Pentodes
connected as Triodes
by
Tom Schlangen
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
About the author
Tom Schlangen
Born 1962 in Cologne / Germany
Studied mechanical engineering at RWTH Aachen / Germany
Employments as safety engineering specialist and CIO / IT-head
in middle-sized companies, now owning and running an ITconsultant business aimed at middle-sized companies
Hobby: Electron valve technology in audio
Private homepage: www.tubes.mynetcologne.de
Private email address:
[email protected]Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Reasons for connecting and using pentodes as triodes
Why using pentodes as triodes at all?
many pentodes, especially small signal radio/TV ones, are still
available from huge stock cheap as dirt, because nobody cares
about them (especially TV-valves),
some of them, connected as triodes, can rival even the best real
triodes for linearity,
some of them, connected as triodes, show interesting
characteristics regarding , gm and anode resistance, that have no
expression among readily available real triodes,
because it is fun to try and find out.
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
How to make a triode out of a tetrode or pentode again?
Or, what to do with the superfluous grids?
All additional grids serve a certain purpose and function they were
added to a basic triode system to improve the system behaviour in
certain ways, for example efficiency.
We must disable the functions of those additional grids in a
defined and controlled manner to regain triode characteristics.
Just letting them dangle in vacuum unconnected will not work
they would charge up uncontrolled in the electron stream, leading to
unpredictable behaviour.
We must look somewhat closer at each grids function, to find out
how to reverse their functionality back to triode operation in the best
way.
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Function of the screen grid
One of the principle problems of the triode is interelectrode
capacitance, especially between anode and control grid.
Ca-g is a path transferring energy back from the anode (output) to
the control grid (input), thus reducing efficiency. This effect is mostly
dependent on Ca-g value and stage gain and is known as Miller
effect.
The screen grid was invented to electrostatically shield (or screen)
the anode from the control grid, reducing Ca-g massively.
It also can be used as an additional control grid.
An electron tube with four electrodes is called tetrode.
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Tetrode kink area
Tetrode characteristics fixed screen voltage
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Tetrode problems
Tetrode kink due to secondary emission
electrons from the anode, attracted by the
screen at Vg2 < Va.
Unstable operation at Vg2 < Va. Usable
operation conditions are limited to Va > Vg2.
Suboptimal efficiency, but still much better
than a triode, especially at high frequency.
A third grid, the
suppressor grid,
was introduced.
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Function of the suppressor grid
Another grid we must care for
Very wide meshed and negative to anode and screen grid, it has
very few influence on fast travelling electrons on their way from
cathode to anode they just pierce through the weak electrostatic
field.
But its weak electrostatic field is strong enough to repel slow
moving, low energetic secondary emission electrons to the plate,
blocking their way to the screen grid, thus preventing negative
effects (KTxx: Kinkless Tube) further enhancing efficiency.
It also can be used as an additional control grid.
An electron tube with five electrodes is called pentode.
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Pentode characteristics fixed screen grid voltage
Va<Vg2
Reduced
kink area
En
lar
ge
d
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Va>Vg2
op
era
tion
a
rea
9
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Beam power valves
A special case to circumvent the pentode patent
Beam forming plates are used instead of a suppressor grid. They
work by forming a concentrated electron beam, which also prevents
secondary emission electrons to travel from anode to screen grid.
To maintain their function, beam forming plates must be at cathode
level. Usually they are connected to the cathode within the valve
internally no separately accessible pin.
Thus, beam forming plates cannot be used as an additional control
grid.
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
10
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Where to connect what?
. to get triode characteristics, again!
???
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
11
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible screen
grid connections
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
12
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible screen grid
connections
Screen grid connected to cathode
Special case of tetrode operation:
Vg2 just lowered to cathode level
Combined g1 + g2 control action is of
multiplicative character
Valve is almost shut down
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
13
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Screen grid connected to cathode
Vg
2=
25
0
V:
ide
us
a
b le
ra
ng
e
(Grid family characteristics shown)
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
Vg2 = 0V
hardly
useful!
