[Amps] Use of 12V/115V inverter to power small tube amp?

[David Feldman]

Jim, Jerry -

Good points - much appreciated.

The project I have in mind is a 6M amp using a GI-7B tube that can be used when roving (12V supply), so the Hercules 2 (or Metron MA-1000B, or a few others) aren't a solution (I should have mentioned this in the first place.)

I gather "pure sine wave" inverters as a rule generate much less RFI, so that seems like a good choice, but much higher cost/watt. They often seem to claim ~90% efficiency which is promising. Do inverters usually tolerate rapidly fluctuating current demand like found in SSB/CW transmitting? Anything to look for for this kind of application?

Keeping the filament on via DC power would certainly be easy enough for the GI-7B - I'm not sure of the start-up time for an inverter (fast enough for semi-break-in CW? If the inverter is only used in transmit, a square wave inverter might be acceptable?)

Thanks again,

>Subject: [Amps] Use of 12V/115V inverter to power small tube amp?
>
>Any issues/suggestions/ideas/pointers to previous discussions re using a 12VDC/115VAC consumer inverter for powering of a small tube amplifier (assuming adequate/stable 12V DC source, of course)?
>
>Example inverter:
>http://www.harborfreight.com/750-watt-continuous-1500-watt-peak-power-inverter-66817.html
>Example amplifier:
>http://www.ameritron.com/Product.php?productid=AL-811
>
>Tks,
>
>Dave
>

>NOISE, NOISE, NOISE, NOISE!   This sort of product is notorious for 
>generating bodacious RF noise, and you can't turn it off on RX because 
>you must keep the filaments going.
>
>73, Jim K9YC

>*** Unless you have a linear that lets you run the filaments direct off
>the car battery.  I have a couple of SBE SB2-LA's that have that feature.
>I would imagine that the Heathkit HA-14 "Kompact Kilowatt" did also. 
>Wait, it used 572B's - so you can just turn the filaments off for receive.
>
>                       - Jerry Kaidor

>If you've got a stiff 12V source, a better solution is to find a good 
>used Ten Tec Hercules II, a very nice solid state amp for 160-10M that 
>runs on 12-14VDC and puts out about 550W.
>
>73, Jim K9YC
>
>