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The Valve Museum - Type Finder

    
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Introduction

Trying to identify an unknown valve that lacks identification is a problem we all have, especially with all glass valves where the paint is easy to rub off.

To make a specific parameter search using the standard museum search program of Zoom Indexer some special encoding has been used. A little tedious at first - but very powerful in use.

Some valves, especially those with the International Octal base cap, have pins omitted where they are not used. Within the museum these are universally recorded as nc for no connection. Those pins connected internally that must not have an external connection are recorded as ic.

Identifying an Unknown Valve

Each major parameter type is prefixed e.g. valve shape has the prefix shape: to make the search look for the parameter as a complete word spaces and hyphens have been replaced by full points . also the / is replaced with .

A very useful feature is the ability to search by pin connection. e.g. pin:1.a etc.

By searching for the valve.base and all of the pin connections the pin compatible types can be found as an aid to initial location of possible substitutes.

By recording the search terms in a text file they can be copied and pasted into the search box to avoid repeat typing.

Some examples

By searching for the EL84 B9A base and pin connections the pin compatible types are found.
base:b9a pin:1.ic pin:2.g1 pin:3.k.g3 pin:4.h pin:5.h pin:6.ic pin:7.a pin:8.ic pin:9.g2
returns: 6BQ5, 6P15, 30P12, CV5094, EL84, EL86, N709, PL84, UL84.

PX4

The full parameters recorded for the PX4 are:
shape:classic construction:pinch type:triode age:1920.1930 base:b4 heater:4.0v pins:4 pin:1.a pin:2.g1 pin:3.f pin:4.f

KT66

The full parameters recorded for the KT66 are:
shape:classic construction:pinch type:beam tetrode age:1930.1940 base:io heater:6.3v pins:8 pin:1.m pin:2.h pin:3.a pin:4.g2 pin:5.g1 pin:6.nc pin:7.h pin:8.k.bp

EL34

The full parameters recorded for the EL34 are:
shape:wide.glass.tube construction:glass.foot type:pentode age:1950.1960 base:io heater:6.3v pins:8 pin:1.g3 pin:2.h pin:3.a pin:4.g2 pin:5.g1 pin:6.nc pin:7.h pin:8.k

EL84

The full parameters recorded for the EL84 are:
shape:thin.glass.tube construction:all.glass type:pentode age:1950.1960 base:b9a heater:6.3v pins:9 pin:1.ic pin:2.g1 pin:3.k.g3 pin:4.h pin:5.h pin:6.ic pin:7.a pin:8.ic pin:9.g2

ECC83

The full parameters recorded for the ECC83 are:
shape:thin.glass.tube construction:all.glass type:double.triode age:1950.1960 base:b9a heater:6.3v pins:9 pin:1.a pin:2.g1 pin:3.k pin:4.h pin:5.h pin:6.a pin:7.g1 pin:8.k pin:9.hct

GZ34

The full parameters recorded for the GZ34 are:
shape:wide.glass.tube construction:glass.foot type:rectifier.fw age:1950.1960 base:io heater:5.0v pins:8 pin:1.m pin:2.h pin:3.nc pin:4.a pin:5.nc pin:6.a pin:7.nc pin:8.h.k
Pins 3,5 & 7 are omitted.

 

Full list of Recorded Parameters

For explanations and exhibits matching any parameters the classified indexes can be found here.

All details below are case sensitive. The information has to be entered in the search box exactly as given below.

ages:

pre.1920
1920.1930
1930.1940
1940.1950
1950.1960
1960.1975
post.1975
 
 
 

 

construction:

all.glass
disc.seal.(glass)
disc.seal.(ceramic)
glass.disc
glass.foot
pinch
silica
 
 
 

 

heater:

1.4v
2.0v
2.5v
4.0v
5.0v
6.0v
6.3v
10.0v
12.6v
117v
100ma
150ma
160ma
200ma
300ma

 

pin:

1.a
1.bp
1.f
1.h
1.hct
1.g1
1.g2
1.g3
1.k
1.m
1.ic
1.nc
sc.g1
tc.a
tc.g1

 

pins:

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
19
26

 

type:

backward.wave.oscillator
barretter
beam.tetrode
bi.grid
bolometer
camera.tube
cathode.ray.tube
cold.cathode
counter.indicator
diode
diode.beam.tetrode
diode.pentode
diode.tetrode
diode.triode
diode.triode.pentode
double.diode
double.diode.beam.tetrode
double.diode.double.triode
double.diode.pentode
double.diode.tetrode
double.diode.triode
double.pentode
double.tetrode
double.triode
double.triode.pentode
flash.tube
heil.tube
heptode
hexode
ignitron
klystron
magnetron
nonode
octode
pentode
photocell
photomultiplier
rectifier.fw
rectifier.hw
rectifier.mv
strobotron
tetrode
thermal.delay.switch
thyratron
travelling.wave.tube
triode
triode.beam.tetrode
triode.double.pentode
triode.heptode
triode.hexode
triode.pentode
triple.diode
triple.diode.triode
triple.triode
tuning.indicator
voltage.stabiliser
 
 
 
 

 

shape:

acorn
balloon
catkin
classic
co-axial
compactron
end.window
nuvistor
planar
side.window
silica.tube
thin.glass.tube
thin.metal.tube
wide.glass.tube
wide.metal.tube

 

Nearly all base designs have explanation pages located on the right hand menu of the appropriate base index page.
The common and clear glass base types have direct links in the table.

base:

bayonet
candelabra
es
ges
b3g
peanut
i.s1
i.s2
i.s4
b4
b4a
b4d
l4
sm4
uv
ux4
b5
b5a
b5b
b5f
b5j.f
sm5
uy
ux5
ct5
ux6
de6
b7
b7a
b7d
b7g
ux7
b8a
b8b
b8d
b8f
io
mo
ct8
footless
b9
b9a
b9d
b9g
b10b
b12a
b12b
b12c
b12d
twelvear
b13b
b26a
 
 
 
 
Introduced February, 2018. Last updated December 6, 2021
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