GE 816 Rectifier specs?

[Justin]

Hey guys. I'm considering using a mercury vapor GE 816 rectifier tube
in an amp I'm designing (simply because I have access to one), but I
can't find specs for it anywhere. Anyone know anything about this
tube, or where I could find information about it, as far as max
voltage, current, and power ratings, etc. are concerned?

[RapidRonnie]

Justin wrote:
> Hey guys. I'm considering using a mercury vapor GE 816 rectifier tube
> in an amp I'm designing (simply because I have access to one), but I
> can't find specs for it anywhere. Anyone know anything about this
> tube, or where I could find information about it, as far as max
> voltage, current, and power ratings, etc. are concerned?


You will of course need a copy of the GE Essential Characteristics
manual.


Any mercury rectifier tube will need to be operated in a ventilated,
RF tight cage with carefully filtered and bypassed hash chokes. Also,
should you break the tube or it fail its envelope you have a mercury
issue with which to deal.

[Bob Weiss]

Justin wrote:
> Hey guys. I'm considering using a mercury vapor GE 816 rectifier tube
> in an amp I'm designing (simply because I have access to one), but I
> can't find specs for it anywhere. Anyone know anything about this
> tube, or where I could find information about it, as far as max
> voltage, current, and power ratings, etc. are concerned?
>

Here's a copy of RCA's datasheet for the 816:

http://tubedata.tigahost.com/tubedata/sheets/049/8/816.pdf

It is a halfwave rectifier, so you will need a pair of them for fullwave
service. The little brother to the 866A/866.

Bob Weiss N2IXK

[Raymond Koonce]

Justin wrote:

> Hey guys. I'm considering using a mercury vapor GE 816 rectifier tube
> in an amp I'm designing (simply because I have access to one), but I
> can't find specs for it anywhere. Anyone know anything about this
> tube, or where I could find information about it, as far as max
> voltage, current, and power ratings, etc. are concerned?
>

I've used these tubes and they work very well. Currently building a
SE47 amp using 816s in full wave. They look very nice running and they
have a small voltage drop, about 15V. They'll put out 2200V at 125mA.
They're rated at 7500V PIV. They don't like even a small cap, choke
input *only*.

Best regards,

Raymond