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Re: [Amps] Converting a 76A to a pair of 3CX800's

To: "Jim Thomson" <Jim.thom@telus.net>, <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Converting a 76A to a pair of 3CX800's
From: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:04:23 -0500
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Thomson" <Jim.thom@telus.net>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 7:08 PM
Subject: [Amps] Converting a 76A to a pair of 3CX800's


> From: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Converting a 76A to a pair of 3CX800's
>
>>
>> As I mentioned in an earlier post, I need a 3CX400. If I don't find one
>> I'm considering  converting to a pair of 3CX-800's which I already
>> have.  Although I'd have to replace the transformer as the one in there
>> is a bit on the light side and there is little room for a filament
>> transformer. That's notably less than the cost of a new tube. The
>> conversion looks straight forward and quite simple as the new
>> transformer has the proper filament voltage (IOW it's a drop in
>> replacement with the filament winding for the 3CX-800's) ...BUT, when I
>> look at the transformer with a 1900 VAC RMS winding into a full wave
>> bridge and then at that stack of 6 450 V caps it looks a bit marginal.
>> IOW 1900 X 1.414 - 2686 volts out of the bridge while 6 X 450 = 2700 V
>> for the capacitor ratings. If I figured that correctly that's a whole 14
>> volts to spare if all the caps are at least 450 volts.
>> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Roger (K8RI)
>> __
>
>
> Buy the 470V rated caps (thats whats claimed and marked on them) from
> Ameritron to give you some headroom. You could also drop the input AC with 
> a
> fat bucking transformer as long as the filaments stay within ratings.
>
> Carl
> KM1H
>
>
>
> ###  Cornell Dublier also makes caps in  500 vdc  versions, mind you, not 
> too many.
> Another thought is is to use 3CPX-800A7's.... which are rated for 3.5 kv. 
> Eimac came
> out with a bulletin, telling commercial FM  broadcast stations using 
> 3CX-800A7's..
> to use 3CPX-800A7's.   Reason was, line voltages in some country's  would 
> drift to
> the high side, add some spike on the drop wires, and tubes would flash 
> over.
>
> ##  IMO, the stock OEM cap values on all these amps are way too small. 
> There isn't
> enough energy storage to get the ripple down, nor  provide for good 
> dynamic regulation.
>
> ##  ask anybody, who has replaced 200 uf caps, with 400-600+  uf caps. PEP 
> out is
> higher, and dynamic V regulation is much better.   Ripple typ drops from 
> 3%...down
> to 1% .
>
> ##  You might also be able to retrofit 7 x caps, where the original 6 x 
> stood.  The new breed
> of caps are way smaller these days.
>
> Later... Jim   VE7RF

The ones Ive been buying from Ameritron are the same width but about a third 
the height of the old ones; 270uF vs 160uF which was what I replaced last 
month in a SB-1000 and 210uF in an AL-80A.

Carl
KM1H



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