Tickling The Dragon's Tail

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ElPaso TubeAmps

ElPaso TubeAmps

Күн бұрын

"Tickling The Dragon's Tail", is a movie about some guys "playing" with a Plutonium bomb core, also named, "Demon Core", in 1946 and an accident occurring. It cost them their lives in a horrible way.
I know this is a little odd video but during the building of complex pieces of equipment like an AM transmitter that requires power supplies, in this case only a HV supply and not a screen and bias supply since I am using zero bias triodes in the RF and modulator and a common HVPS, simplifies construction but during the process, I enjoy success-points where I can see the filaments light, see the HV supply come up correctly, etc. I am just documenting this for your enjoyment. Building this type of equipment and dealing with voltages in the kilovolt range can be - DEATH ON CONTACT - so while I do not recommend it for anyone, it is my passion.
For your entertainment - and possibly your helpful critiques that can continue the project success, I welcome your thoughts and comments.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, etc. Stay safe and I wish you all a very good peaceful and loving New Year of 2024 and beyond. WA4QGA, El Paso, Texas.

Пікірлер: 59
@MM0IMC
@MM0IMC 8 ай бұрын
1:20 The "wall wart" type of PSU is something I've used myself, in amplifier builds. In my case, it was for a high volume blower at 12V DC @ 1.7A. This saved me building a separate transformer and rectifier.
@samb3706
@samb3706 8 ай бұрын
The RC network device you asked about is usually employed across the contacts of a relay that is feeding an inductive load, protecting the contacts from arc burns when the contacts open and the stored energy in the transformer needs to go somewhere.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Yes, thank you. Since I have a DPDT relay, I should put one across each contact. Also across the contacts of the smaller relay that operates the large DPDT relay. Thanks.
@samb3706
@samb3706 8 ай бұрын
Merry Christmas, Dave.
@thomastubeworks
@thomastubeworks 8 ай бұрын
There he is again! Man I could watch your stuff all day and especially this high voltage stuff. I got almost 50 1625s dropped of last week so the 1625 amps are a go, I just need to run them all through the curve tracer and try to match them up a bit. I might try them in triode at 400v. I even pulled my box of 866s out just in case it goes El Paso style. All the best to you and thanks for another great video
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Wow... 50, 1625's. That aught to do it for an amplifier or two. I think the only tubes I have many of one kind is 6SN7 and 12AU7. If you need some, let me know. The Williamsom amplifiers built with 807's or 1625's and running the Acrosound transformers are some of the best performing amplifiers I have ever tested and built. I still have a voltage doubler with 866A built as a module but got lazy and went with those 20KV, 2A epoxy blocks in this amplifier. But the MV rectifiers are charming and very powerful - I see them as kind of the SS rectifiers of the 1920's 🙂
@thomastubeworks
@thomastubeworks 8 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps really appreciate the offer I’m pretty set for 6SN7, only reason I got that many 1625s is I made a low offer on the lot from the fella selling them and he accepted it, got extras in case I kill a few. You are right about those 866s or any MV rectifier, they are such a beautiful blue that you need to see in person to appreciate and 15v drop is great, I’ve never used them in a power supply yet on something I built just played with them here and there, you put that perfectly saying the SS rectifier of the 20s. I’ll likely be up until 4 am playing now haha, if we don’t speak again before then you sir have a great Christmas!
@thomastubeworks
@thomastubeworks 8 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps Hey there David happy 2024 to you and hope your year started good, do you know of any store or website that has the bigger 7 pin bases for sale that fit the 1625? The last few lots I got off eBay were listed wrong by the seller and were the smaller 7 once they got here. I’d rather not buy the Chinese ones if I can help it.
