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Re: [Amps] Replacing 3-500Z tubes with 4-400A tubes

To: <donroden@hiwaay.net>, <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Replacing 3-500Z tubes with 4-400A tubes
From: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 10:31:02 -0500
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
A 4-400 works fine if you use a heat radiator that doesnt extend above the 
anode cap. Buy them from Ameritron.

Carl
KM1H


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <donroden@hiwaay.net>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 5:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Replacing 3-500Z tubes with 4-400A tubes


> 4-400s will work in an SB 200 , but you cant slide it back in its case.
>
> ( tube checker only !!!  HV EXPOSED !!  )
>
> Don W4DNR
>
>
>
> Quoting Bill Fuqua <wlfuqu00@uky.edu>:
>
>> Well, it does blow some air on the socket but not up thru the socket to 
>> the
>> seals.
>> In some 4-400A tubes the pins are connected by smaller conductors from 
>> the
>> socket and
>> do not themselves conduct a lot of heat.  That is why the sockets and 
>> tubes
>> have holes
>> in them and the shields as well. The air is supposed to blow up thru the
>> holes and hit the
>> seals and then out the sides holes in the metal shield.
>>    The 3-500z tube do not have the metal shield and the side flow does 
>> hit
>> the seals and
>> along with the pin cooling they stay cool enough.
>>    You may get by anyway with the 4-400As because  they will be running 
>> at
>> lower power and
>> they are running in either CW or SSB modes. But if you were running full
>> bore RTTY you
>> may have a problem.
>>    The tubes were designed to run with the plates red 24/7 and which is
>> unlikely in
>> a SB220. This is why I was wondering if someone had some real experience.
>>     A very interesting seal cooling mechanism is the one that was used in
>> the EIMAC
>> 1000T.  The tube was the same size as a 450TH but lots more power. They
>> provided small
>> metal tubes that carried low pressure air straight to the seals on the 
>> base
>> and the grid.
>> I guess they were intended to be used as a upgrade for 450T transmitters
>> using same sockets
>> and physical size.
>>
>> 73
>> Bill wa4lav
>> At 04:32 PM 12/6/2011 -0500, Carl wrote:
>>> The SB-220 cools the filament pins.
>>>
>>> Carl
>>> KM1H
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Bill Fuqua" <wlfuqu00@uky.edu>
>>> To: "John King" <k5pgw@yahoo.com>; <amps@contesting.com>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 9:15 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Amps] Replacing 3-500Z tubes with 4-400A tubes
>>>
>>>
>>> >  One possible issue with the 4-400A is that it has a metal shield 
>>> > around
>>> > the glass seals on the base.
>>> > The cross flow cooling used in some amplifiers does not work well and 
>>> > an
>>> > additional fan
>>> > may be need to cool the seals.
>>> >   Maybe someone can comment on this that have had personal experience
>>> > making the conversion.
>>> > 73
>>> > Bill wa4lav
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > At 04:20 PM 12/4/2011 -0500, John King wrote:
>>> >>I have several very good 4-400 A tubes and have replaced a pair of bad
>>> >>3-500Z tubes with a pair of 4-400A tubes in a Heath SB 220 amp.
>>> >>
>>> >>I have noticed much lower resting current being drawn when keyed up. I
>>> >>have noticed about 200 watts less power output with 100 watts drive. 
>>> >>The
>>> >>4-400A tubes are as new.
>>> >>
>>> >>I made no changes to bias or other parameter adjustment. I would
>>> >>appreciate the benefit of your knowledge and experience regarding the 
>>> >>tube
>>> >>substitution. Thanks and 73, John, K5PGW
>>> >>_______________________________________________
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>>> >>Amps@contesting.com
>>> >>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>> >
>>> >
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>>> >
>>
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