Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: RobBozic on September 08, 2018, 04:38:58 am

Title: Q regarding PT primary voltages
Post by: RobBozic on September 08, 2018, 04:38:58 am
Hi,
I’ve got a 5E3 PT with 384-0-384 ac on the secondary. As I’m in Australia we use 240V.


Now on the PT primary I ground the ‘0’ and use the ‘240’, what if I ground the ‘110’ and still use the ‘240’, would I get a secondary voltage of 274-0-274? (384 - 110)


Thanks
Rob
Title: Re: Q regarding PT primary voltages
Post by: sluckey on September 08, 2018, 09:26:04 am
You'll get about 700-0-700 until the primary winding burns open. Shouldn't take too long.
Title: Re: Q regarding PT primary voltages
Post by: pdf64 on September 08, 2018, 10:23:17 am
...Now on the PT primary I ground the ‘0’ ...
Yikes, no!
One end of the primary connects to the mains 'neutral', the other connects to mains 'live / hot', the latter via fuse and 'power' switch.
Title: Re: Q regarding PT primary voltages
Post by: RobBozic on September 08, 2018, 05:12:52 pm
Yes, I meant wiring the ‘0’ to the Neutral  :smiley:


It’s for an existing amp which does work.


Rob
Title: Re: Q regarding PT primary voltages
Post by: PRR on September 08, 2018, 06:38:03 pm
What Sluckey said. You would be putting 240V into 240V-110V or 130V worth of primary winding.

First thing: it sucks BIG current because the over-voltage saturates the core and current gets to 10X to 1000X normal.

Next thing: the secondary *rises* to like 709-0-709. Opposite of what you are thinking. Far too much for any g-amp.

Third thing: room fills with smoke as the over-current primary catches fire. You have turned a working PT into a stinky paperweight. (In an extreme case the cellar fuse *may* blow first; actually you should have a proper chassis-fuse which may die faster than the PT.)

You also mess with the 6.3V winding (11.6V) but I don't think it will live long enough to matter.
Title: Re: Q regarding PT primary voltages
Post by: RobBozic on September 09, 2018, 07:38:42 am
Noted, and Thanks for the reply.
Rob