AC

[C2]

What does than mean when folks say their going AC?

 

[Moleculo]

They're going to a setup that powers their amps using Alternating Current in their mobile...probably because they're going to a tube setup.

 

[paws264]

i thought all tube amps ran on dc? dont they have to rectify that ac somewhere?

Yes, they do (except for the filament voltage; can be either / or) however, the DC voltage levels needed to power large transmitting tubes are hard (if not impossible) to achieve with DC to DC conversion.

For example, a GU-39b-1 needs 6.3 volts at better than 100 amps to light the tube, 10,000 volts on the anode and, the control and screen grids need -70 volts and a +400 volts respectively; these are voltage levels that are best achieved using 120 volt AC input.

AC mobiles use inverters to provide 120 volts to light the tube and minor supplies and a 3 phase alternator driven power supply to generate the B+ for the anode (plate) of the tubes.

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