays in various glass envelopes are common. Both Amperite and Potter Brumfield made a selection in both 9 pin miniature and in octal types as well.

For example a typical PB or Amperite relay would be the 26NO60T which denotes a 26V heater, normally open contact, and 60 second delay.

Check out the Amperite website here: http://www.amperite.com/Uploads/g.PDF
(I would have attached this document, but at 430K it is just too large.)

Rated contact currents are typically not much over 1 - 3A which might be a concern in your application.

They are mechanically rugged, but can suffer thermal fatigue after many years of use. (Either they don't close or they end up taking more or less time to close than when new.) I have seen very few that didn't work though.
 
thank you, amperage shouldn't be a concern of mine, the relay will control turn on circuits on the amps which draw milliamps.

now to figure out how to make this look good (hope this application and miss use of a tube doesn't offend anyone) 🙂
 
Hi ! I'm using XT90As from the former Thomson-CSF in my OTLs . These could be subs of 6NO90 if they do exist ! But caution :
Don't use these to switch directly HV !! As TEKTRONIX did , they turn a low voltage relay on to avoid arcing . 😉
 
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