@georgeonerato575
@georgeonerato575 8 ай бұрын
I love watching the videos you make. That must be tense moment turning on the high voltage. I do the same thing with my projects, but I’m working with a lot less voltage. Still scary. I hope you continue to make videos like this. The stuff you work on is above my knowledge but they really do inspire me. So I thank you, and I hope you have a nice holiday. Stay safe. George in CT
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Thank you. I just enjoy sharing this stuff. I know I am communicating with real people - the KZbin community has been a wonderful experience for me just sharing what I experience without too much personal opinion on my part. After my review of the video, I see I make mistakes in what I say as I am moving so fast. It is a tense moment as it can go "Bang" really quick or do - Nothing... but have to keep moving.
@isolirionband7300
@isolirionband7300 3 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps I man, i want to modify my amp adding it more gain ,i got a Rivera M100 and Peavey 6505+112 plus combo. Can you give me some advice?
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 3 ай бұрын
@@isolirionband7300 Here is a schematic for your amplifier. www.thetubestore.com/lib/thetubestore/schematics/Peavey/Peavey-6505PLUS-112-Schematic.pdf I am not suggesting you make this change but if you want more gain out of the input stage tube, V1, you can see that the plate load resistor for the 12AX7 is R38 and it is 220K ohms. This load resistor determines the voltage gain of the tube so - if you really want to do this - you might want to change it to a slightly higher value like, maybe 270K or go as high as 470K. This should give you a bit more gain in the first stage. Not sure what it will do to distortion or the rest of the sound or it may become unstable and start oscillating, etc. so, do this at your own risk and always give yourself a way to back-out and go back to original. Hope this helps.
@MM0IMC
@MM0IMC 8 ай бұрын
I enjoy watching your builds, quite inspirational. 👍
@lllllREDACTEDlllll
@lllllREDACTEDlllll 22 күн бұрын
I don't know what I am watching but... it's pretty dope.
@bob_mosavo
@bob_mosavo 8 ай бұрын
This is one of my favorite channels. Thank you 👍
@Wtfinc
@Wtfinc 8 ай бұрын
God i would love to work on something so cool. I hope i get the chance to build one or something
@josepheccles9341
@josepheccles9341 8 ай бұрын
I am so glad to see you still making videos. Merry Christmas and hopefully several New Years to come.
@apexmcboob5161
@apexmcboob5161 8 ай бұрын
Always enjoy your videos, yours always get priority on my notification list. I seem to recall reading somewhere that while putting a diode across the relay coil reduces the inductive spike it also reduces the velocity of the contacts. Dunno if that would be relevant to your circuit. Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2024.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Yes, the reversed biased diode across the DC relay coil prevents a huge inductive voltage spike from coming back down the line that could damage whatever is controlling the relay, nowadays usually a solid state tranceiver. Years ago I build a simple 2N2222 circuit with relay and the first time I actuated it, the transistor shorted. So I changed the transistor - next time, did the same thing - finally I figured out what was happening and put the diode across the coil and it worked perfectly. Also might prevent a "pop" in a receiver during release.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
One more thing that you might find interesting. I had forgotten about the possible time delay of the release of the relay because of the reverse biased diode. I use ChatGPT a good bit so I thought I would ask its opinion on the subject. You might enjoy what it has to say. I pasted the conversation in below. Thanks again... User In building equipment and using conventional relays, in this particular case, a relay with a DC coil, I always put a reverse biased diode across the DC relay coil so that when the voltage is removed from the coil, the reverse polarity collapsing field will be snubbed by the diode. Some say this changes the time the relay contacts open or close. Would adding the diode change the pick-up time or release time of the relay? ChatGPT Adding a reverse-biased diode across a DC relay coil, also known as a flyback diode, is a common practice to protect circuit components from voltage spikes caused by the collapsing magnetic field when the coil is de-energized. The diode provides a path for the current generated by the collapsing field, preventing high-voltage spikes that can damage other components in the circuit. Regarding the impact on the pick-up or release time of the relay: Pick-Up Time: The pick-up time of a relay, the time it takes for the contacts to close after the coil is energized, is generally not affected by the presence of a flyback diode. When the relay is energized, the diode is reverse-biased and does not conduct. Therefore, it does not impact the magnetic field's build-up in the coil that leads to the closing of the contacts. Release Time: The release time, the time it takes for the contacts to open after de-energizing the coil, can be slightly affected by the diode. When the relay is de-energized, the collapsing magnetic field generates a current in the opposite direction, which is conducted through the diode. This can extend the time it takes for the magnetic field to fully collapse, potentially causing a small delay in the opening of the contacts. However, this delay is usually minimal and may not be significant in many applications. In summary, the impact of a flyback diode on the operation of a relay is typically minimal with regard to the pick-up time, and it may slightly extend the release time. However, the protection it offers against voltage spikes is often more critical, making it a recommended practice in most DC relay applications.
