Welcome To the Hoffman Amplifiers Forum

September 07, 2025, 05:25:12 am
guest image
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
-User Name
-Password



Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?  (Read 2723 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Captain chunkulus

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 273
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« on: January 06, 2020, 09:29:04 pm »
So I have a 24v center tapped secondary and I wanted to try to knock it down to 12v then 5v and also elevate the heaters. Here's what I was thinking.

Offline Captain chunkulus

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 273
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2020, 09:54:13 pm »
Here's a jpeg.

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2020, 10:01:17 pm »
I'm thinking sparks! You have the +12 and +5 grounds connected to the elevated circuit ground. Maybe even smoke!
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline Captain chunkulus

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 273
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2020, 10:18:44 pm »
I'm thinking sparks! You have the +12 and +5 grounds connected to the elevated circuit ground. Maybe even smoke!


Right, lol.  That's why I'm here. I had thought to maybe float the grounds so that they make ground just though the elevation ground like this?
« Last Edit: January 06, 2020, 10:21:58 pm by Captain chunkulus »

Offline PRR

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 17082
  • Maine USA
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2020, 12:35:55 pm »
You will want a capacitor after the LV rectifier.

If you are running DC on the heaters there is no hum-advantage from Elevation.

If you need elevation for some high-cathode stages, then the relay circuit will be elevated which may be awkward.

K.I.S.S.

Offline Captain chunkulus

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 273
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2020, 01:59:51 pm »
You will want a capacitor after the LV rectifier.

If you are running DC on the heaters there is no hum-advantage from Elevation.

If you need elevation for some high-cathode stages, then the relay circuit will be elevated which may be awkward.

K.I.S.S.


Sorry, I was In a hurry last night to get it posted. There is a 10,000 uf cap after the diodes. Thus is a 5 stage preamp with 3 stages and then a cathode  follower hence the elevation. So, do you think the way I have it wired will work okay?

Offline shooter

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 11014
  • Karma Loves haters
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2020, 02:13:32 pm »
Quote
If you are running DC on the heaters there is no hum-advantage from Elevation.

I would NOT elevate until you "prove" it's required.
since you're at 12vdc for filaments, test, add 10000uf, retest 

At best you have multiple floating points for future techs to light up on, at worst you have smoldering pieces.
Went Class C for efficiency

Offline Captain chunkulus

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 273
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2020, 02:31:04 pm »
Quote
If you are running DC on the heaters there is no hum-advantage from Elevation.

I would NOT elevate until you "prove" it's required.
since you're at 12vdc for filaments, test, add 10000uf, retest 

At best you have multiple floating points for future techs to light up on, at worst you have smoldering pieces.

Sorry then, maybe just ground the center tap and don't use the two 100 ohm resisters at all and don't use elevation until  I see what my voltages look like for the cathode follower.

Offline PRR

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 17082
  • Maine USA
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2020, 10:55:39 pm »
.

Offline Captain chunkulus

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 273
  • I love Tube amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2020, 11:08:31 pm »
.
So no need for the 100ohm Center tap?

Offline Willabe

  • Global Moderator
  • Level 5
  • ******
  • Posts: 10524
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 12v heater curcuit with heater elevation and 5v relays?
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2020, 08:28:25 am »
....... and then a cathode  follower hence the elevation.

Merlin has a fix for the CF problem.

http://www.valvewizard.co.uk/dccf.html

I like using dc stand off voltage (heater elevation) of 70 to 80dcv with a humdinger pot. Worked great on my builds. I posted this dcv in another thread way back and Ed C. did a test with the dc stand off and it didn't knock out the hum until he got it to 70 to 80dcv.   :icon_biggrin:

I take the dcv from the very last/1st preamp tube, because the dcv is the best filtered there and less dcv to drop and waste PT heater current. And 2 less heater wires to deal with.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2020, 08:58:47 am by Willabe »

 


Choose a link from the
Hoffman Amplifiers parts catalog
Mobile Device
Catalog Link
Yard Sale
Discontinued
Misc. Hardware
What's New Board Building
 Parts
Amp trim
Handles
Lamps
Diodes
Hoffman Turret
 Boards
Channel
Switching
Resistors Fender Eyelet
 Boards
Screws/Nuts
Washers
Jacks/Plugs
Connectors
Misc Eyelet
Boards
Tools
Capacitors Custom Boards
Tubes
Valves
Pots
Knobs
Fuses/Cords Chassis
Tube
Sockets
Switches Wire
Cable


Handy Links
Tube Amp Library
Tube Amp
Schematics library
Design a custom Eyelet or
Turret Board
DIY Layout Creator
File analyzer program
DIY Layout Creator
File library
Transformer Wiring
Diagrams
Hoffmanamps
Facebook page
Hoffman Amplifiers
Discount Program