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Post subject: Tube ID
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:50 am
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OK, so I bought this thinking it was a tube as marked on the box. I wanted to try it out in place of a 5y3. There were no pictures of the actual tube in the ebay listing and it was cheap enough to take a chance on, so I bought it. I looked all through google at pics, as there are no visible tube markings and I'm no tube expert.
I need a few more eyes to help. To me, based on the construction I see. It appears to be made maybe in Holland or England, thinking Mullard, Phillips, Amperex, Brimar, Bendex maybe.
I disregard the box, because of the tube length in relation to the box.
Here are a half dozen pics:
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Thanks for looking


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:07 pm
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Kinda reminds me of an early 1950-60s US 5Z4 or a 1960-70s Russian-made 5U4C. Do you have access to a tube tester?

http://www.mif.pg.gda.pl/homepages/fran ... /5/5Z4.pdf

https://taooftubes.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... tube-data/


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:22 pm
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No, to the tester. Was thinking about an unloaded test in the Bronco but do not want to risk it. May take it by a local shop to get it tested.
I don't think its a 5z4, although I don't read/speak French. It looks like the data says metal tube. I've only seen a few Sylvania's from the early 50's that had the hinged double plate w/ exposed copper supports.
Its definitely from Holland, I was able to make out the Holland shadow in white but it was extremely light and wiped off while taking pics.
The white middle joining sleeve in the last pic resembles Brimar/Bendix, they made stuff for Sylvania.
I thought it was maybe an early 6x5gt.
The box info I think is useless, but that's what I bought it on. The seller has no clue.
The double plate joining is pretty unique to late 40's to mid 50's.


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:26 pm
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Eric, if it is truly made in Holland, there should be a Philips/Mullard date and manufacturing code acid etched onto the tube. It's be in small fonts, usually in black or white at the bottom of the tube. Looks kinda like this:

Image


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 9:15 am
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Yeah I agree there should be an etching in the glass. The Holland shadow in white was at the bottom of the glass, unfortunately gone now. I measured(64th ruler & straight edge) the tube late last night and found the closest match in my tube (1963 GE) characteristics book to be the 9-33 or 9-44 w/ the pinout/base being 5T(5as4-a,5au4,5aw4,5ax4-gt,5az4,5r4-g,5r4-gy,5r4-gya,5r4-gyb,5t4,5u4-g,5u4-gb,5v3,5v3-a,5w4,5w4-gt,5y3-g,5y3-ga,5y3-gt,5931) 5DA(5ar4) or 8KD(5cu4).
I checked every tube in the book for a match to that size/shape and pinout, but didn't find one. I know one book isn't all inclusive and there are some parameters that should be measured w/ a caliper but was hoping it would get me closer.
I appreciate your looking at it.
I took my 8x viewing glass to every square inch of the tube inside and out and couldn't find an identifying mark.


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:58 pm
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The measurements via caliper:
Total height- 3 3/4" 95.3mm
Seated height- 3 1/4" 81.8mm
Base width-1 1/4" 31.8mm
Glass top width- 1 1/8" 28.7mm


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:04 am
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Eric,

No one on the tube board recognized the tube. My WAG (and it's a big one) --- this tube looks Eastern European (era when USSR was still around). My WAG: RFT or Hungarian Tungsram 5Z4?

Try to find a tester to test it as a 5Z4 (GZ30).

:)


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 7:49 am
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Well I thought about signing up at the Museum and submitting it to them. But the cost was a little to high for a single tube. While there are other worthwhile reasons to join the site, I did not.
I have ordered a couple other 5v4's to try out.

I appreciate the attempt to identify, its a stubborn tube if no one on the tube board could identify it.
It may well be a 5z4, but the RC-30 only lists this tube as a type 2b(metal) and the pinout as:
1 BC
2 F+
3 PT
4 nc
5 PD
6 empty
7 F-
8 nc

From the RC-30 this tube measures w/in specs for a 13G. And has a standard rectifier layout pin array.
I've seen a reference for a glass 5z4gt. Edited, finally found this online in the 1951 Dtd copy. It was obsolete by 1959, however it still doesn't fit the actual tube in size:
http://www.tubebooks.org/sylvania_tube_manuals_online.htm


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 6:16 pm
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Eric,

Someone on the Tube board thinks it maybe a Damper Diode tube. Some are the 6AX4, 6AU4, 6DE4, 6AY3, 6DW4, 6CJ3. FYI... These are half-wave rectifiers.

Do you have some clearer photos of the plates?

Thanks! :)


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:38 am
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Here's a few more pics, leaving the resolution high so they may post funny.
Image
Image
Image


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:22 am
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Saw this tube listed on eBay, matches my unknown except for mine has a pair of D getters.
Seller is 100% feedback on 356 sales, boeing747600.
What do you think about this tube?
Image
Image
Image


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 7:08 am
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It is NOT a Mullard/Philips made GZ34/5AR4. It maybe a GZ32. I'll need to look more into it.


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:09 pm
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That one sold for $55.
I don't feel bad only spending $10.
I don't know, gz34 or gz32 but I will try mine in the Super Reverb when I get to it for sure.


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:55 pm
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Ppl on the tube board feel the rectifier is a KOREAN made knockoff of a Russian 5C4 or 5Z4 (Novobrisik factory). Radio Shack commissioned Sanyo to make "Realistic" labeled tubes, in the mid-to-late 1960s. Sanyo, then sub-contacted this order to a South Korean company (possibly Samsung).

In any event, these Korean made tubes are not that good. I would not recommend buying and using them in any vintage amp.

One thing I'd do... check the fuse! Should be a 2-amp Slo-Blo. Last thing you want is that crazy rectifier shorting out and taking out that precious output transformer. You are a brave soul! I always put in British Mullard or Dutch Philips GZ34 or US made 5AR4 into these vintage amps.

Maybe, putting a couple state diodes prior to the GZ34 might be a good idea. These will continue to work, if the tube rectifier shorts out.

Image


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Post subject: Re: Tube ID
Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:16 am
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Quote:
One thing I'd do... check the fuse! Should be a 2-amp Slo-Blo. Last thing you want is that crazy rectifier shorting out and taking out that precious output transformer. You are a brave soul! I always put in British Mullard or Dutch Philips GZ34 or US made 5AR4 into these vintage amps.

No doubt a new good fuse is a must. Both tube types are 2amp rated, I figure if I just run w/ only the rectifier for a quick check of output voltages I might be able to determine if its a gz34 or a gz32. I don't think I will use it as a long term tube, its just a bit to sketchy.
I have 3 NOS gz34 tubes now and 3 gz32 type, I "really" like the gz32 type in my Bronco vs the 5y3.

Not really getting what the series diodes accomplish in the rectifier, are they just to ensure power is supplied in the event the rectifier fails and wouldn't a tube short also short/shunt the diode connection to the power rail?


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