@apexmcboob6526
@apexmcboob6526 8 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps I can't locate the reference but I believe the concern was relay contact life when switching higher voltage and current DC loads. Unless manufacturer installed and tested the diode in the life expectancy test the relay may fail somewhat prematurely. I can live with that much better than the pops and surges its absence causes. Just one of those odd factoids that clutters one's mind!
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
I am laughing at the, cluttering of one's mind. So true. think that is what keeps us going. We can drive ourselves crazy and sometimes the ones around us because of our passions... If it was too simple, it wouldn't be fun... 🙂
@dtg474
@dtg474 8 ай бұрын
Totally cool. Another great video and build
@kgsalvage6306
@kgsalvage6306 8 ай бұрын
It's always nail biting powering amplifiers up for the first time. I know how you feel. There's either going to be a big bang and lots of smoke, or everything is fine. Glad it was the latter. I've been an audio guy for the last 40 years or so, but finally I'm stepping up to RF. Got my Ham license a month ago. Took both the tech and general the same day. Still working on my transceiver though. Picked up a Yaesu ft101e. Have a couple old Denon RF amps also to restore. After that I'll tackle building a large amp. Watching your videos got me itching to go RF. KC3WXU, 73
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Can't get enough of it... I love audio and want to build a 500 watt amplifier, just for the channel, using a pair of 4-125A and a huge OPT I have. I had two of the large OPT - meant to run 810 tubes - and built the 810 amplifier using one of them with the help of a friend from Denver. He took it to Denver and now it is his but looking at the specs of the 810 and 4-125A, they are similar enough in plate-to-plate Z that it should work pretty good. I feel I owe another audio amplifier project to my audio fans and subscribers.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Forgot to mention - congratulations on getting your general class license. I see you have established your QRZ account. I have filled mine up with lots of pictures. I hope we meet soon on 20 or 40M. 73 WA4QGA
@Dukers2300
@Dukers2300 6 ай бұрын
Thank you!!! I love your videos!
@luckydubeinrc5165
@luckydubeinrc5165 8 ай бұрын
ya know , standing there,... am i ready to switch this thing on, (big Grin ) , yeah been there many a time. second guessing, thinking if i am really ready, what did i forget etc.. know just how you felt :)
@pomonabill220
@pomonabill220 8 ай бұрын
First time power up!! WHEW!!! It WORKS!!! Congratulations! I LOVE that wall wart with the AC pins just soldered to.... I have done that before as well... why not? It has it's own "case". I put heat shrink over the pins when I do it, but not necessary. You ALWAYS do beautiful work! I am impressed!
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Thank you. I plan on putting some shrink tubing over the pins just to dress it up. With all that HV in the area I don't think it matters a lot concerning safety... I mention this often in my videos that I use, Goop, to stick things like that down to the metal. Did the same thing with the two relays. Goop is good stuff - it won't come lose or fall off but it can be removed if necessary. I like to do a sufficient and proper job in the first stage of building to get things up and running and afterwards go back over it - sometimes for years - doing little things to dress it up. Always good to hear from you.
@mikepelletier1399
@mikepelletier1399 8 ай бұрын
DC is so hard on relay contacts. Put some heat shrink on that walwart before an accident happens, speaking from experience. Take care, and Merry Christmas!!
