5992
5992 has no equivalent designation confirmed by the archive. Completed sales put the typical price at $94.75 per tube.
Description
The 5992 is a beam power amplifier tube from the Bendix Red Bank line of reliable vacuum tubes, specifically designed to replace the 6V6 for aircraft and industrial applications.
Construction
The 5992 uses a coil type heater inside an extruded alumina insulator. It requires an 8-pin octal socket and can be mounted in any position. The base is an intermediate shell octal 8-pin type made of melamine with barriers. The bulb type is T-9. Maximum overall length is 3.320 inches, maximum seated height is 2.820 inches, and maximum diameter is 1.320 inches.
Ratings
The heater voltage is 6.3 volts with a current of 0.6 amps. Maximum plate voltage is 300 volts, maximum screen voltage is 275 volts, and maximum instantaneous peak plate voltage is 600 volts. Maximum plate dissipation is 12 watts and maximum screen dissipation is 2 watts. Maximum heater-cathode voltage is 350 volts, and maximum grid resistance is 0.1 megohm. Warm-up time is 45 seconds. Plate and heater voltage may be applied simultaneously.
Reliability and Life
Each 5992 tube is given a 45-hour run-in under various overload, vibration, and shock conditions. The Bendix datasheet states that all tubes are stabilized for 45 hours under test conditions and 2 G vibration at 30 cps prior to 100% testing. The maximum altitude rating is 80,000 feet, and the maximum bulb temperature is 180°C. Life expectancy is 10,000 hours for conservative use.
Design Center Values
Design center values include a heater current of 600 mA, transconductance of 4000 µmhos, plate current of 45 mAdc, and screen current of 3.5 mAdc.
| Measure | Per tube |
|---|---|
| Median | $94.75 |
| Typical range (25th–75th) | $76.99 – $109.84 |
| Most sales (10th–90th) | $63.02 – $128.50 |
| Extremes incl. outliers | $39.45 – $164.86 |
| Completed sales | 12 |
| Brand | Median | Range | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bendix | $91.00 | $76.99 – $109.84 | 3 |
| Condition | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| NOS | $108.50 | 5 |
| used | $76.00 | 3 |
Per-tube prices from completed sales, 2026-06-22 to 2026-09-12. Matched pairs and quads are divided out. See the price index for how these move over time.
Original manufacturer datasheets for 5992, hosted by Frank Philipse's Electron Tube Data sheets.
| Manufacturer | Designation | Datasheet |
|---|---|---|
| Bendix | 5992 | PDF (450 KB) |
Documents held here and used to write this page.
- BEAM POWER AMPLIFIER