GU-50 (ГУ-50) Power Pentode

xUSSR GU-50 (ГУ-50) Tube
GU-50 (ГУ-50, folklore HAM name "poltinnik" meant "half-a-buc") was an universal, most common xUSSR power tube from the 50's up to the present days. It could be found in an every technical shop everywhere and was so inexpensive, in an usual TV-set's tubes price range. So funny, but sockets for those halfbucs was so rare and priced much more.
These power pentodes has been used as a transceiver final (one or pair of ones in parallel), in a modulator for the more powerful tube in AM transmitters, in a driver stages and (when SSB times comes) in the most common general class amplifier - three (or four) GU50 in parallel with all grids connected to the ground.
GU-50 is russian version of WWII Luftwaffe LS 50 general purpose HF power pentode by Telefunken, also known as RL 12 P 50 tube in Wermacht's transmitters. Main difference between russian and german versions - socket construction and dimentions, so I'm not quite sure that it is possible to use russian GU-50 as a spare part for a vintage german transmitter.
There are several other members in this family, such as DDR SRS 552 M tube, SL 152 (~12.6V filament) and EL 152 (~6.3V), but I don't know any more about these tubes, only that these tubes exists.


CHARACTERISTICS
GU-50Filament Voltage12.6 voltsLS 50
GU-50 Tube PinoutFilament Current0.77 amps.LS 50 Tube Pinout
Input Capacity14 mmfd.
Output Capacity9.2 mmfd.
Grid to Plate Capacity0.1 mmfd.
Maximum Plate Dissipation40 watts
Maximum 1-st Grid Dissipation1 watt
Maximum Screen Dissipation5 watts
Frequency Range120 mc
GU-50 Height93.5 mm.
GU-50 Diameter45.3 mm.


German LS 50 Tube
German LS 50 pentode


APPLIED CW CHARACTERISTICS (Grounded Catode)
class+Ua+Ug2Ug1Ia0Iam~Uin~PinRoutPoutRin
C600V250V-80V- 130mA110V4W- 40W-
C800V250V-80V- 130mA110V3W3.3k 65W-
C1000V300V-80V- 120mA100V0.5W5k 80W-

APPLIED SSB CHARACTERISTICS (Grounded Catode)
class+Ua+Ug2Ug1Ia0Iam~Uin~PinRoutPoutRin
AB1600V250V-45V50mA90mA45V0W4k32W-
B800V250V-50V40mA120mA60V0.6W4k65W-

APPLIED SSB CHARACTERISTICS (Grounded Grids)
class+Ua+Ug2Ug1Ia0Iam~Uin~PinRoutPoutRin
B gg1.2kV250V-60V15mA125mA60V6.6W6k110W270
B gg1.2kV0015mA125mA-10W6k110W250


xUSSR GU50 (ГУ50) Tube
Soviet GU-50 (ГУ-50) Pentode

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14 comments :

Hans said...

Nice tube and cheap! I bought a handful of them on eBay, i intend to use them in a guitar-amplifier. :)

Andy Nechaevsky UR3WA said...

Good buy, congrats. Now you're ready to the next grade initiation (in the masonic lounge GU-50 ;) - The Great Socket Searching.

NB. Nice to see you here, Hans.

Hans said...

Actually I got 4 pcs used sockets for free along with the tubes!
Just the sockets, no casing so I have to be careful and not insert them the wrong way. Bought 5 pieces of 6P3S-E in the same auction. Good replacements for 5881 and 6L6 in guitar amps.

Andy Nechaevsky UR3WA said...

6P3S with a "E" mark is a good choice, maybe a better for a modern (not ancient:) 6P3S tubes. But as for me, I prefer 6P3 without any extra letters - it is 1940's years tubes which has a 807's style bulb, slightly more gain and power even today. These 6P3 are so rare now.

About sockets - it is not a problem to use GU-50 without casing (here it is named "can"). Such cans has been made for the military purposes such as vibration and direct nuclear missile hits and are not required for the guitar amplifier. Hmm... Maybe for Death Metal or Black Ragga?

Anonymous said...

I have built se mono bocks. They both work very well. Iused Hammond Transformers. I plan to do a PP amp. I wish some one can tell me the matching impedence for the PP amp. Push pull amp for GU50

Anonymous said...

6800 ohm, 800 v.,45 ma

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your advise on 6800 ohms transformer for the push pull on gu50.In canada they are available at A1 electronic parts in Toronto ont Canada

Unknown said...

Some people think that this lamp is applicable to audio.

Andy Nechaevsky UR3WA said...

Sure, it is, but it is not a best possible choice, though.

Adrian Engineers said...

I USING THIS VALVE FOR FM EXCITER AS POWER DOUBLER FREQ FROM 45 mHZ TO 90.00 MHZ

ADRIAN YC0LOG

hkurtarici said...

Hi Adrean please upload some photos and detail
Thanks

hkurtarici said...

Hi Adrian please upload some photos and detail

Thanks

Rudy said...

Hi everyone, I have one that I buy with the idea of ​​exciting it with my yaesu ft 817.? Any suggestion of circuits ?? Thanks in advance 73!

Anonymous said...

for rudy :
http://www.glowbugs.info/2010/06/6n7-tube-qrp-power-amplifier-one-rainy.html

i do the same but with a GU50 tube , input 1.5w ouput 35w on 40metrer
800/900 v on the tube.

best 73'