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Totally agree with the issue of DC on relay contacts. It can be a real problem. Got plenty of little things to take care yet, including the shrink on the walwart. A few years ago I used a small relay to apply screen voltage to a pair of 4-125A tubes. What I did not realize concerning the contacts is with DC, even when the contacts open, the DC current may "follow" and keep arcing, and it did, and not allow the contacts to open and break the circuit. I noticed a light coming from under the chassis and knew that was not right. Had to put the modulator on the bench to find out what was wrong. I use the bias voltage supply to control screen and HV and had to change the relay contact to the AC primary side of of the screen supply transformer. We live and learn, don't we. Thank you for your comments.
@Tacet137
@Tacet137 8 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps We live and learn indeed... you wouldnt be able to learn otherwise
@dtg474
@dtg474 8 ай бұрын
Merry Christmas
@neccron9956
@neccron9956 8 ай бұрын
For the low voltage relay, I would suggest to use a transformer based wall wart and isolated key jack. That way, your equipment will be completely isolated.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
Agree. That little wall wart in the video is used just as you suggest to operate the small relay and provide protection and isolation for any external control device, like a tranceiver. 🙂
@chriswilson7493
@chriswilson7493 8 ай бұрын
Not seen you for a while, ity great to have another video to enjoy, especially a high power tubes and RF one! Thank you and a very happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year to and your family from me here in England. Chris 2E0ILY.
@benjaminmeadows1380
@benjaminmeadows1380 8 ай бұрын
Tube is little for that power supply
@LAFD54
@LAFD54 8 ай бұрын
Hello! I have a few Eimac APR1000A tubes and would like to but on display in the shack. Do you have any nice ceramic bases you would recommend? Thanks!
@charliehustle5529
@charliehustle5529 4 ай бұрын
I hope the dragon didn't bite back.Haven't seen anything from you for a while.Hope all is well
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 4 ай бұрын
The dragon lives on 40 meters. An awesome 4-1000A amplifier. All is well. I have some thoughts for videos but just haven't taken the time to do any. Thanks for thinking of me.
@hpfctif7tx7t
@hpfctif7tx7t 5 ай бұрын
Hello! Do you have a video on how to bias a tube and making load lines?
@isolirionband7300
@isolirionband7300 3 ай бұрын
I man, i want to modify my amp adding it more gain ,i got a Rivera M100 and Peavey 6505+112 plus combo. Can you give me some advice?
@jeffberwick
@jeffberwick 7 ай бұрын
cool (or hot actually!)
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 7 ай бұрын
Thanks - I am hoping to post another exciting ☺ video of this amplifier tonight with the 3-1000Z and also testing a pair of 4-1000A - hopefully... tonight.
@jeffberwick
@jeffberwick 7 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps I can't wait to see it!
@HeartDrumMachine
@HeartDrumMachine 5 ай бұрын
Hi! Sorry for of-top but what you think about GEC 48A 600:600 transformers. I want using it for mastering colour box. Seller on eBay says that they similar to Western Electronics rep 111c. Is it corect? In your opinion what the best output transformer for creating colour box for mastering.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 5 ай бұрын
I wish I could help but that is over my head... I am not a musician so all I could offer would be an analytical measurement of the transformer. With that said, there does seem to be something magical added to audio by "iron" so, unless the price of the transformer is prohibitive, it might be worth a try.
@slamdvw
@slamdvw 8 ай бұрын
At 5:23 or so, what is the slight blue glow on the left tube?
