It has found wide use in tube radios and early guitar amplifiers of the fender champ type. However the manual states this tube the 5ar4 may be replaced with the 5y3 rectifier tube. This is a chart showing the specifications for 5 volt rectifier tubes that can be used in guitar amps. Connect the scope probe to pin k, the center tap of the power transformer winding for the 5y3 rectifier filament and reapply ac power. Tube 5y3 or rohre 5y3 id3114, fullwave vacuum rectifier, octal int. I did some research at kcanostubes and i dont see why i couldnt, but i wanted to get som. To view this site, you must enable javascript or upgrade to a javascriptcapable browser. Other than that i believe the rectifier is the most important tube in the 5e3 circuit. In addition, when changing to a higher output rectifier in a self biasing aka cathode biased amp, eg, champ and others never assume that the power tube s isare safe. Only the gain is different in those tubes btw well put aside any brand coloration for now.
It is virtually identical, electrically, to the older fourpin type 80 tube, but with an octal base. Along with an 8 speaker, it was covered in two toned brown and tan vinyl and was beautiful to behold. The more of a voltage drop dcv drop you have the more sag or compression you will have. The 5y3, for example, requires 5 volts at 2 amperes to heat its filament. This is your change to use a nos telefunken rectifier, for a reasonable price. You can take two of those, put the heaters in series, and the plates in parallel. Vacuum tube 5y3gt, sovtek antique electronic supply. Second, the bottom end tightened up considerably, making it possible to push the amp a little harder before it starts flubbing out in way tweeds do. Substituting a solid state rectifier in these cases lets the amp start working at lower voltages. This slowrise, indirectlyheated rectifier should be considered an upgrade for a 5y3 tube in most circuits, and will drop slightly less voltage. They produce a similar voltage drop to 5u4 rectifiers but require only 2 amps of heaterfilament current from the power transformer as opposed to 3 amps for a 5u4.
The silver print on the has the otk inspection stamp. Hey, i have a gibson ga5 1957 transition version, and i want to experiment with the rectifier tube. Rectifier comparison and interchangeability chart kca. Tube rectifiers need filament power to thermally stimulate electron flow. Due to tall coke bottle design, this tube may not fit in all amplifiers. Double anode rectifying tube 5y3s is an octal rectifier diode with a true directly heated cathode. Since each plate of the selenium stack could support about 30 volts, you will typically find 5 or 6 plates in a 120 vrms rectifier. Tube substitution guides recommend a 5v4 to replace the 5z4, but they dont recommend a 5y3 or any other filamenttype rectifier, even though their current ratings are not grossly different. In 1953 the name changed to champion 600 with a 6 speaker replacing the original 8. Antique radio forums view topic 5y3 substitute for 5z4. Please see the substitutes at the top of the page for more details. The 5y3gt is a filamentary twindiode designed for fullwave rectifier. Our gz34s are tested in a custom rectifier tube test fixture.
This unit allows us to select multiple reservoir cap values and it features a standby switch between the reservoir cap and rectifier tube. The 5y3 is a mediumpower directly heated fullwave rectifier vacuum tube introduced by rca. Jj electronic vacuum tubes, capacitors, amplifiers. Calibration testing of the hickok model 800800a tube testers. The 5y3 is a mediumpower directly heated fullwave rectifier vacuum tube introduced by rca in 1935. The two toned vinyl remains, however some of the later. Finally in desperation, i swapped the 5y3 rectifier with one of these, and two things happened. Capacitance is only a variable, as are plate supply resistances and raw voltages. Welcome to tubedepot javascript must be enabled to use this site. This tube can deliver 250ma from a 2,5v 4,5a heater.
By having this information on a chart you can choose a rectifier tube that will best suit your playing style. Amps with tube rectifiers are problematic in the rectifier tube doesnt start working until about 50 volts ac are applied. Max capacitance first filter 5y3 antique radio forums. Its a tad saggy at the moment, but i was wondering if i could safely use a 5ar4 in place of its stock 5y3. The 5u4g is no longer the tube of choice for new mesa amps that feature a 5u4 type rectifier tube. Verify that the alternating peaks of 120hz dc are of equal amplitude.
If this is done with no load on those tubes filament supply, the test readings will be inaccurate. The sovtek 5y3gt tube is an indirectly heated fullwave rectifier tube intended for rectification in general purpose audio equipment. This would result in four pins again, and the new heater is now 5v, 4. The circuit snippet shows a common tube rectifier like a 5y3. The 5z4, like the 5v4 and 5ar4, has a cathode sleeve tied to the heater. I have a sovtek 5y3 in my 6g25e3 build it did raise the b a bit. If you cant find or dont have a transformer with a 5 volt winding one of the 6ax5 circuits may be for you. This vintage russian 54 5u4c rectifier is a 5z4 equivalent. I think its the combination of rectifier and output tubes that makes some of the difference. Octal rectifier tube max dc output current 125 ma an indirectly heated diode intended for rectification of commercialfrequency alternating current. Looked at the amp, stopped playing and started checking the. This tube has a filament which is also the cathode, rather than a separate cathode pin. I thought of trying the 5v4 but feel it might raise my.
Increasing the cathode bias resistor is often necessary. It had one 6sj7 preamp tube, a single 6v6 power tube, and a 5y3 rectifier tube. The chart is most useful when you use it as a guide to the relative voltage drops of different rectifiers. I found one site that lists it at 140 ma but does not spec the voltage above a real 5y3. The circuits that use a 5y3 rectifier tube require a transformer with a 5 volt 2 amp winding for the tubes filament. I had replace the rectifier with a modified added resistor eh ss rectifier. The 5r4 can handle high plate voltage and is one of the beefier rectifiers. This makes them good substitutes for the other rectifier types when different output voltage is desired. Solid state rectifier direct plugin replacement for 5ar4, 5u4 and 5y3 rectifier vacuum tubes in amplifiers with center tapped secondary power transformer. Frank philipse pocnet mirror patrik schindler 5y3gt. Frank philipse pocnet mirror patrik schindler, 5y3gt. Physically, rectifiers take a number of forms, including vacuum tube diodes, wet chemical cells, mercuryarc valves, stacks of copper. My anthem has originally had a 5ar4 but came with a jan 5y3gt in the power supply. This is a very popular rectifier to use in place of 5u4, 5ar4, 5y3, 5v4 and many others.
Always check the bias and idle power of the tube with the new rectifier to be certain that it is running within spec. All three should be considered when designing a valvebased power supply, as they determine max transient as well as steadystate current a 5y3gt is speced at 440 ma. Adjust the scope as before to display the 120hz pea ks, and observe the screen bias voltage. The lower, centertapped winding shows the large ac voltage to the plates which is going to be rectified by the diode action of the tube.