Euro Tube Code
From mc–(at)–ost5.tele.dk Tue Jan 21 11:28:56 CST 1997
David deForrest wrote:
The first letter indicates the heater supply.
A: 4V
The types where a current is stated, are series connected and
The second letter(s) indicate the tube type.
A: signal diode
The first figure indicates the socket type.
1: various types
The last figure(s) are the tube type number.
There are (of couse) some exceptions to the rules. Some tubes have a
I hope this information is helpful and hopefully complete. The
Mikkel C. Simonsen
From rkreme–(at)–orldonline.nl Tue Jan 21 11:29:36 CST 1997
Some remarks to the tube coding scheme Mikkel
The scheme is not entirely correct and complete.
In the European scheme the first letter indicates heater
Ballast tubes have only one letter representing the current
Completion to Mikkel’s scheme is following:
>A: 4V
>The figures indicate the socket type.
This scheme came into effect around the mid-thirties.
>From 1963 the system was streamlined to basically a 2 letter/ 3 figure
The last of the three figures indicates the kind of characteristic
There are some deviations from the scheme, like ECC2000.
>I hope this information is helpful and hopefully complete. The
>Mikkel C. Simonsen
Additions, Ron Kremer
–
‘Strive for perfection in everything you do’ (Henry Royce)
From mob–(at)–cbbs.gen.nz Wed Jan 22 19:01:14 CST 1997
In message <<32E4D5F4.1C9--(at)--ail.idiot.net>> Gruvmyster
Second letter (third in dual tubes ie QQE06/40)
First figure group
Second figure group
From stei–(at)–et.hist.no Thu Jan 23 00:04:38 CST 1997
In article <32E3D777.4E9--(at)--ost5.tele.dk> “Mikkel C. Simonsen”
>David deForrest wrote:
>The first figure indicates the socket type.
This is true for newer “TV” types, like PCF200. Older types with two digits
>3: octal 8-pin
Same as above: This applies to newer 3-digit numbers, like the EL504.
>6: enne-al 9-pin
7 is also a “miscellaneous” , the EM71 magic eye has a loktal base.
>8: noval (miniature 9-pin)
>The last figure(s) are the tube type number.
>There are (of couse) some exceptions to the rules. Some tubes have a
The Pocketbook of 1971 was one of my first tube manuals, it now is rather
>Mikkel C. Simonsen
Stein
Article: 22554 of rec.audio.tubes
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From: “Mikkel C. Simonsen”
Newsgroups: rec.audio.tubes
Subject: Re: European Tube Code Scheme
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 21:37:11 +0100
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>
> Recently David Crittle gave some infomration on the European tube
> nomenclature. Could you post the entire scheme?
>
> Best Regards,
>
> David deForrest
> buybeac–(at)–uybeach.com
> phone: 305-866-6048
> fax: 305-531-6742
>
> http://www.buybeach.com/access/tubes
>
> ***Svetlana EL34′s/GE 6550′s–(at)–Discount Prices!***
B: 180mA, various voltages
C: 200mA, various voltages
D: 1.4V
E: 6.3V
F: 12.6V
G: Various voltages
K: 2V
L: 450mA, various voltages
P: 300mA, various voltages
U: 100mA, various voltages
V: 50mA, various voltages
Y: 450mA, various voltages
connected directly to the 120V or 220V mains supply. There where used for
low-cost radios and TV’s.
B: double signal diode
C: low-power triode
D: power triode
E: low-power tetrode
F: low-power pentode
H: hexode or heptode
K: octode or heptode
L: power tetrode or pentode
M: indicator tube
Y: half-wave rectifier
Z: full-wave rectifier
2: decal (miniature 10-pin)
3: octal 8-pin
4: rimlock 8-pin
5: magnoval 9-pin
6: enne-al 9-pin
8: noval (miniature 9-pin)
9: miniature 7-pin
“1″ in front of the number, ECC189 for instance. It is still the 8
that indicates the socket type.
information is from the Philips Pocketbook 1968.
Article: 22638 of rec.audio.tubes
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From: rkreme–(at)–orldonline.nl (Ron Kremer)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.tubes
Subject: Re: European Tube Code Scheme
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 14:56:13 GMT
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C. Simonsen posted in the newsgroup.
The scheme only applies to ‘consumer tubes’, not to
professional, cathode-ray and transmitter types.
current or -voltage. The following letter(s) indicate the type of
tubesystem (or tubesystems in case of a combination tube)
series.
>B: 180mA, various voltages
>C: 200mA, various voltages
D: 0.625, 1,2 or 1.4V
>E: 6.3V
G: 5 V
>H: 150 mA, various voltages
>K: 2V
M: 2,5 V
L: various voltages and currents (very old types)
>P: 300mA, various voltages
>U: 100mA, various voltages
>V: 50mA, various voltages
X: 600 mA
>Y: 450mA, various voltages
>
>The types where a current is stated, are series connected and
>connected directly to the 120V or 220V mains supply. There where used for
>(AC-DC) low-cost radios and TV’s.
