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Reviews For: RF Parts 3-500ZG

Category: Electron Tubes

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Review Summary For : RF Parts 3-500ZG
Reviews: 41MSRP: 119.00
Description:
RF Parts graphite plate 3-500Z tube
Product is in production
More Info: https://www.rfparts.com/tubes/tubes-3500.html?p=1
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25415
W2DWL Rating: 2009-06-14
Worth the money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought an 80-A with some problems and a shorted out tube, so I bought a replacement 3-500ZG from Rf Parts and have been running strong ever since.
W8TRN Rating: 2009-06-04
Quality Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used a matched pair of the RFP for about 2 years; they are mostly on SSB about 2 hours a day, seven days a week. An easy 1KW 80 - 10 meters with 50 - 80 watts of drive (depends on the band). Great customer service and engineering consultation. Simply an excellent designed, manufactured and quality controlled prodcut; sounds easy but sometimes hard to achieve.
N2QQF Rating: 2008-11-03
Strong Tube Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This tube is a very good tube. The tube is strong and puts out quite a bit of power. I use two of them in my amplifier and they certainly put out. I have had a moment of memory lapse and accidentally tuned the the "tune Button" instead of the Load and normally that would have been a wrap on another tube but the 3-500Z work real well.
K1DT Rating: 2008-10-08
Nice Quality Tube Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Why can't all the Chinese tubes be as good as these? This is a quality product, well made and a fine performer. RFP sells them for the right price. A pair has been running the full legal limit very nicely in my Henry 2K-4 for over a year. As my other 20-35 year old Eimacs fail I will be replacing them with these. I'll write another review in 2028!
WA7MR Rating: 2008-04-23
Great replacement part Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I put in a pair of these (I opted for the matched set) to replace the old Zs in my Amp Supply 500 ZC after one developed a short. I have been VERY happy with the RF parts ZG tubes. I have operated several contests now and they seem very robust. I thought about E-bay NOS, but I am very happy I resisted the urge....
S58F Rating: 2007-12-19
Nice service 5 ++ Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I replaced my Eimac 3-500ZG tubes with the RF PART 3-500ZG (AL-80BX)
Thanks to John from RF PART for nice service.
Recommend this tube if you nide one..


73's de S58F ERIC
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HEALTY 2008!
VR2AX Rating: 2007-12-16
Matched Pair Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Matched pair of RF Parts 3-500ZG tubes replaced a pair of ageing GE 3-500z tubes in my Drake L-4. I have had the ZGs for a year but based on low usage have posted on less extensive testing.

They are definitely well matched. The pair even came in boxes with the anode current (Ia) printed on the label, which was 130mA per tube in my case. Due to lowish voltage here (214-217V average), they run 200 mA for the pair or thereabouts standing current in actual service at 2300V DC. They could obviously do with more voltage.

Performance wise, they exhibit exactly 10dB gain at that voltage level. The older tubes they replaced were slightly higher gain, when they worked properly, about 11dB. But my initial impression is that the ZGs are robust. Would be nice if I had 120W drive instead of 100W though

One point, there is a running in procedure which involves running the tubes on filament current, with no anode voltage applied, for 12-24 hours before applying anode voltage. This is slightly obscure but I did it anyway. This is part of the gestering process I believe.

I will buy another pair for my L-4B without any hesitation
K8ICB Rating: 2006-09-13
I'm happy ! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I replaced my Eimac 3-500Z tubes (after 35 years) with the Taylor 3-500ZG matched set , they work well and have a lot more plate dissipation than the Eimacs.The amp is a Raytrack Dx-2000L made back in the 1970 period and still pounds out the watts . In my opinion the Taylors are the way to go.

73 K8ICB in Florida
AC5ZO Rating: 2006-03-08
Outstanding! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought a matched set of these tubes to replace an old set of Eimac tubes that had become gassy. My amplifier is back to full power and runs great. I think that the heavy duty graphite electrodes are an improvement.

The service and quality from RF Parts is great.
NC9K Rating: 2005-12-06
Good product, good service. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Operated a new matched pair of RF Parts Co. 3-500ZG tubes in a Henry 2-K for almost a year. Had a grid glitch with one of the tubes develop. Contacted RF Parts Co. and they promptly exchanged the culprit tube under the warranty and matched it to the remaining tube. Glitch is gone and amp has 40 hrs transmit time on new tube. I have seen the problems with Eimac, Amperex, etc. tubes and for $300- for the pair the RF Parts Co. 3-500ZG's are the best deal going.