just scored a stack of old Kepco Tube type Power supplies. 0-400Vdc, 0 to -150vdc regulated and 6.3vac perfect for building tube gear! and there chock full of vintage tubes! Bugle boy 12AX7's, Tung-sol 6550's and more!
Nice chassis too! would make some cool power amp chassis. I may do that with a couple of them.
Nice chassis too! would make some cool power amp chassis. I may do that with a couple of them.
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Makes you feel like you hit the jackpot doesn't it? I scored 4 big H/Ps a couple of years ago, $5 apiece. LOTS of nice tubes!
Craig
Craig
Bah...so you have discovered one of my secret sources for amplifier parts. I use two Kepcos in the shop under the bench (they're very heavy) as voltage sources. And several more stacked up out in the garage for parts. Lambdas and others too. Kepco in Long Island winds their own transformers. It used to be that if a transformer failed, they would send you a free replacement. But I doubt that still applies.
A Local college was cleaning out the Physics lab closet and i was able to snag these. The first one i fired up works but some do say non working etc but that's A-OK!
I will take some pics tomorrow. I was trying to find them on the web but all i can find is the bigger brother and not even close to what i have.
Good find.. Kepco made very good tube supplies - worthy of fixing up. I'm always hesitant to scrap them for parts - you almost never can have too many power supplies until you reach the point where you have nowhere to store them when not in use.. 😀
These days I have mostly Lambda, PD and Isco supplies.
Kevin
These days I have mostly Lambda, PD and Isco supplies.
Kevin
No Pics yet, been under the weather a bit...But i did figure out i have 7 Kepco 400B power supplies and a big fat daddy 2400B mad mutha!
YES, very good find...
Remember when tubes do go, all that is available now NEW
are Asian and Russian. No USA or Europeon. So I would hoard
some of the unobtainium tubes.
Steve @ Apex Jr.
Remember when tubes do go, all that is available now NEW
are Asian and Russian. No USA or Europeon. So I would hoard
some of the unobtainium tubes.
Steve @ Apex Jr.
Nice. If you don't have room for all of them and want to "store" one in the neighborhood, let me know 😀
I may be interested in a complete unit or two (they don't have to work) as well.
If you part any of them out I sure would be interested in the chassis's.
Since my spinal disease went into overdrive it's become really difficult for me to fabricate chassis', so I'm always looking for tube amp chassis's, tube power supply chassis's, etc. to build amps on.
It's so frustrating, I'm retired with lots of time on my hands and it still takes me 2-3 weeks to punch and drill a regular Bud or Hammond chassis for a simple SE amp! Once the chassis is done the rest of the work is much easier for me. A friend fabricated me a sort-of "lap-workbench" (he got the idea from a "lap-desk" his uncle uses) that fits on my recliner, which I use for mounting all the parts and wiring. Perhaps I should call it a "Lap-Lab", LOL.
I should take a picture of myself using the bench on the recliner-I'm not sure if it would funny or sad.......
If you part any of them out I sure would be interested in the chassis's.
Since my spinal disease went into overdrive it's become really difficult for me to fabricate chassis', so I'm always looking for tube amp chassis's, tube power supply chassis's, etc. to build amps on.
It's so frustrating, I'm retired with lots of time on my hands and it still takes me 2-3 weeks to punch and drill a regular Bud or Hammond chassis for a simple SE amp! Once the chassis is done the rest of the work is much easier for me. A friend fabricated me a sort-of "lap-workbench" (he got the idea from a "lap-desk" his uncle uses) that fits on my recliner, which I use for mounting all the parts and wiring. Perhaps I should call it a "Lap-Lab", LOL.
I should take a picture of myself using the bench on the recliner-I'm not sure if it would funny or sad.......
So far they are all working. But i haven't gone through all of them yet. one had a sticker on top that said "Bad B+" and i fired it up and one 6550 output tube flashed like crazy. i replaced the tubes and it works perfectly now. apparently these have oil caps in them. one guy at the swap meet last weekend raved about how well built these things are. If i come across one that needs work I will let you know and we can work something out. otherwise i need to sell a few of these.
I just realized I had one of these. It died due to a shorted paper in oil supply input capacitor, that took out a power transformer that I could not afford to replace.. (This was the late 1980s) Make sure you check all of those caps for leakage and replace any that exhibit more than a mA or so of leakage current.
Otherwise it was a great supply.. I'd love to get another but I expect the shipping would be killer..
Otherwise it was a great supply.. I'd love to get another but I expect the shipping would be killer..
I recently scored a Lambda C-481M power supply that seems to be in good shape. Attached are some pictures, including one of the schematic that is on the back of the unit. If somebody needs higher res images PM me.
I pulled the tubes for transportation and haven't fired it up yet since I first have to get my step-down transformer running.
From the schematic it looks like the unit is equipped with film capacitors exclusively so it might actually still work, right? The thing is built like a tank, I suspect that I'd have to remove all the wires in the back to remove the chassis.
A waste of power but it might be a clean supply for an amp...🙂
I pulled the tubes for transportation and haven't fired it up yet since I first have to get my step-down transformer running.
From the schematic it looks like the unit is equipped with film capacitors exclusively so it might actually still work, right? The thing is built like a tank, I suspect that I'd have to remove all the wires in the back to remove the chassis.
A waste of power but it might be a clean supply for an amp...🙂
Attachments
As you probably already know these power supplys are built with a sealed assembly that contains all of the transformers within. It's virtually impossible to open it up and get at the individual transformers, but an amplifier could be built with the sealed unit because I have used them. I have a stack of these PSs out in the garage. They came in 200, 400 & 800 mA sizes. (C-281, 481 & 881) Most had banks of 6L6GB/Cs or 5881s for the series pass tubes. I've never found a bad transformer in these. Chances are high that yours will work.
That's good news. And yes, they had a bank of 6L6GC. Do you have any documentation on these power supplies?
I just studied the schematic and found a few things...the M in C-481M stands for meter. I also realized that the unit supplies 6.5VAC at 15A from the output strip, nice.
I suppose the first switch that is thrown on power up is the AC switch, as it powers the tubes' heater-xformer. Then sometime later the DC switch. I also assume that the encoder-switches that select the voltage range should only be actuated with the unit switched off (DC at least).
Gorgeous, inside and out.
P.S.: Sorry for the mild threadjacking...
I just studied the schematic and found a few things...the M in C-481M stands for meter. I also realized that the unit supplies 6.5VAC at 15A from the output strip, nice.
I suppose the first switch that is thrown on power up is the AC switch, as it powers the tubes' heater-xformer. Then sometime later the DC switch. I also assume that the encoder-switches that select the voltage range should only be actuated with the unit switched off (DC at least).
Gorgeous, inside and out.
P.S.: Sorry for the mild threadjacking...
These Kepcos are built VERY well inside. quality parts through out! I am very happy! separate transformers for each of the 3 voltages. high quality resistors, caps, wiring is VERY tidy and laced/wrapped. lots of attention to detail! quite refreshing to see after working on all this new MI junk!
I sure would like to find some schematics for these. looks like i could trace it out pretty easy however.
I sure would like to find some schematics for these. looks like i could trace it out pretty easy however.
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