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WTB PA Tube socket components for CCA FM4000

T

TomZ

I opened the back cover tonight to see that some of the fingers had welded onto the tube and I'm needing to find a way to repair/replace this...

What to do>
 
Thanks jboyd, I found their website and it apppears they have one in stock and I've emailed my request... We'll see how quickly I get an answer.
 
TomZ said:
Thanks jboyd, I found their website and it apppears they have one in stock and I've emailed my request... We'll see how quickly I get an answer.
Click to expand...
Phone calls often get instant answers...might be worth considering depending on the urgency.

There's a little springy thing that goes around the socket's outer finger stock in some CCA's...if that's missing/broken, it may have contributed to the unintentional welding that took place.
 
The tube socket was probably made by Eimac. I doubt that CCA custom-made their sockets.
Google Eimac Tube Sockets. You might find the correct socket or replacement parts to rebuild yours.
 
TomZ,

Your link doesn't work. It requires a login.
You can purchase the various tube socket parts. You don't need to purchase the entire socket.
 
After I brought the CCA on the air I started looking around the shack (no reference to The $hack meant) and stumbled upon the teflon ring and combo contactor ring and stack piece but no hardware. I regret not snapping a picture ... :(

I don't know why this was abandoned in favor of what I found inside.

We decided to order a new IPA tube and when I take it down I'm hoping to reconfigger the nigfiggering that was done.
 
rfburns said:
TomZ said:
The socket is OK but the finger ring is mostly gone.

Look here: https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Photos/cca tube 2.jpg?w=9e4bd82a
Click to expand...

I've never seen a CCA plate blocker designed like that before. Good idea using the copper strap and hose clamps for a temporary fix. I'm sure Van will be able to fix you up.

RFB
Click to expand...

This is the first time I've worked on this transmitter and I was hoping to go through it with the engineer who has been with it all along; but the transmitter didn't wait, so I'm going it alone....

So far she's holding at 80% while we await a new driver.

I like what this engineer did to fix his CCA...

http://www.mwpersons.com/engineer's-log/2010/1-25-10-CCA-transmitter.htm
 
TomZ said:
rfburns said:
TomZ said:
The socket is OK but the finger ring is mostly gone.

Look here: https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Photos/cca tube 2.jpg?w=9e4bd82a
Click to expand...

I've never seen a CCA plate blocker designed like that before. Good idea using the copper strap and hose clamps for a temporary fix. I'm sure Van will be able to fix you up.

RFB
Click to expand...

This is the first time I've worked on this transmitter and I was hoping to go through it with the engineer who has been with it all along; but the transmitter didn't wait, so I'm going it alone....

So far she's holding at 80% while we await a new driver.

I like what this engineer did to fix his CCA...

http://www.mwpersons.com/engineer's-log/2010/1-25-10-CCA-transmitter.htm
Click to expand...
I've seen this fix (although not quite as 'professional') done on a CCA FM20000D. It was shorting blockers every couple of years. Since it was running 14KW, I dropped the HV from 8000V to 7100V....it ran for the next 26 years without losing another blocker. CCA's are happier with less HV and more current. More efficient as well. That 0.5 amps of idling current is 0% efficient. The smaller that first 0.5 amps is compared to the total current, the more efficient it is...at least that's been my experience. Got amazing efficiency running a 25KW CCA at 4900V and 4.4 amps to produce 18KW. It was in a backup situation so I can't say how long the 3CX15000A7 was going to last but it never arc'd & was always ready when called upon. Old CCA's never die...unless some young whippersnapper who doesn't understand one tosses it out in the rain.
 
I will be removing the temporary junk this evening and installing the short teflon ring and a non-shorted HV Cap but I don't know what hardware will be required; so I'm hoping someone can provide a link or .pdf that will show me how the engineer designed this.

This picture shows what I'm starting with.... I haven't found the original piece to replace the copper strap...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15067584/DCFC0059r.jpg
 
Considering that Bernie Wise built both the Crappy CCA (which stands for Crappy Crappy Apperatus) and the Energy Onix the fact that they look identical is not surprising. The build quality of any "Bernie Box" is always terrible! In the energy Onix ECO 8 that I had it had from the factory radiator hose clamps instead of a tube cap on the top of the tube. Half of the tuning knobs did not work due to really crappy teflon shafts that broke. I am convinced that had I gone to a place like Apex in LA spent about 1000.00 then ordered a tube and an exciter from RVR I could have built the same transmitter! FOR ALOT LESS! The tube by the way is a really weird one Ive never had in a transmitter but a Bernie Box a YU-148. And they aren't cheap!

There is a reason Nautels cost more than a Bernie Box!! THEY ARE WORTH IT!
 
Agreed that the Nautel is first class...but many small market stations use to( and many still do)
depend on CCA units. I have real reservations a bout the EO boxes...but the low to medium power
CCA/CSI AM/FM units...worth what they sold for. MPO...JBI
 
Maybe I'm in the minority...and while I love Nautels also...I can ALWAYS make a CCA run no matter what happens to it. It's such a simple design, almost any part can be made or sourced locally in an emergency. For the small market stations, this is very valuable. I still maintain a lot of CCA transmitters and despite their quirks and short tube life, I know I can always get them back on the air.
 
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