[Milsurplus] Lowering Receiver B+, Again.

[David Stinson]

We've probably covered this particular issue in 
discussions about lowering B+ in receivers to 
help preserve them, but I can't find it in my archives
and don't remember, so I beg your patience with 
my aged and leaky head.

I've recently restored a nice RME-45.  Here is 
a photo of it next to the WWII "Liberty Ship" 
MacKay:
https://goo.gl/photos/zwz8CeYmGb9EVR1k8

As originally designed, the output of the full-wave
B+ rectifier (type 80 tube) at the capacitor-input
filter is a needless 340V and better than 320V 
gets distributed.  I've already had an 
insulaton failure at an RCA "accessory" jack 
which shorted B+ to ground:
https://goo.gl/photos/So8HJtFZKEeY7mQ29
(I will be Q-doping the old, oxidizing wire 
insulation in the future.)

There are nearly irreplaceable band switches which
could suffer the same fate.   So lowering the B+
to this set is a priority.  While trouble-shooting,
I determined that the radio would play
acceptably on AM with as little as 90V for B+.
I did not test for BFO operation or higher-band LO
operation at that level- need to do more testing.
I don't "chase DX" with boatanchors and hold  
"preservation over performance," so reasonable
 reductions in performance are acceptable to me.

I know several non-destructive techniques 
to reduce the B+.
A "bucking" transformer will not do the job as one 
which took the B+ down enough would also take 
the filaments below an acceptable voltage. 
As a temporary measure, I removed one leg of the
HV transformer winding from a plate of the 80
rectifier, converting it into a half-wave rectifier.
This reduced the B+ at the filter input to 260V,
giving some temporary "breathing room."
Performance did not suffer, nor is there any
notable increase in AC hum in the audio.

Here is my question:
What, if any, are the pitfalls of converting the
full-wave rectifier into a half-wave rectifier?
Overall current draw is reduced in proportion
to the voltage reduction.  No evident increase
in transformer heat dissipation.  What are the
possible long-term issues with this?

73 DE Dave AB5S