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
That is the HV coming on. At voltages that high there can be a slight blue glow around the inside of the glass envelope. I like to use ChatGPT sometimes as it gives really nice answers. Here is my question and its answer. User In high voltage vacuum tubes running at 3500 VDC or above, there is sometimes a very light and thin blue glow that appears to be around the inside of the envelope. It is normal as long as the whole inside of the tube does not turn deep blue. What do you think causes this phenomena? ChatGPT The light blue glow you observe in high voltage vacuum tubes, like those operating at 3500 VDC or above, is a phenomenon known as "fluorescence" caused by the impact of electrons on the glass envelope of the tube. In vacuum tubes, electrons are emitted from the cathode and accelerated by the high voltage towards the anode. When the voltage is sufficiently high, some of these electrons can miss the anode or other intended targets and strike the glass envelope of the tube. The energy from these high-speed electrons excites the atoms in the glass, causing them to emit light as they return to their normal state. This emission of light is what you see as the blue glow. The type of glass used in the tube can affect the color of the glow. Some glasses contain impurities or additives that can fluoresce under electron bombardment, resulting in the characteristic blue glow. This is similar to how certain materials fluoresce under ultraviolet light. It's important to note that while a faint blue glow is normal and often harmless in vacuum tubes, a more intense or widespread glow might indicate a problem, such as gas contamination inside the tube or excessive electron bombardment of the glass. This could lead to reduced tube life or failure. However, as long as the glow remains light and thin, it is typically considered a normal byproduct of high-voltage operation in vacuum tubes.
@lllllREDACTEDlllll
@lllllREDACTEDlllll 22 күн бұрын
Can I use this for my headphones?
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 22 күн бұрын
I think I would put a lot of insulation between my headphones and my ears if something with 5000 volts was driving my headphones. 🙂 Thanks for your reply...
@lllllREDACTEDlllll
@lllllREDACTEDlllll 21 күн бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps YOLO
@Dukers2300
@Dukers2300 3 ай бұрын
Hey, been a few months since you posted. Are you doing okay?
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 3 ай бұрын
Thank you for thinking of me. Yes, I am doing better. In one month it will be two years from my wife's passing but when the time is right, I know she will come for me. I do work at being productive and have six cats now ... they are my little family. I have to make sure all my homebrew equipment is cat-safe so they can't get inside. 🙂 Got a few ideas for some simple videos that I need to get busy on. You all on KZbin have been very kind and caring. I really appreciate that and it does make a difference. Stay safe and thank you. David Beard
@Dukers2300
@Dukers2300 3 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps Thanks for replying! Glad to hear you’re doing well and hanging in there. Sorry for your loss, it’s difficult to move forward sometimes when such a big piece of life is suddenly not there anymore. All you can do is what you’re doing though, being productive and having your family! Animals are fantastic. They’re just like people in many ways, and occasionally devious little things… cats especially. I’ve had a 72-pound dog companion for about a year and a half now and can’t imagine life without him. My folks have two cats with big personalities too. I’m looking to downsize my electronics collection. I have a lot of audio tubes, a few Thordarsson transformers, DuKane amplifiers, MV rectifiers and thyratrons (672A) and selenium diodes. Would you have any interest in acquiring some of these? I work sometimes in Phoenix and El Paso, I’d be happy to get them to you. I’m really happy to hear that the followers and comments on KZbin lift your spirits. I sincerely look forward to your videos and hope you’re doing well, seems I’m in good company with the rest of the folks who watch your stuff on here.
@kristyskirt9015
@kristyskirt9015 8 ай бұрын
Safety oh o working Alone not only with High Voltage, your title fits this as a physics engineer working at night alone also “tickling The Dragons Tail by stacking tungsten bricks around a nuclear boop plutonium Pit he was tired and one brick slipped and the set up went Prompt Critical he grabbed the brick yet too late a blue flash of gamma rays was emitted, he died 20 days later. You are also in great harm’s way of possible X Ray exposure and RF radiation exposure. Holy smokes. Please stop and really think this out.
@ElPasoTubeAmps
@ElPasoTubeAmps 8 ай бұрын
I do appreciate your concern for me. There is no issue of X-ray as my voltages are well below any level that would cause gamma rays to be emitted. Also, RF radiation at HF frequencies (3MHz to 30MHz) is not a concern at my power levels. I could be killed by electrocution but I am experienced and careful. What would I do for excitement if I stopped this hobby? I might have to take up hunting Texas rattle snakes at night - that would be fun. I promise I will be very careful. I have six kitty cats that depend on me. ♥
@kristyskirt9015
@kristyskirt9015 8 ай бұрын
@@ElPasoTubeAmps that is good news. I just concerned about you. Merry Christmas.
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