Eimac 8877/3CX1500A7 tube info

[N3UUX]

I have a new 8877 tube I'm going to be selling. I remember reading somewhere about a problem they had with some of these tubes manufactured during a certain time period. Could anyone share that information with me, and how I might find out if this tube was one of those affected? I want to make sure I'm not selling someone a box of rocks when I post this.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[KD1MA]

Who is the manufacturer and how much do you want for it?

[N3UUX]

Who is the manufacturer and how much do you want for it?

It is an Eimac that I bought new around 1995. It's unopened, so I can't read the date code on the tube. But I would assume it was mfg. around that time. PM me an offer if you're interested.

[W8JI]

I have a new 8877 tube I'm going to be selling. I remember reading somewhere about a problem they had with some of these tubes manufactured during a certain time period. Could anyone share that information with me, and how I might find out if this tube was one of those affected? I want to make sure I'm not selling someone a box of rocks when I post this.

Thanks in advance for your help.

The 8877, like any tube, has gone through dark periods where reliability was low. In the mid to late -1980's we could hardly get good 8877/3CX1500A7 tubes. They consistently had grid to cathode short problems. In the late 80's for a period of time we were rejecting over 90% of tubes.

For the most part the 8877 was very reliable before and after that, but there still has been occasional problems.

The truth is with a tube out-of-warranty...you just take your chances.

The code date is normally stamped on the box if it is a retail tube and not OEM bulk. The serial number, by the numbers and letters at the start, also ties to a manufacture date.

I personally would not buy an 8877 with an 80's code date, not even for $20 and even if it was running. :-) In the 90's things are MUCH better, but from time-to-time batches were problems. That's just the risk of buying old tubes. I buy old tubes, but I know and accept the risk.

73 Tom

[N3UUX]

Thanks Tom. After reading your post, I took another look at the box, and I did find the date code on it. It is on the top of the box, and is a little bit lighter than the tube number. The date code is 9520.