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Re: OT: DIY stereo tube amps Posted by ELaw [Email] (#699) [Profile/Gallery] (more from ELaw) on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:09:57 In Reply to: OT: DIY stereo tube amps, Gregg [Profile/Gallery] , Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:22:39 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Well obviously every one is different, but in a tube amp you've generally got two main supply voltages. One is low-voltage AC (or in fancier amps, sometimes DC) that runs the filaments. Although that circuit can carry some current, the voltage is usually 6 or 12 - not enough to shock you.
The other supply is the so-called "B+" supply - that feeds the plate circuit on the tubes. The B+ supply will often have several voltages, the lowest being 150 or more, the highest can be 500 or higher. Regardless, it's enough to harm you! So the bottom line is beware of anything in the B+ supply circuit or things connected to it. Among other things, that generally includes the output transformers, and the screens (if present) on the output tubes.
One good piece of advice with tube equipment is whenever you're working on it and it's energized, always work with one hand behind your back. The most likely scenario for getting a shock is when one hand is grounded and the other touches (either directly or often via a tool) high voltage. The current would then of course travel from one hand to the other through your body. Keeping one hand away from anything reduces that chance.
_______________________________________ Eric Law Current collection: '12 Audi A4 quattro (self-tuned) '14 Audi A6 quattro (also self-tuned) Gone but not forgotten: '72 99, '77 99 (became a turbo, twice) '80 900T 5-door, '81 900T, '86 900S (became a turbo), '86 900 SPG '86 9000, '97 9000 Aero A bunch of Audis, '69 Firebird, '64 Toyota Corona (first car, cost $35 and worth every penny) Be alert... America needs more lerts!
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