[AMPS] Re: Poor science

measures 2@vc.net
Sun, 5 Mar 2000 13:36:26 -0700


>
>Hi Terry,
>
>Most people have names. If you are addressing me, use my name 
>and I will answer.
>
>I wouldn't call you Mr. Sucker, and in return I don't expect to be 
>called Mr. Denial.
>
€  You appear to have impared reality on this matter, Mr. Rauch.  This is 
seemingly why you will not discuss -  or even acknowledge -  Your post to 
rec.radio.amateur.homebrew NG on 28 November, 1996.  

>> I really question why I am wasting my time with this ... I hope this will
>> be of interst to some ... I am sure Mr. Denial will will just consider it
>> nonsence as he has with most all of Rich's claims ... But this is from the
>> real world of what actually happens ....
>> 
>> The amplifier was in STANDBY ..... NOT KEYED .... but with all voltages ON
>> ! I had a reason to remove the top cover (high voltage interlock removed),
>> I slowly raised the cover from the front of the amplifier leaving the rear
>> of the cover sitting on the amplifier ... when I got the front of the
>> cover raised about 3 inches ... all of a sudden the amp made this huge big
>> grunt and the circuit breaker tripped off. After I removed the top cover
>> and turned the amp back on I had idling plate current in the standby mode.
>> Long story short ... I had one of the two 3-500Z's with a grid to filament
>> short and that tube had metal particles rolling around inside of it. Ten
>> minutes earlier this amp was putting out 1300 watts on 20 meters. NOT
>> knowing what had happened I replaced the bad tube and tried again. Guess
>> what ... with the cover about 3 inches raised ... yes ... I lost another
>> 3-500Z ! This was a damn expensive way of being introduced to the type of
>> oscillation that Mr. Denial says can't happen !
>
>The theory you are supporting is Rich's claim that a photon can 
>strike the cathode of a tube that is on standby, and cause enough 
>current flow to arc over the relay contacts and put the amplifier in 
>an operating mode.

I have no idea of what gets struck and liberates current carriers. . 
>
>Once in the operating mode from the wayward photon, the amplifier 
>that was OK for weeks or moths before (with the very same relay 
>closed and opened hundreds of times) now suddenly has a 
>parasitic and draws so much current it actually explodes the 
>elements inside the tube.

I have never seen an element explode.  .  I have seen 3-500Z/8008 
filament helices that bend and touch the grid cage.  .  .  In amps with 
gorilla supplies-  such as the Henry 3K-A - one event is apparently 
enough.  
>
>I'd like to ask a few questions:
>
>1.) What type of amplifier was it.
>
>2.) What type of tubes.

He told you.  
>
>3.) Why don't the photons generated in normal operation cause the 
>same problem?

Gamma rays from normal operation?  Whew.  Now that's really a ''big 
one''.  
>
>4.) Why don't photons in gas-filled tubes specifically designed to 
>detect photons have even modest amounts of current?
>
>5.) Why do hundreds of other amplifiers without covers not fail?
>
Because Murphy was right. 

>6.) Since the saturated current of a 3-500Z is about 10 amperes or 
>so (that's all the filament can "give up", even if you hold the anode 
>and grid at 3000 volts positive), how does the oscillation cause 
>enough current to shatter the filament or grid?
>
>7.) If the tube could supply that much current, how does it get that 
>current so fast through the high surge impedance of the path from 
>the energy storage area (power supply) into the tube?
>
The ESR between the filter C and the anode is typically less than a dozen 
ohms plus the glitch R.  What is ''high surge impedance''?

cheers, Tom

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