Re: Tube regulator for removing ripple . . .

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Stephen Conner by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <steve-at-scopeboy-dot-com>

At 12:23 01/04/03 -0700, you wrote:
>Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz 
><teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
>
>
>I'm currently building a 4kV DC supply for my VTTC which will be used for a
>high-quality plasma speaker.  The only problem is removing the ripple on the
>output of my full-wave rectifier

(snip)

>Solid state would be nice but it is quite complex to get working
>correctly and relatively expensive.

I did something similar in a tube guitar amp that I built. You can see the 
solid-state regulator that I designed/built here:

http://www.scopeboy-dot-com/psu.html

This circuit is a combination of a capacitance multiplier and an ordinary 
regulator. It uses 600V MOSFETs and gives 475V DC out with 0.1V peak-peak 
ripple. It has been in service for 3 years now with no problems.

To up the voltage rating, you could replace MOSFETs M1 and 2 with that 
series chain thing you developed. Or you could replace them with tubes. The 
EL509 is a relatively cheap power tube with about 30W plate dissipation. It 
can't take 4kV plate voltage, but that might not be a problem since it 
wouldn't see that much unless you shorted the HT.

P.S. I later found out that guitar amps sound better with _un_ regulated 
power supplies. I would second the comment that you're probably better to 
just use a big choke.

Steve C.