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Post subject: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 2:37 pm
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Hi

Recently I bought a hot rod deville but that is my first tube amp so I don't really know how to handle it so the tubes doesn't brake. Do they easily break when they are cool? And how many minutes do thet have to cool down before replacing the amp?

grtz

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 2:52 pm
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They're a lot sturdier than you might think. I knocked my rack amp right over once, power amp with four EL34 inside fell at least 6 feet, started up next time like nothing had happened.

If tubes do physically break (i.e. the glass envelope is broken) then you need to be doubly careful when removing them. If the power supply holds any charge then you risk touching the anode plates and getting a nasty shock.

Which could kill you.

Stone dead.

In seconds.

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 3:15 pm
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In my experience, the tubes are quite sturdy - the pins and socket aren't. Care should be taken to pull and push them straight in - even a slight angle or twist can break a pin or socket. And a broken pin stuck in the socket can be a female dog to get out.

The main problem with electricity is that the big caps hold quite a bit of charge at high voltage, and can take a long time to self-discharge. If you don't have a cap discharger or are afraid of using one, one trick is to unplug the amp from the wall, then turn it on for a few seconds.
Some amps also have a "discharge light" - an LED that grows dimmer as the charge fades, but don''t trust it.


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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 4:05 pm
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As far as replacing tubes goes, ↑ those comments ↑ about discharging the power supply cover it. Work the tubes out gently but firmly and double-check that the new ones go in the right way round, in the correct sockets and without bending the pins or damaging the socket contacts. Again, don't grip the tubes too tightly or you could smash the glass!

Also beware if you buy an amp with a tube rectifier (yours doesn't have one, certain Mesa Boogies do). The sockets for tube rectifiers are the same as the output tubes, putting the wrong type of tube into a socket can be dangerous not only to your amp but to your safety. There should be a diagram either in the manual or on the amp chassis telling you what tube types go where. If in any doubt at all then hand the job over to a good amp tech.

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 12:00 am
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And how about lifting up the amp after it has been used for a few hours? How long do you have to wait so that the tubes are cold enough?

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 2:29 am
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After powering off, five minutes should be plenty.

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 2:36 am
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Thanks everybody for your help! Really appreciate that :)

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 1:26 am
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Fennycaster wrote:
Hi

Recently I bought a hot rod deville but that is my first tube amp so I don't really know how to handle it so the tubes doesn't brake. Do they easily break when they are cool? And how many minutes do thet have to cool down before replacing the amp?

grtz


I hate Grammar nazi's, but......

Brake: To stop a vehicle or arrest motion.
Break: To stop working or and item has failed and no longer works.

Now, hot tubes are quiet fragile and you should let it cool down for at least 20 minutes or longer if you can. Even after that try not to shock it or drop it.

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Post subject: Re: How easily DO tubes break?
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 2:03 pm
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Jeffytune wrote:
I hate Grammar nazi's, but......


Did you mean Nazis?

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Post subject: Re: How easily DO tubes break?
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 10:34 pm
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GilgaFrank wrote:
Jeffytune wrote:
I hate Grammar nazi's, but......


Did you mean Nazis?


:lol:


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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 9:18 pm
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Jeffytune wrote:
Fennycaster wrote:
Hi

Recently I bought a hot rod deville but that is my first tube amp so I don't really know how to handle it so the tubes doesn't brake. Do they easily break when they are cool? And how many minutes do thet have to cool down before replacing the amp?

grtz


I hate Grammar nazi's, but......

Brake: To stop a vehicle or arrest motion.
Break: To stop working or and item has failed and no longer works.



actually I know the difference between break and brake... I just switched the e an k by accident. And btw, English is not my native language, don't blame me on such mistakes.

really 20 minutes? Other people say 5 minutes.

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Post subject: Re: How easily DO tubes break?
Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 9:49 pm
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GilgaFrank wrote:
Jeffytune wrote:
I hate Grammar nazi's, but......


Did you mean Nazis?


Yes and I still hate them.........glad you got it.

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Post subject: Re: How easily does tubes break?
Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 9:57 pm
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Fennycaster wrote:
Jeffytune wrote:
Fennycaster wrote:
Hi

Recently I bought a hot rod deville but that is my first tube amp so I don't really know how to handle it so the tubes doesn't brake. Do they easily break when they are cool? And how many minutes do thet have to cool down before replacing the amp?

grtz


I hate Grammar nazi's, but......

Brake: To stop a vehicle or arrest motion.
Break: To stop working or and item has failed and no longer works.



actually I know the difference between break and brake... I just switched the e an k by accident. And btw, English is not my native language, don't blame me on such mistakes.

really 20 minutes? Other people say 5 minutes.


I had no idea your native language was not English, sorry.
The longer the better, and it depends on how long you were playing and how loud. I ASSUME you meant at a gig at the end of the night going to load up to go home.
If the first thing you do is to turn off the amp, then roll up the cords, wipe down and put the guitars in there cases, and get everything ready to roll out to the van/car/truck, if you leave the amp for last, 20 minutes will breeze on by.
Let me just say it this way, it never hurts to wait that long, it expensive to find out 5 was not long enough.

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