[Amps] HV Diodes

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2014 09:23:12 -0700
From: Glen Zook via Amps <amps at contesting.com>
To: Carl <km1h at jeremy.qozzy.com>, "ka4inm at gmail.com"
<ka4inm at gmail.com>, amps <amps at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] HV Diodes

Agree completely with Carl!  1N5408 diodes, mounted on perf-board, works fine.  Depending on the size of the holes in the board, one may have to slightly enlarge them to get the thicker gauge wire of the 1N5408 through the board.

Believe it or not, Radio Shack is an excellent source of inexpensive perf-board.  Not for many things these days, except for aluminum mini-boxes and a very few other items, but for perf-board actually true!
 
Glen, K9STH 

##  I use vector board from mouser.   I use the stuff   with the bigger holes.... which I think are aprx .080 inch.   Both the 1N5408 and also 6A10 have the same gauge wire on the ends..aprx .061 inch..and I think 16 gauge. 
The 6A10 is exactly the same length as a 1n5408, but bigger body diameter.  the 6A10 is rated for 6A and a 400 A surge.   A 6A10 will drop in where a 1n5408 once stood.   The vector board is easy to cut up etc. 

##  The leads  on the ends of the diodes IS the heat sink  for the diodes.   I use the 1n5408 and 6a10 diodes for bias as well.   In testing on the bench, the 1n5408 will handle 1A CCS and run warm.  The 6a10  will handle 2A  
ccs and run warm.   The beauty of rectifier service is the diodes only have a 50 %  duty cycle on em..even with key down fm or rtty. 

## I tested several batchs of both types of diodes a while back..and both typ have a 1200-1400 piv rating. 

##  I would not mess with a 1N4007.  The 5408 and 6a10 are dirt cheap in bulk.   The 5408 and 6a10  work great for bias service.  Then its easy to  chnge the bias by tapping the diode string.  If u really want the bias to be rock solid
you can always install an electrolytic across the  entire string of diodes.... then the bias will not budge.  10-40k uf works good. 

Jim   VE7RF