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3-500z

B

billy the kid

Member
Nov 26, 2006
18
0
11
Any one know how a feller could git a hold of a 3-500z box with 5 sockets ready to be talked on with out any tubes perfer new if anyone knows a web site to buy just hulls ready for tubes 73's god bless ole billy is quite
 

billy the kid said:
Any one know how a feller could git a hold of a 3-500z box with 5 sockets ready to be talked on with out any tubes perfer new if anyone knows a web site to buy just hulls ready for tubes 73's god bless ole billy is quite
Click to expand...


The 3-500Z box day is over.

The tube isn't made anymore.

If you want a decent box, get a single 1200A7 box.. Honestly, it will do 4 grand. If that box isn't big enough, get a 3CX3000. You can see about 18 grand PEP on SSB, and about 8 thousand watts of carrier out of it.

Otherwise, not many people are still building that box (500s), simply because it costs too much to retube it.

If you can find one that has forced air cooling, like the L4B, you can get someone to convert it to a pair of 1200s, and that will make a nice 6 to 8K box, depending on how hard you drive it. That will be in a desktop RF deck..

Almost any dual 3-500Z, forced air cooled (pressurized, not fan blown) box can be converted in this manner.

Hope this helps. I hear of them every once in a while. If someone calls me, I'll let you know.

Actually, I know where a 3X 4-400A box is.. I believe its also grid driven, so you only need a radio peaked up to drive it.

--Toll_Free
 
EDUK8TR said:
Number15 said:
RF parts still sell 3-500zs
Click to expand...

Yeppers, From what I understand the 3-500z is still being produced in France, China and Russia I believe. ;)
Click to expand...


Lots of places still sell it.

You can still purchase 6LF6s New, too.

Just because it is available doesn't make it cost effective.

As I said, the 3-500Z box day is done.

--Toll_Free
 
box

tollfree are you saying that if i find a good box that took a pair of 500z,s and have the sockets and what not converted to take a pair of 1200a7,s i will see 6 to 7 grand????on a desktop too?? that would be cool !! lol
 
Re: box

excavator701 said:
tollfree are you saying that if i find a good box that took a pair of 500z,s and have the sockets and what not converted to take a pair of 1200a7,s i will see 6 to 7 grand????on a desktop too?? that would be cool !! lol
Click to expand...

Aa single 1200 will do 2500 to 3500 watts, depending on your cleanliness level wanted, etc.

A single tube needs the fil transformer replaced and the bias circuit reworked.

Dual tubes need new power supplies, and the fil xformer replaced.

The sockets are the same.

Yes, it will fit on your desktop, gutted. Then you have a remote power supply somewhere else.

--Toll_Free
 
Unit 194 said:
Toll_Free said:
because parts and decent tubes are getting VERY hard to find.

--Toll_Free
Click to expand...

I have had no problems whatsoever trying to find parts/tubes or repair service for my 3-500Z Heathkit SB-220.

Tubes and parts are available at http://www.rfparts.com/ and parts and repair service is also available at http://www.rtoham.com/
Click to expand...


This is the same argument that people screamed when the 6**6 tubes dried up in the late 80s / early 90s.

Go ahead. Spend your money on tubes that are produced in the third world. Spend money on technology that has been dropped by the government. Spend your money on a tube that isn't being produced in any numbers in any major manufactured amplifier.

Steel is where it's at, todays technology, can take more abuse, etc.

I BUILD amplifiers. I WORK on them daily. If this guy REALLY wants a 5 tube z box, I'd be more than reluctant to build it for him.

For the 750 dollars 5 tubes to replace is going to cost, (and that's if you can find them for 125 a piece), you can purchase a 3CX3000 pull. 5 Z's = 5000 real peak watts output. 3CX3000 = 12000 output peak. What's the real deal then?

If the argument is he has the 5 tubes already, great. Sell them to someone like me or someone else with a Z box, and use the money to purchase a box that has CURRENTLY PRODUCED tubes.

Just because someone is stealing them from the production line in .ru (which isn't true. .ru tubes are .cn tubes remarked.) and Amperex still makes their tube (which is NOT a direct plug in replacement in all amplifiers) doesn't mean it's a good, safe bet.

Of course, I don't know what I'm talking about.. I just build these things.

Glass tubes = have risen in price, every month, in the last 15 years

Metal tubes = have dropped in price over the years, collectively. They can be rebuilt, they can be purchased as used pulls and sent out to be checked for free...

Get the pix?


--Toll_Free
 
Toll_Free said:
Of course, I don't know what I'm talking about.. I just build these things.

--Toll_Free
Click to expand...

I never said that.

What I did say is that tubes and parts are still available for the 3-500Z Heathkit SB-220.
 
Yes, they are. And that's why a "generic" amplifier, meaning made from common parts, not proprietary, are going to be around for some time. Can't say I see anything wrong with that. I've used quite a few 3-500 tubes over the years. Most of the 'bad' ones I've had are 'bad' cuz I did silly things with them. On the average, they are very forgiving, and I like them. I've also found that a single one will do about as good as two of them, then again, big numbers on the watt meter just don't mean that much to me. Running more than one tube means that you have at least twice the potential problems as one larger tube. Oh well, whatever you can live with...
- 'Doc
 

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