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From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX)
Subject: Re: Rectifier tube 83 V
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 1994 18:44:37 GMT

In article <2i3llg$1tdq@introl.introl.com> Josef_Schwarz@do2.maus.ruhr.de (Josef Schwarz) writes:
:type is an 83 V, it's got the same socket as a 2A3, 4 pins, two of
:them a bit thicker than the others. In Billington's valve catalogue
:(England) I found an 83 (no V), made in Italy. They say it is a near
:equivalent to a 5Z3. Would that be a suitable replacement? Does

Type 83 is a mercury vapor recitifier, 83-V is a high vacuum recitifier
with a cathode.  Closest substitute I could find is a 5AR4 which uses
an octal socket.  A 5U4 might be close enough.

Note that the caps may be bad by now, and the power transformer may run
hot on 50 Hz.

-- 
Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX       caf@omen.COM      503-621-3406
Author of YMODEM, ZMODEM, Professional-YAM, ZCOMM, and DSZ
 Omen Technology Inc      "The High Reliability Software"
TeleGodzilla BBS:621-3746    FAX:621-3735   CIS:70007,2304

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From: shumaker@eisner.decus.org
Subject: Re: Rectifier tube 83 V
Date: 29 Jan 94 12:21:51 -0500

In article <2i3llg$1tdq@introl.introl.com>, Josef_Schwarz@do2.maus.ruhr.de (Josef Schwarz) writes:

[snip]
: ... that's kaputt now. The
: type is an 83 V, it's got the same socket as a 2A3, 4 pins, two of
: them a bit thicker than the others. In Billington's valve catalogue
: (England) I found an 83 (no V), made in Italy. They say it is a near
: equivalent to a 5Z3. ...

The 83 is defined as a mercury-vapor direct-heated rectifier with a 5-volt
3-amp filament and 225 mA load current limit.  The 83V was a cathode-type
high-vacuum tube with a 5-volt 2-amp heater and a 175 mA load limit.  The're
not interchangable -- does the Billington's catalog give any info that might
tell whether they're actually talking about a mercury-vapor tube or not?

The 5Z3 is a four-pin tube with the same basing as the 83 and 83V, but it
has a 3-amp filament (it is actually a four-pin-based 5U4) which might
possibly overload the power transformer.  The 5V4 has a 2-amp heater and
cathode construction; it is in fact an octal-based 83V.  The problem is
that it _is_ octal-based; an adaptor or (not recommended) socket change
would be required.

The 83V was pretty widely used; your best bet might be to post in one of the
antique radio BBSes or groups to try to get a NOS one in the U.S. and send
it to him yourself.