>
>The second letter(s) indicate the tube type.
>
>A: signal diode
>B: double signal diode
>C: low-power triode
>D: power triode
>E: low-power tetrode
>F: low-power pentode
H: hexode or heptode (of the hexode type)
>K: octode or
pentagrid tube (= heptode of the octode type)
>L: power tetrode or pentode
>M: tuning indicator tube
P: secondary emission tube
Q: enneode
W: half wave gasfilled rectifier
X: full wave gasfilled rectifier
>Y: half-wave rectifier
>Z: full-wave rectifier
>
1…9 pinch based tubesystem; pin- side- or octal-socket
(often side contact of the ‘P type’)
11..19 pinch or pressed glass based tubesystem with steel or glass
envelope. (often referred to as the ‘German steel series’
with G8A socket)
20..29 pressed glass based tubesystem with Loctal socket (B8G)
30..39 pressed glass or pinch based tubesystem with Octal socket.
40..49 pressed glass based miniature system with Rimlock socket
(B8A)
50..60 often 9 pin Loctal (B9G) socket or special sockets.
61..69 5 pin sub-miniature socket round or in-line
70..79 8 pin sub-miniature socket round or in- line
or 8 pin Loctal socket
80..89 and 180..189 9 pin Noval miniature socket (B9A)
90..99 and 190..199 7 pin miniature socket (B7G)
Tubes manufactured or developed before that time had,
and often kept, a manufacturer based coding.
system based on the same coding system as above.
Tubes developed from that time onwards where mainly:
the tubes in the 500 series which had a Magnoval socket (B9D), the 200
series which had a Decal (10 pin miniature) socket and the 800 series
with a Noval (B9A) socket. Tubes in the 900 series had a 7 pin
miniature socket.
except for power tubes.
-An even figure indicates a sharp cut-off tube and an odd figure
indicates a variable-mu characteristic.
>information is from the Philips Pocketbook 1968.
Additional information comes from Philips Electronic Tube
pocketbook (1952), 1963 ‘ Rohren Taschen Tabelle’ and a 1994 reprint
of ‘ Rohren Taschen Tabelle’ (1974) of Franzis’ Verlag Munich.
Ron Kremer
rkreme–(at)–orldonline.nl
Article: 22707 of rec.audio.tubes
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Newsgroups: rec.audio.tubes
Subject: Re: European Tube Code Scheme
From: mob–(at)–cbbs.gen.nz (Mike Diack)
Date: 22 Jan 97 21:00:58 GMT
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> >
> > So, why doesn’t this list have “Q” in it?
> > They also had tubes marked, like QQVO3-50-A
> > and similar!
> >
>
> That’s a transmitting tube. Different scheme.
>
The transmitting scheme :
First letter :
D : Rectifier
M : Triode (AF amp or modulator)
P : Pentode
Q : Tetrode
T : Triode (RF,AF or osc)
A : Directly heated tungsten fil
B : DH thoriated tungsten
C : DH oxide
E : Indirectly heated oxide
Rectifiers : Approx DC output voltage (in KV) in a 3 phase rectifier
TX tubes : Approx max anode voltage (in KV)
Rectifiers : Approx DC oupput power (in W or KW) per tube in 3 phase
rectifier
RF tubes : Approx output power (in W or KW) in class C telegraphy
Modilators : Approx anode dissipation (in W or KW)
M
Article: 22721 of rec.audio.tubes
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From: stei–(at)–et.hist.no (Stein-Olav Lund)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.tubes
Subject: Re: European Tube Code Scheme
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 09:01:17 GMT
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>From: “Mikkel C. Simonsen”
>Subject: Re: European Tube Code Scheme
>Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 21:37:11 +0100
>>
>> Recently David Crittle gave some infomration on the European tube
>> nomenclature. Could you post the entire scheme?
>1: various types
>2: decal (miniature 10-pin)
like ECH21 are loktal. However, some are octal! E.g. the DK21.
>4: rimlock 8-pin
>5: magnoval 9-pin
The old EF50 (which contributed so much to the UK success with radar during
WWII) has a B9G base: A big 9-pin with center spigot like on a loktal.
>9: miniature 7-pin
>”1″ in front of the number, ECC189 for instance. It is still the 8
>that indicates the socket type.
>I hope this information is helpful and hopefully complete. The
>information is from the Philips Pocketbook 1968.
worn..The older types were not covered very well in these books, the
equivalent lists often say “obsolete” if you look up a type from say the late
forties.Better manuals are available, I particularly like the
“Radio tubes Vade Mecum”, printed in Brussels 1960. It covers nearly all
types up to that time. I’m sure also newer manuals (or reprints) exist.
Stein-Olav Lund, LA9QV
Electronics Engineer
Sor Trondelag College,
Dept. of Engineering,
Inst. of Electronics
TRONDHEIM, NORWAY
Email:stei–(at)–et.hist.no
“There’s nothing like the sounds, sights and smell
of an old tube radio working..”
