Joe Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Do cooling fans extend tube life? Seems like I've gone through a lot of tubes lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I doubt it, but ask KBP810. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mars_hall Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Yes, anytime you pull the heat away from the tube, you are reducing a contributor to what eventually will cause the metal to turn brittle and fracture. That is why Mesa and others usually have a cooling fan in their products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Yes, anytime you pull the heat away from the tube, you are reducing a contributor to what eventually will cause the metal to turn brittle and fracture. That is why Mesa and others usually have a cooling fan in their products. Recently saw a guy with one for his home made rig. I'm definately adding one to my amp. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Military research confirms that tube coolers do have significant effect on extending life of thermionic vacuum tubes, particularly the hotter running power tubes. The reason is that power tubes get their glass envelopes hot enough for the glass to become slightly more porous than at cold temps. This allows vacuum contamination and the eventual premature failure. I have and use two types of coolers, the finned and o-ringed Tube Coolers brand and the military/aerospace IERC tube coolers. Both types reduce microphonic behavior at least slightly, Both types work very well in their intended function of cooling the glass on 12__7 pre tubes as well as power tubes, all coolers must be properly selected for size of tube bottle diameter and length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pressure Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My Metro has a fan. Its the first amp I have had with a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Boogie fans keep boogie fans coming back for more Boogies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Military research confirms that tube coolers do have significant effect on extending life of thermionic vacuum tubes, particularly the hotter running power tubes. The reason is that power tubes get their glass envelopes hot enough for the glass to become slightly more porous than at cold temps. This allows vacuum contamination and the eventual premature failure. I have and use two types of coolers, the finned and o-ringed Tube Coolers brand and the military/aerospace IERC tube coolers. Both types reduce microphonic behavior at least slightly, Both types work very well in their intended function of cooling the glass on 12__7 pre tubes as well as power tubes, all coolers must be properly selected for size of tube bottle diameter and length. Are these coolers not a small fan? I was thinking of installing a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Are these coolers not a small fan? I was thinking of installing a fan. Don't think they are just fans. If you do install a fan, I'd install it to pull the air over the tubes, rather than blowing on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 No, they are basically metal sleeves that are slipped directly on the tubes. No fan needed, they work by absorbing, then convecting and radiating heat away from the glass bottles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegleg32 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Why do so many amps have a metal container that slips over there AX_7 tubes? Doesn't that just contain the heat? Should they be removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 That shield is to prevent RF noise escaping from the tubes from causing unwanted noise in output. Also cooks tubes inside it hotter than naked tube by far. Traps heat inside like tinfoil around a freshly baked potato. Sometimes the shield on preamp tubes helps reduce microphonics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 No, they are basically metal sleeves that are slipped directly on the tubes. No fan needed, they work by absorbing, then convecting and radiating heat away from the glass bottles. Do they work well with amps that have the tubes suspended underneath (e.g. Fender Tweed Deluxe)? Are they just for the power tubes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegleg32 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have not seen shields on power tubes, although some makers might do that also. I think I'm understanding that the coolers that Mav is using are different from the metal sleeves that I'm referring to. I guess I'm a wee bit confused yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have not seen shields on power tubes, although some makers might do that also. I think I'm understanding that the coolers that Mav is using are different from the metal sleeves that I'm referring to. I guess I'm a wee bit confused yet. Don, google for Pearl Tube Coolers. All will be revealed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 My PV Classic 50 has a fan inside to cool the tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted January 18, 2012 Author Share Posted January 18, 2012 My PV Classic 50 has a fan inside to cool the tubes. Does it blow to the outside or inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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