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Old 14th Jun 2017, 10:55 am   #1
FERNSEH
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Default Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

Found this Mazda 30PL1. It's all too evident it is not a 30PL1 and is simply a relabeled PCL83 made by Mullard.
Thorn Electrical Industries started to use AEI Mazda valves in 1963 after their acquisition of the AEI valves and tubes division. TEI also acquired Brimar from STC.
The BRC 850 series used the Mazda 6/30L2. The 900 series used the 30PL14 and the 1400 series employed the 30FL1 and 30PL1. In the 1970s Thorn-AEI gave up making consumer electronics valves and Mullard made the replacements. We've all seen the Mullard 30FL2 which is a modified PCF80 but this is first Mazda 30PL1 I've seen like the example shown in the attachment.

DFWB.
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Old 14th Jun 2017, 1:35 pm   #2
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

I never thought of using a PCL83 to replace a 30PL1 valve, but valves 50 years ago were easy to obtain.
Have you any idea of why the numbering system on the 6/30L2 didn't conform to Mazda's normal numbering, I.e. Why the 6/ in front of the valve? Appreciate it's a 6.3 volt heater but they don't show the heater voltages on other 30 series valves.
Frank
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Old 14th Jun 2017, 2:56 pm   #3
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

Quote:
I never thought of using a PCL83 to replace a 30PL1 valve, but valves 50 years ago were easy to obtain.
Hi Frank, It has been suggested that 30PL1 is a much better replacement for the PCL83, in TV sets and in the Pye Black Box record player.

Quote:
Have you any idea of why the numbering system on the 6/30L2 didn't conform to Mazda's normal numbering, I.e. Why the 6/ in front of the valve? Appreciate it's a 6.3 volt heater but they don't show the heater voltages on other 30 series valves.
Mazda did make earlier miniature double triode valves, the 6L1 and 6L19, but these were only suitable for parallel heater supplies as the heaters were 0.4amp. Perhaps when the 6/30L2 was introduced in 1956 the unusual heater prefix was to remind us that this new valve can be used in 6.3volt parallel heater supplies as well as 0.3amp series heater chains.

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Old 14th Jun 2017, 3:18 pm   #4
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

Hi David,
The PCL83 valve and its other heater variations were not my favourite valve, luckily not many pieces of equipment I fixed had them.
I must have missed the posts about using the 30PL1 in place of the PCL83.
Thanks for the info.
Frank
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Old 14th Jun 2017, 3:40 pm   #5
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

I believe that the PCL83 is unique to the UK and was never used in Continental equipment. Never seen a PCL83 marked as "foreign made" and of course the 30PL1 is a truly British valve. 30PL1 is a beam tetrode.

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Old 14th Jun 2017, 4:16 pm   #6
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

I've often wondered - given the power rating of a PCL83 - why Mullard 'shoe-horned' that valve into an envelope about the same size as an ECC83.
The original Mazda 30PL1 was a lot taller and probably more reliable as a result, unlike the short one you've shown above David.

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Old 14th Jun 2017, 4:21 pm   #7
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

I'm sure that the ECL80 was sometimes used in place of the PCL83, not recommended, but it did work.
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Old 14th Jun 2017, 4:27 pm   #8
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

Mazda obviously liked the triode in the 6/30L2 because the same design was used in a number of other valves, often combined with a pentode such as the 30PL1. Mullard seemed to take the opposite view, with their combined valves often using unique triodes until finally they put half an ECC83 in the ECL86.
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Old 14th Jun 2017, 10:21 pm   #9
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

You can just about use an ECL80 in place of a PCL83 if the cathodes are commoned. The ECL80 (6V3 / 300mA heater) has a shared cathode and separate suppressor grid. The PCL83 (12V6 / 300mA heater) has separate cathodes and the suppressor grid tied internally to the pentode cathode, but the pinout is otherwise the same.

It won't do the valve any favours, but that substitution has probably saved a few test matches!
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Old 20th Jun 2017, 10:18 pm   #10
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Default Re: Mazda 30PL1/PCL83

I can't see in the picture unfortunately, but I'm wondering what the small print code is on that valve.
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