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Pen4DD

Sensibly equivalent to:
CV519 DDPP4M
    
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The Pen4DD is from the early mains-valve era. As a double diode output pentode it was to perform the function of signal detection, AGC detection, and audio output. The 4.3 Watt output was significant. The second diode suggests use in superhet receivers rather than TRF sets. To achieve power output from the detected signal required significant gain, and the mutual conductance of 9.5 mA/Volt was high performance for the times. To achieve such levels requires the control grid to be finely wound and to be very close to the cathode, this in turn required that the cathode was ultra smooth. Quite a mature product.
Aware of the potential problems of providing insufficient gain to offset the loss of the normal triode stage, Mullard really went to town with this one. One consequence is a pretty huge heater current in relation to power output, indicating that high gain has been achieved by providing an over-sized cathode.
Other consequences included increased susceptibility to mains hum (larger magnetic hum field x extra gain) and to spurious oscillations (very high gm). These problems could be reduced to acceptable levels by careful design on the part of the set manufacturers but somehow the simple cheap solution aspect has been lost. One further problem was that trying to get too much into one valve meant that even minor degradation or ageing could have unacceptable results, whereas with the old double-diode-triode plus pentode solution very considerable valve degradation could occur before the average radio user noticed anything wrong. The double-diode-pentode fad was a feature of the late 1930s, and little used in post-war sets.
The classic envelope is 47 mm in diameter and, excluding the B7 base pins, is 125 mm tall.
References: Data-sheet, private communication & 1043. Type Pen4DD was first introduced in 1937. See also 1937 adverts.

 

Pin Connections
B7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
tc
a(d2)
k
a(d1)
h
h
a
g2
g1

 

Absolute Maximum Operating Conditions
Pentode
Vh
Ah
Va
Vs
Vg
mAa
mAs
ra
gm
Pout
D
4.0
2.25
250
250
-6
36
5.0
50,000
9.5
4.3W
10%
PDF scanned from an original document held by the museum
Updated December14, 2012.
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