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Old April 3rd 08, 02:43 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors
Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 774
Default 813 warm up time

In article m,
A wrote:


On Tue, 1 Apr 2008, Rick wrote:

How long after applying filament voltage till the 813 is ready to transmit?
Is it like a 3-500 or do I have to wait 30 seconds or so?


When the glow is up to bright orange, then you are ready. If you apply the
filament voltage without "management" (i.e. a slow increase over, say 5-10
seconds), the tube should be ready for transmit in, like, about 1-2
seconds. In a heater cathode (rather than a filament cathode), you need to
wait for that thin "coat" to come up to a dull orange and that can be half
a minute or so depending on the tube.


Note that slow turn-on will radically increase the lifetime of these tubes
if you're using them below full power level. An inrush current limiter
in series with the filament only costs a dollar or two and can easily pay
for itself a hundred times over.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."