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Solving your relay requirements since 1922 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com AUTOMATIC CURRENT REGULATOR INTRODUCTION The Amperite automatic current regulator is a reliable current regulating device, which can maintain a constant current in a circuit over a very wide range of input voltages. It consists of a resistance wire with a positive temperature coefficient of resistance, hermetically sealed in a bulb containing hydrogen or helium gas. The resistance of this element will automatically increase or decrease in accordance with the change of temperature in the unit to maintain a very accurate current level. The circuit of Figure 1 shows how an Amperite current regulator is connected to the load. Figure 1 - Connecting the Amperite Regulator Figure 1a - Typical Voltage/Current Relationship of Ballast (No. 2HTF7) Figure 1A is an illustration of a typical input voltage/current relationship of the current regulator. Note the extremely accurate current level over the wide range of input voltage, 6 to 20 volts in this case. Ballast regulators are designed to maintain a constant current with great efficiency, usually within + or -1%. Referring to Figure 1A, the most accurate current regulation will be obtained at the flat, mid-point section on the curve. As the voltage operating levels move up and down the curve the current will vary to some Solving your relay requirements since 1922 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com degree. Being a constant current device the current regulator can be used only to regulate a constant load - fixed wattage. The Amperite current regulator is always connected in series with the load. The type number would depend upon the current requirement of the load. In addition, Amperite regulators can be connected in parallel with each other to handle any amount of current. The Amperite voltage regulator will maintain both voltage and current regulation simultaneously when connected in series with the load; however, current regulators should never be connected in parallel with the load. HISTORY-PROVEN & RELIABLE Amperite ballast regulators have been used successfully in countless control applications for over 79 years. Amperite provided current regulation for the early DC radio sets, and then were used for voltage regulation in generations of AC radios and equipment. Today, new Amperite current regulators are specified as current controllers in jet engines, regulators in air conditioning and scientific/industrial equipment and are used in precision instrumentation, communications equipment and military applications. CURRENT REGULATING RANGES Most ballast tubes manufactured have been designed for specific applications over current ranges of 50 milliamperes to 6 amperes, and voltage ranges of 3.0 to 70 volts. Although any number of tubes may be connected in parallel to attain any desired current, it is possible that a unit, which will meet your requirements, has already been manufactured. Amperite ballast tubes are manufactured to meet military specification MIL-R-3080B. Please contact factory for specific requirements on your application. CAPACITIES AVAILABLE: Current values of 60 ma. to 5 amps. Threshold voltage (see Fig. 2) 0.4 to 40 V Figure 2 - Characteristic curve of a typical Amperite. Approximate curve of any other Amperite can be obtained by multiplying or dividing the current of voltage scale by any number. Max. Dissipation per Amperite 40 W per tube (T-12 Bulb) Solving your relay requirements since 1922 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com Amperite can be used on AC, DC, or pulsating current. Ballast tubes should not be operated in series. Any number of Amperites with the same voltage range can be operated in parallel. BASES AVAILABLE AND BASE WIRING Radio octal 8-pin, 9-pin miniature standard wiring prongs 2-7. 