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Rectifier - Half Wave ·Rectifier

346B

Western Electric three-electrode inert-gas cold-cathode tube for relay, rectifier, and voltage-control applications, providing heaterless gas-discharge switching and control.

Directly heatedCold cathodeCommon cathodeDissimilar
Sections
1
Base
-
Socket code
UX4
Base pins
-
Nominal heater
-

Description

Western Electric 346B is a three-electrode cold-cathode gas-filled tube for relay, rectifier and voltage-regulator/control service.

Socket description

Medium-shell UX 4-contact

General specifications

Tube and section characteristics

Properties common to every published source and operating point.

Heater and base

Base
-
Socket code
UX4
Base pins
-
Nominal heater voltage
-
Nominal heater current
-
Parallel heater voltage
-
Parallel heater current
-
Series capable
No

Terminal pinout

Electrical assignments shared by every tube using this base designation.

No verified pinout is recorded for this base designation.

Section ratings

1 physical section, each with unique specifications.

Section 1

Rectifier

X-ray radiationInterelectrode capacitances
Max cathode current
35 mA
Regulator voltage
60 V
Regulator starting voltage
70 V
Regulator maintaining voltage
60 V

Cold-cathode main/starter-gap device; regulator fields reflect the published starter/control-gap breakdown and sustaining values.

Source-dependent data

Operating conditions by source

Each block preserves the test conditions and published values from one reference. Values from different sources are intentionally kept separate.

Data set 01

2026 Western Electric 300s

Published operating points and test conditions from this source.

SECTION 1

Rectifier

Other

  • Maximum forward peak cathode current

    100 mA

  • Maximum average cathode current

    35 mA

  • Maximum inverse peak anode current

    5 mA

Characteristic

  • Main-gap sustaining voltage

    80 V

  • Control/starter-gap breakdown voltage

    70 V

  • Control/starter-gap sustaining voltage

    60 V