14
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible screen grid
connections
Screen grid connected to control grid
Again, combined g1 + g2 control action
is of multiplicative character
Extreme , but also extreme internal
resistance
Current trickler, only useful for few
very special applications
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
15
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible screen grid
connections
Screen grid connected to anode
Screen grid voltage is not fixed
anymore, but swings with anode
Screen/shielding function of g2
is disabled
Screen grid area effectively added
to anode area
Preferred method
to connect g2!
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
16
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible screen grid
connections
Screen grid connected to anode
Usually, a low valued grid stopper
resistor is added to prevent parasitic
oscillations
Common misconceptions:
The purpose of this resistor is not to
limit screen current (it hardly does,
except when blowing like a fuse)
The purpose of this resistor is not to
keep Vg2 below Va (there is no reason
to do so wouldnt work in a linear
manner using just a resistor)
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
17
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible suppressor
grid connections
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
18
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible suppressor grid
connections
Suppressor grid connected to cathode
Normal way the suppressor grid is
connected / operated in a pentode
Does not do harm in triode mode
For beam power valves, usually there
is no choice to use another connection,
since g3 is permanently connected to
the cathode internally
Preferred method
to connect g3!
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
19
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible suppressor grid
connections
Suppressor grid connected to control
grid and screen grid
Combined g1 + g2 + g3 control action
is of multiplicative character
Extreme , but also extreme internal
resistance
Current trickler, only useful for few
very special applications
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
20
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Possible suppressor grid
connections
Suppressor grid and screen grid
connected to anode
Screen and suppressor grids swing
with anode
Normal functions of g2 and g3
are disabled
Screen and suppressor grid area
effectively added to anode area
Alternate viable method to connect
the suppressor grid (if it is
accessible)
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
21
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Comparing suppressor grid connection influence
Ca. 10-15%
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
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Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Summary:
Preferred grid connections
to get triode characteristics
from a pentode are:
Screen grid to anode
Suppressor grid to cathode (or anode)
Preferred method
to connect g2+g3!
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
23
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
What happens when you triode-strap a remote cutoff
(variable /gm) pentode like EF92/6CQ6?
You get a variable /gm triode, of course
St
il
lin l ha
ea s u
r r se
an fu
ge l
!
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
24
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Some practical examples
Sometimes manufacturers of pentodes also published triode
connected curves and often they are used this way. Famous
examples include: EF86 (extremely linear), EL34 (everybody
knows it can power a decent triode SE or PP amp).
But are there sleeper tubes? Cheap pentodes nobody uses
in triode connection because there are no anode curves
available for them? Maybe even from (gasp!) TV set heritage?
And, can they compete to real triodes?
Yes, yes and yes!
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
25
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
EF184 / 6EJ7 frame grid pentode strapped as triode
RL
=3
0k
OP
102V
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
100V
26
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
+ Va(max) = 250V
+ Ik(max) = 40mA
~
~ ECC88
section!
ECC88 section on steroids!
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
27
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Example: PCL84 compound valve based headphone amp
Pentode sections connected as triodes
in push-pull operation
100% class A triode(d) push-pull
operation
About 1W/channel Po into 8 Ohms
Due to internal dummy load, it can
drive headphones from <32 Ohms up
to whatever impedance
Also can drive small bookshelfs
Automatic disconnect of speakers on
headphone plug insertion
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
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Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Example: PCL84 TV compound valve based headphone amp
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
29
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Poor Mans 300B?
RL=
5
260V
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
220V
30
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Example: SE amp circuit using TV duty valves
Trioded EF184 used as -follower driver
Trioded EL36 used as SE power stage
Circuit courtesy of Gregg van der Sluys
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
31
Pentodes
connected as Triodes
Thank you very much for your attention!
Next lecture:
Mr. Morgan Jones
14:00, library room
Tom Schlangen ETF 06
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