7AK7
Pentode vacuum tube
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 7AK7 is a pentode vacuum tube (thermionic valve). According to its manufacturer, Sylvania, it was "designed for service in electronic computers".[1]
| 7AK7 | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Pentode |
| Service | Digital computers |
| Height | 3+5⁄32 in (80 mm) |
| Diameter | 1+3⁄16 in (30 mm) |
| Cathode | |
| Cathode type | Coated Unipotential |
| Heater voltage | 7.0 V (6.3 V nominal) |
| Heater current | 800 mA |
| Anode | |
| Max dissipation Watts | 8.5 W |
| Max voltage | 200 V |
| Socket connections | |
 Pin 1 – Heater | |
| References | |
| https://web.archive.org/web/20221114011216/http://www.nj7p.org/Tubes/PDFs/Frank/137-Sylvania/7AK7.pdf | |
The tube was developed in 1948,[2] designed at the request of L. D. Wilson for use in the Whirlwind computer.[3] Significant attention was directed towards its manufacturing process in order to ensure the part's reliability.[4] Dubbed the "computer tube",[5] it became a popular tube for computers for a while.[2] IBM, however, switched to more compact miniature tubes, starting with the IBM 604 in 1948.
