[Amps] The B- Rail

[Harold Mandel]

The B- rail, especially if dealing with a separate
power supply, is just as hazardous as the B+ rail!
 
Ordinarily the amplifier of good design will have 
bleeder resistors from B+ to Frame, a series of 
diodes from B- to Frame, a metering shunt from
B- to Frame, and maybe a direct connection at
the tube socket(s), from that to Frame, if so designed.
 
All these pieces may fail.
 
There might be a catastrophic component failure
and a resultant spike, going somewhere......
 
The B- or HV Return line should be treated as
cautiously as the B+, with spark plug wire, with
decent connectors that would resist arcing of the full B+,
with intelligent lead dress, with solder point anticorona dope, the
whole nine yards.
 
While maybe not a performance issue, B- dressage is
a Safety Issue. Why skimp?
 
Hal
W4HBM