Bottlehead Forum
General Category => Technical topics => Topic started by: dstrimbu on January 18, 2011, 07:33:16 AM
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Hi, Bottleheads:
Assuming that a relative n00b (read:me) wants to learn more about DC power supply design for valve amplifiers, where would be the best place to look? Content on the web is pretty fragmented, and often assumes familiarity with general circuit design.
I'm looking for basic theory and general knowledge.
Any assistance would be appreciated!
Don
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I suspect this is not what you want to hear, but I would really have to suggest you immerse yourself in basic DC electronics theory, followed by basic AC electronics. I imagine you can find plenty of both, including some military-type courses, on the web.
IMO, there is really no good way around learning this stuff first. Armed with that knowledge, though, it becomes infinitely easier to analyze existing designs, and begin to understand things like power supply design software parameters.
Since you mentioned tubes, I will add that some of the old tube manuals, many of which are available as re-prints and .pdf files on line, have excellent information on the basics, particularly regarding vacuum tube rectifiers and chokes in power supplies.
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go here--it is a excellent primer for power supplies and tubes --vol 1 is power supplies and vol2 is tubes--very little math except ohms law
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160328229222&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
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you could also go here for info http://www.pmillett.com/tubebooks/technical_books_online.htm (http://www.pmillett.com/tubebooks/technical_books_online.htm)
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Once you understand the basics, PSU Designer 2 is a great tool to play around with. Good for learning how inductors, capacitors and resistance work together to bring down ripple.
http://www.duncanamps.com/psud2/index.html
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I suspect this is not what you want to hear, but I would really have to suggest you immerse yourself in basic DC electronics theory, followed by basic AC electronics. I imagine you can find plenty of both, including some military-type courses, on the web.
Jim, since I design technical (and technical sales) training courses for a living, it's exactly what I needed to hear. <g> It's been a long time since college, and I leaned toward the mechanical design side in my training. I think that your recommendation is spot-on.
Thanks!
-Don
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Thanks Howard, Richard and Beefy;
I'm also going to explore Jim's recommendation and see what classes might be available, both on the web or locally.
Of course, I'll read everything that I can get my hands on, too. Thanks again guys, you all make this forum a great place!
Cheers,
-Don
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go here--it is a excellent primer for power supplies and tubes --vol 1 is power supplies and vol2 is tubes--very little math except ohms law
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160328229222&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Talk about instant gratification! Bought it, Howard.
Thanks again!
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Just want you guys to know... I'm halfway through the Basic Electronics course; I have Chapters 1 and 2 down: power supplies, rectifiers, filters and voltage regulators in Chapter 1 - then Chapter 2 is all about audio amps: triodes, pentodes... single stage amps, RC coupled amps, output transformers, push-pull amp circuits, and more.
Chapter 3 is all about video amps, and Chapter 4 about RF transmitters, so... I might save them for later. I think I'm going to go back thru Chapters 1 & 2 from the beginning to make sure that it all sank in.
The pdf is TOTALLY worth the $7 I paid for it on eBay. :-)
Thanks again Howard!!!!!
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Excellent!
I would like to reinforce your idea of reviewing Chapters 1 & 2; one of my best teachers in electronics always repeated AV and reading assignments until he heard us complaining about them out loud in class. He said that was his indication that we had learned the material!
He was a psych major, IIRC...
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Hi Don
Looks like you're now well catered for. I'll just add my couple of recommendations:
For tube stuff: Valve Amplifiers by Morgan Jones Published by Newnes ISBN 0-7506-4425-7 (Copyright note in my copy is 1999)
For solid state: The Art of Electronics by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill published by the Cambridge Press ISBN 0-521-37095-7
These two are the reference books I always keep to hand and get my highest recommendation.
For something more off-the-wall, Allen Wright's Tube Preamp Cookbook (and the Supercables Cookbook) is an absolute classic, also highly recommended.
As an aside, the finest book I ever read on tube power supply theory was given to me 20 years ago by a colleague (when I was just starting to get interested in tube gear). It was a manual he'd acquired when serving in the Training Command of the Royal Air Force. The AC theory which had seemed so foggy to me when I was at college (I started out as a mechanical engineer, so anything with electrons in it wasn't my specialty) was as clear as day. Brilliant stuff. I'm sure similar material from the USAF must turn up at vintage electronics fairs etc. too.
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For something more off-the-wall, Allen Wright's Tube Preamp Cookbook (and the Supercables Cookbook) is an absolute classic, also highly recommended.
Not so easy to find a copy, now in a second addition:
http://www.vacuumstate.com/index.tpl?lang=2&rubrik=1&kat=1&lay=art2&a=%250A.%0E%17%95%BB%27%2500&b=734539.5937995254&sku=6 (http://www.vacuumstate.com/index.tpl?lang=2&rubrik=1&kat=1&lay=art2&a=%250A.%0E%17%95%BB%27%2500&b=734539.5937995254&sku=6)
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To really build your DIY chops with working with both AC and DC, then you may want to make a variable DC power supply. I grabbed an old PC PSU, read-up on all of the specs, and have been slowly building my unit so that I can start playing with different breadboard designs.
What prompted me to do this was when I hooked my fuzz box up to a lower power source (by accident)...way different sound. I then tried a 12v instead of the 9, and got even a more different sound. I did replace my Germanium trans with some cheap transistors before doing any of my experimenting, in the end nothing was fried.