4 Prong Radio - for current over 3 amps. - wiring FF. GENERAL ADVANTAGES … Light, compact… No moving parts … Rugged, will stand vibration of 10G minimum … Hermetically sealed; not affected by altitude or humidity changes … Can be changed as easily as a radio tube … Operates equally well on A.C. or D.C. AMBIENT EFFECTS: Ambient temperature variation of -50 degrees to +70 degrees C - will change the current value of ballast regulating tubes approximately 2% on regulating portion of curve. Being hermetically sealed the Amperite is not affected by altitude or humidity changes. TIME LAG CHARACTERISTICS: Time lag encountered in an Amperite Ballast Tube depends upon the wattage consumed by the ballast and the size of the bulb. Where the wattage is small for the size of the bulb, the action can be made practically instantaneous - less than 1 second. In such cases the bulb will remain at practically ambient temperature. When the wattage is high enough to heat the bulb to a temperature uncomfortable to the hand (160 degrees F) the lag might be as much as several minutes for final readings - but normally reaches within 90% of final readings within a few seconds. LIFE EXPECTANCY: Average life if operated as recommended If operated continuously at maximum voltage If operated continuously at 80% maximum voltage If filament is operated below glow point 2000 hrs. 1000 hrs. 5000 hrs. 5000 hrs. and up In operation, the Amperite filament starts to glow at one point; as the voltage is increased, the glow spreads over the entire filament. Like incandescent lamps, turning the ballast tube on and off reduces its life, especially if operating near its maximum voltage. Solving your relay requirements since 1922 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com Solving your relay requirements since 1922 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com RESISTOR CURRENT REGULATOR (BALLAST) PART NUMBERS STILL AVAILABLE: 1-1 2-20-30 3TF3B 6H-16 D9T1 1-15 20-1H 3TF4 6H-4 EW23B 1-16 20-3 3TF4A 6H-6 F4120A 1-1E 20-4 3TF4B 6H10 GL522-B25 1-3 20A10 3TF7 6HTF4 GL5621/B6 1-30 21-2A 3TF7A 6T1H GL5624/B46 1-4 210511-A 3TF7B 6T4 K26J218 10-11 22-4 3TF7/H 6T4A KS14595 10-21 23-6 3TFB 6T4D KS16479 10-25 24-1H 3TFV4 6T4E KS19056 10-2A 24-6A 3TFV4B 6T4F L55B 10-3 26-4A 3TK2 6TF2 R1900 10-4 26T4A 3V4 6TF4 R2D4 10-40 27-7 3W5 6TF4A R3000 10-4A 2A10 4-12 6TF4B R3003A 10-4B 2A12 4-25 6TF7 TJ102L01 10-4C 2A20 4-8TF1 7-4 TJ311M01 10-4D 2A21 4-B 7-7 TJ601K01 10-4E 2B14 40-4 7-7A TJ791K01 10-4G 2H-4M 40-5 7-A W72-43 10-7 2H-8 40-6E 77-127 W72-69 Solving your relay requirements since 1922 10A10 2H10 41-2 77-128 WL-788 10A12 2H10R 41-7E 7A10 WL712 10A20 2H20 42-2H 7A10B 10T1 2H30 42-3 7A20 10TF2 2H4 43-4 7H-10 11-11 2HT7 46-2 7H-11 11-3 2HT7B 4A1 7H-12 11-4 2HTF11 4A10 7H-20 11A10 2HTF4 4A10S 7H-7B 12-11 2HTF7 4H-1 7H4 12-1H 2HTK2 4H-12 7H4B 12-2 2M2 4H-12A 7H7 12-2A 2R67 4H-25 7HTF2 12-3 2TF10 4H-30 7HTF3 12-3H 2TF11 4H10 7HTF3D 12-4 2TK7 4H11 7HTF4 120A 3-11 4H3 7TF4 121B 3-112 4H4C 7TF4A 12A10 3-11B 4H7 7TK3 12T1 3-14 4HM3 8-11 13-3H 3-14B 4HT1 8-3B 13-4 3-15 4HT11 8-4 13-7 3-16 4HTF11 8-4A Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com Solving your relay requirements since 1922 13A10 3-38 4HTF4 8-4D 14A10 3-38A 4HTF4A 8-7 14A20 3-38B 4HTF4B 8A10 14T1 3-4 4T2 8A10A 15-11 3-40 4T2B 8H-8H-3 15-2 3-4A 4TF4 8HTF3 15-4 3-4B 4TF7 8TF2 15A10 3-4D 5-11 8TF3 15A20 3-5 5-16 8TF4 15T1 3-50A 50-4 9-11 15TF2 3-7 5324-2 9-3 16-4 30-11 55-1 9-4 16A10 30-7 55-1H 9-4A 16N2 3008040B 55-4 9-4C 16T1 3014055A 5A10 9-4D 17-3 30R4 5A10S 9-6 17-7 31-4 5A20 9-7 17G2 33-11B 5H-10 9-7B 18-3 34-2 5H-11 9-8 18A10 35-4 5H-12 9A10 1A10 36-11 5H-3 9A22 1A20 37-4 5H-4 9H4 1F1 3A10 5H1 9H9 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com Solving your relay requirements since 1922 1H-10 3A10B 5HA20 9HTF1H 1H-11 3A20 5HT3 9TF2 1H-20 3F3B 5HT4 9TF4 1H-25A 3H-1-7 5HTF1 A19A 1H-46 3H-10 5HTF2 AP1260 1H-4B 3H-10B 5HTF4 D5TF10 1H-50 3H-11 5M1 D5TF30 1HM2B 3H-12 5T1A D6-10 1HM4 3H-20 5TF11 D6HT3 1HT11 3H-20B 5TF2 D6M1 1HT2 3H-25 5TF4 D6M2 1HT9K 3H-4 5TF40 D6M3 1HTF10 3H-4B 5TF4D D6T11 1HTF10A 3H-7 6-11 D6T1H 1HTF10B 3HTF11 6-11B D6T20 1HTF10C 3HTF4 6-12 D6T7 1HTF10D 3HTF4A 6-13 D6TF20 1HTF11 6-13B D6TF30 1HTF11A 3HTF7 6-1H D6TF4 1HTF11B 3M2 6-3 D6TF9 1HTF11C 3M4 6-36 D6TK6 1HTF4 3T1 6-4 D6TK7 1HTK11 3T11 6-4A D7-20 3HTF4B Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com Solving your relay requirements since 1922 1M2 3T2 6-4B D7H-6 1S10 3T4 6-4C D7H20 1TF10 3T4A 6-7 D7H4 1TF11 3T7 6-8B D7HT4 1TF2 3TF11 6A10 D7T11 1TF20 3TF11B 6A15 D7T4 1TF20A 3TF12 6A25 D7TF10 1TF7 3TF3 6G-12 D7TF7 Amperite Co. 567 52nd Street P.O. Box 329 West New York, NJ 07093 (800) 752-2329 www.Amperite.com