Not AMPOWER but

[mackmobile43]

Forgive me for having a little fun but... If you use a #14 wire to connect your anode to your tank circuit, you might be a Wizard. If you stuff your unshielded filament transformer right next to your tank coil, you might be a Wizard. If you cut a big hole in your front panel to mount a meter and don't shield it, you might be a Wizard. If you don't mind the possibility of B+ arriving at your antenna and forget a plate blocking choke, you might be a Wizard. If you put a picture of a Wizard on the front of your box in hopes it will magically fix all of the mistakes, you might be a Wizard.

Getting something to work and having it work right are two entirely different things. When there is no RF backing down the AC line or leaking like a sive out of the cabinent, you can use the amp without worrying about blowing up the neighbors new plasma or computer. I'd like to hold an RF probe in front of that meter or around the AC line cord when it's keyed (with someone else's scope connected). Think there are any filter inductors or bypass caps on the line?

Imagine buying one of these and the only over current protection on the amp is an AC circuit breaker? How about breaking the bank and spending $10 on optocouplers across the meter shunts to give some grid and plate current limits? I don't even think a grid meter is included. Wizard current limit = use a transformer too small to work the tube in the first place and save money on both protection circuits and transformer.

Sounds like a death trap if you put it that way.

 

[scottdarling1221]

Wizard may skimp on parts but to this i have never heard a complaint from one of his customers any where on the web.And hes still in buisness so he must be making money.

I agree that he takes the short cut on some things but people keep buying his amps.

I have seen alot worse

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

"Greg, would you please elaborate on the statement that I highlighted in bold; numbers and names, maybe even a List of the "Top Ten" builders of amplifers powered by alternating current.'

i dont thing any amps are directly powered by AC current . they all use a power supply (either built in or external) to change and reduce the voltage to DC .
i have herd of folks using "AC amps" in mobiles though . im not familar with that so if someone wants to elaborate go for it .

id suggest only considering amps with AB biasing . filtering would be nice too

 

[scottdarling1221]

The list should consist of builders that have the knowledge and capability to build a multiband amp and not just a super bowl 6 box.

 

[scottdarling1221]

I agree protection is a valuable thing to have to protect your tube and other components.But so far i have never had a customer who wanted it.Yes i build boxes also and sell them under jeannem2987 on ebay.It seems like its more inportant to get the 5 then to have to worry about the protection tripping and not geting it.If the customer wants it they will get it.I put protection in all of my personal boxes along with a delay relay before the hv comes on along with soft start on the plate and the filament.I can build a multiband box but its going to cost you.When you get into high power aplications more then a few kw rms your just going to keep buring up contacts on band selector switches so you either need vacuum relays to short out sections of the tank coil to the plate tuner or a roller inducor.Both methods arent cheap.A 30 amp roller inductor would be good for a little over 10kw and costs over 1k and would be 15 plus inches long 9 nches wide 10 inches tall thats big.And a tank coil that could handle the current that would cover all of the hf bands would be long.The roller inductor i gave the specs on would get you down to 160 meters.You would also need a vacuum relay for each band if you went that route.But you have to pay to play.

 

[paws264]

I agree protection is a valuable thing to have to protect your tube and other components.But so far i have never had a customer who wanted it.Yes i build boxes also and sell them under jeannem2987 on ebay.It seems like its more inportant to get the 5 then to have to worry about the protection tripping and not geting it.If the customer wants it they will get it.I put protection in all of my personal boxes along with a delay relay before the hv comes on along with soft start on the plate and the filament.I can build a multiband box but its going to cost you.When you get into high power aplications more then a few kw rms your just going to keep buring up contacts on band selector switches so you either need vacuum relays to short out sections of the tank coil to the plate tuner or a roller inducor.Both methods arent cheap.A 30 amp roller inductor would be good for a little over 10kw and costs over 1k and would be 15 plus inches long 9 nches wide 10 inches tall thats big.And a tank coil that could handle the current that would cover all of the hf bands would be long.The roller inductor i gave the specs on would get you down to 160 meters.You would also need a vacuum relay for each band if you went that route.But you have to pay to play.

Mostly Champagne Dreams on a Draft Beer Budget!

 

[74IN]

i dont thing any amps are directly powered by AC current . they all use a power supply (either built in or external) to change and reduce the voltage to DC .
i have herd of folks using "AC amps" in mobiles though . im not familar with that so if someone wants to elaborate go for it .

No reduction at all.

DC amps are 12V DC. Through out the amp, 12V (or "volted" to 20V or so).

AC amps have HV supplies of around 3KV at lower current , lethal amounts of potential.