Question regarding Ceriatone Champ layout

[mitch]

On Ceriatone's Champ Ultra layout on the rectifier socket there's a 0.01uF/3kV cap tying pin 4 to pin 6 then what I believe are diodes from pins 4 & 6 connected to pins 5 & 7. Just what is the purpose of this some sort of Transformer protection? http://www.ceriatone.com/images/layo...tra-Layout.jpg

[JHow]

The way its wired it looks like the SS diodes are in series with the tube rectifer. Pins 6 and 4 are the plates and 7 and 5 are unused on 5Y3.

[mitch]

Thanks JHowe,I was just curious though- what is it's purpose ? To protect the PT,the rectifier or is it some sort of power filter?

[JHow]

Not sure. Maybe the the silcon diodes extend the voltage rating and the cap equalizes voltage over the two diodes. Maybe if you buy the kit there are instructions that explain it?

[ThermionicScott]

Snubber cap?

[mitch]

Well I'm pretty new at this so I hadn't even heard the term snubber before. But I started checking around for info on "snubbers" and found thisDamping of ringing in audio transformers
So I think you are probably right Scott.

[Ward]

It's a safeguard in case the recto tube craps out you get SS recto.

[mitch]

Makes sense...cleaver