Needed 83 tube.

[Al Parker]

Hi guys,
    IIRC, the 83 is a mercury vapor rectifier, and thus has lest voltage 
drop.  That's probably why Hickok & other tube tester folks used them. 
Dunno if it really makes much real world difference, does anyone regularly 
check the true calibration/accuracy of their tube tester anyhow?  The line 
adjust pot keeps things sort of standardized, and the slight difference in 
B+ probably isn't significant for us guys.
73,
Al, W8UT
New Bern, NC
www.boatanchors.org
www.hammarlund.info

"there is nothing -absolutely nothing- half as much worth doing as simply 
messing about in boats."
   Ratty, to Mole


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Hardie- W5UQ" <W5EUQ at VERIZON.NET>
To: <BOATANCHORS at LISTS.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 11:54 AM
Subject: Re: [BOATANCHORS-TEMPE] Needed 83 tube.


> Yep.
> Bob
> PS... 5U4G's used to make the world go around... and in this case, the 
> rectification is "close enough for government work"....
> Kevin McDonald wrote:
>> I have a couple of tube testers with the type 83 tube.
>> I collected a couple as spares as they seem to be becoming scarce.
>> I also play with low end vintage audio as the Dynaco and Heathkit series.
>> The Dynaco Stereo 70 uses the 5AR4/GZ-34 tube for a rectifier.
>> I couldn't find native 5AR4 so I went with the Russian version - what 
>> crap - consider them $18 fuses.
>> I then looked at the schematic and realized that the 5U4 was a pin for 
>> pin replacement.
>> The specs for the 5U4 were a bit less than than the 5AR4 but in the real 
>> world the 5U4 is a major trooper while the filiment in the Rusky 5AR4 is 
>> good for ~ 6 months at 20 hours/week.
>> The full tube Dynaco sounds great through the old AR3A speakers.
>> I found a very nice 5U4G (big fat glass) to put in my HQ-180 to light it 
>> up - what a sweet radio!
>> 5U4's make the boatanchor world go round!
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>> p.s. I didn't know about the 83 -> 5U4 replacement.
>> Does this affect calibration or is rectification rectification?
>>
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>
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