Power Filtering.

General discussion area for tube amps.

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

User avatar
leadfootdriver
Posts: 424
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:32 pm

Power Filtering.

Post by leadfootdriver »

What's the general rule with power supply filtering? For example, what would the difference be if I used a 40 or 50uf cap for a pair of triodes instead of a 22uf?
User avatar
Colossal
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:04 pm
Location: Moving through Kashmir

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by Colossal »

leadfootdriver wrote:What's the general rule with power supply filtering? For example, what would the difference be if I used a 40 or 50uf cap for a pair of triodes instead of a 22uf?
For the pair of triodes, are you referring to their duties as preamp or power amp tubes?

In general, the larger the cap, the "stiffer" the feel. This is generalizing grossly because it does not take dropping resistors or chokes into account. Caps and resistors form "RC" networks and the amount of capacitance and resistance required is related to how low (Hz) you want to filter to. Chokes and caps form LC networks with filtering/ripple reduction properties as well.

Check out Valve Wizard's site for a good primer:
http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/smoothing.html
User avatar
leadfootdriver
Posts: 424
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:32 pm

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by leadfootdriver »

Colossal wrote:
leadfootdriver wrote:What's the general rule with power supply filtering? For example, what would the difference be if I used a 40 or 50uf cap for a pair of triodes instead of a 22uf?
For the pair of triodes, are you referring to their duties as preamp or power amp tubes?

In general, the larger the cap, the "stiffer" the feel. This is generalizing grossly because it does not take dropping resistors or chokes into account. Caps and resistors form "RC" networks and the amount of capacitance and resistance required is related to how low (Hz) you want to filter to. Chokes and caps form LC networks with filtering/ripple reduction properties as well.

Check out Valve Wizard's site for a good primer:
http://www.freewebs.com/valvewizard1/smoothing.html
I guess there's a lot more to it! I ordered the Wizards power supply book a few days ago, but I won't get it until after x-mas. Amazon is slow right now!

I should probably just wait 'till I get read the book before I ask loaded questions!

Thanks.
Roe
Posts: 1918
Joined: Thu May 31, 2007 2:10 pm

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by Roe »

for preamp 22uf is usually sufficient
www.myspace.com/20bonesband
www.myspace.com/prostitutes
Express, Comet 60, Jtm45, jtm50, jmp50, 6g6b, vibroverb, champster, alessandro rottweiler
4x12" w/H75s
User avatar
rdjones
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:20 am
Location: Music City, TN

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by rdjones »

The only real "rule" I'm aware of is when there is a tube rectifier, the first cap in a capacitor input supply should not exceed the rating for that tube.
These values are lower (and more important) for directly heated cathodes, example 5Y3 is shown with a maximum 20u input cap.
The filtering downstream can be much higher but there's litter to be gained beyond 10x that which smooths for the lowest frequency to be reproduced.

rd
User avatar
leadfootdriver
Posts: 424
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:32 pm

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by leadfootdriver »

Looking at the Express schem, there's 2-40uf's after the rec. Doesn't the tube rec see 80uf?

https://tubeamparchive.com/files/tw_exp ... 08_334.pdf
User avatar
Colossal
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:04 pm
Location: Moving through Kashmir

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by Colossal »

leadfootdriver wrote:Looking at the Express schem, there's 2-40uf's after the rec. Doesn't the tube rec see 80uf?

https://tubeamparchive.com/files/tw_exp ... 08_334.pdf
Yep.
User avatar
cbass
Posts: 4401
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:17 pm
Location: Between Pomona & Bakersfield

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by cbass »

leadfootdriver wrote:Looking at the Express schem, there's 2-40uf's after the rec. Doesn't the tube rec see 80uf?

https://tubeamparchive.com/files/tw_exp ... 08_334.pdf
The express don't havt a tube recto.The rocket does though.
User avatar
Colossal
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:04 pm
Location: Moving through Kashmir

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by Colossal »

cbass wrote:
leadfootdriver wrote:Looking at the Express schem, there's 2-40uf's after the rec. Doesn't the tube rec see 80uf?

https://tubeamparchive.com/files/tw_exp ... 08_334.pdf
The express don't havt a tube recto.The rocket does though.
Leadfoot's been considering his options about a switchable tube/ss rectifier for his build:
https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0
User avatar
rdjones
Posts: 818
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:20 am
Location: Music City, TN

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by rdjones »

KyleAdam wrote:Power filtering is generally use for Aquarium. Most freshwater tropical fish keepers own aquariums ...

SPAMBOT !
User avatar
David Root
Posts: 3540
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 3:00 pm
Location: Chilliwack BC

Spambot

Post by David Root »

Looks like it. How do we get rid of it and prevent others?
User avatar
Colossal
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:04 pm
Location: Moving through Kashmir

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by Colossal »

The same spambot hit another thread too.

[RANT]I wish hackers, identity thieves, and spammers could be 'upgraded' by the State Dept. to terrorists because of all the economic and personal damage they cause. Maybe the idea of having a SEAL team come through your door and the last thing you see is the glare of a laser in your eye before they empty a magazine of plus-P 10mm into your head would be an incentive to curb at least some of it globally. I know most of it comes from other countries, out of the reach of SEAL teams (at least for now). I can dream though...[/RANT]
User avatar
ToneMerc
Posts: 3480
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:55 pm
Location: East Coast

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by ToneMerc »

Colossal wrote:The same spambot hit another thread too.

[RANT]I wish hackers, identity thieves, and spammers could be 'upgraded' by the State Dept. to terrorists because of all the economic and personal damage they cause. Maybe the idea of having a SEAL team come through your door and the last thing you see is the glare of a laser in your eye before they empty a magazine of plus-P 10mm into your head would be an incentive to curb at least some of it globally. I know most of it comes from other countries, out of the reach of SEAL teams (at least for now). I can dream though...[/RANT]
Sounds like terminal aberrant behavior correction :D

TM
User avatar
Colossal
Posts: 5205
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:04 pm
Location: Moving through Kashmir

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by Colossal »

ToneMerc wrote:Sounds like terminal aberrant behavior correction :D
Haha, thank you for indulging me TM! I hate to sound like that, but yes, that is the idea. The world has become far too small for people that take so much from hard working people. Same with the mexican cartels. One simple solution: SEAL Team.
User avatar
ToneMerc
Posts: 3480
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:55 pm
Location: East Coast

Re: Power Filtering.

Post by ToneMerc »

Colossal wrote:
ToneMerc wrote:Sounds like terminal aberrant behavior correction :D
Haha, thank you for indulging me TM! I hate to sound like that, but yes, that is the idea. The world has become far too small for people that take so much from hard working people. Same with the mexican cartels. One simple solution: SEAL Team.
Tier 1 gets the job done, much respect for SAS units as well.

TM
Post Reply