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[AMPS] Tube going bad?

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Tube going bad?
From: 2@vc.net (2)
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2001 15:47:46 -0700
>
>> I have a Commander HF-2500 which uses a pair of 3CX800's.  Recently I've
>> noticed the plate current does not drop back all the way to zero when
>> un-keying.  The longer it's on and the hotter it gets, the higher this
>> current is.  It starts out around 50 ma and after a half hour or so of
>> RTTY, will get up to 250-300 ma.  If I let it sit with filaments on but
>> not keyed, eventually the current will drop down again.
>> 
>> I'm suspecting some out-gassing in one or both of the tubes.  I know the
>> previous owner seriously overheated the tubes to the point where the
>> delrin insulators around the tubes were melted.
>> 
>> Does this sound like a bad tube or tubes?  
>
>It is not necessarily at tube problem, especially if you can drive the 
>PA to normal output when it is acting acting up.It is certainly not 
>gassing, because that causes a HV anode to grid/cathode 
>flashover....a "big bang". 

// An arc inside the envelope is barely audible.  Big bangs occur in air, 
not in near vacuums. 

cheers

-  R. L. Measures, 805.386.3734,AG6K, www.vcnet.com/measures.  
end


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