100 watt tube amp... hot tubes

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Flash

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Hey guys, I have a 100 watt tube amp. It uses (4) 6L6GC tubes + the pre-amp tubes and reverb tube. How hot are these things supposse to get? I mean, should you be able to touch them (the tubes) when there on? These are brand new tubes. They don't seem to be glowing excessively, accually seem kind of dim. They only glow some towards the base side, where it plugs in to the socket. The amp sounds O.K. Any feed back on this.....
 
Flash said:
I mean, should you be able to touch them (the tubes) when there on?
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Depends if you're running from the law or not. Want to keep your fingerprints? :)

Seriously, they're really supposed to get hot.

Thomas

-----------------
Barefoot Sound LLC.
Recording Monitors
San Francisco
 
If you're able to touch them after they've been on for longer than 10 minutes or so I would think something is wrong.Does the amp have a stand-by mode?If so,what do the tubes look like in stand-by?
 
Flash said:
should you be able to touch them (the tubes) when there on?
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Yes, but only if you want to burn your fingers off.

I've got some tube gear here, and the tubes get extremely hot. You could cook a meal on my Manley VariMu, that thing just bakes.

Some newer tube gear, like rack preamps and that sort of thing use a low voltage design, and much lower current goes through the tubes. So they stay cooler.

However, if your amp sounds okay, it probably is okay.
 
Thanks guys, I assumed that they where suppose to be that hot but, one of my friends come over and said he thought they were getting to hot....??? The amp plays fine so far. I have the right size fuse in it. So, I would assume if something was wrong it would blow the fuse. Just wanted to ask..... thanks again.
 
Flash said:
Thanks guys, I assumed that they where suppose to be that hot but, one of my friends come over and said he thought they were getting to hot....??? The amp plays fine so far. I have the right size fuse in it. So, I would assume if something was wrong it would blow the fuse. Just wanted to ask..... thanks again.
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If you are concerned, take your amp to a guitar store and have a tech check out the bias. The plate voltage should match the tubes being used (since each tube has it's own designated plate voltage).
 
Flash,

Just a bit of extra science geek trivia:

The yellow light you see down near the base of the tube is the heating filament - essentially a light bulb. It's inside a metal can. The filament heats the can and causes electrons to "boil" out of the metal into the vacuum. If you turn down the lights, you'll also notice a cool blue glow coming from the tubes. The boiled-off electrons are accelerated away from the can by a metal grid which is held at about 450 volts relative to the can. The blue glow is light radiating from the accelerating electrons! :cool:

Thomas

-----------------
Barefoot Sound LLC.
Recording Monitors
San Francisco
 
It's Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill Nye the science guy.





barefoot said:
Flash,

Just a bit of extra science geek trivia:

The yellow light you see down near the base of the tube is the heating filament - essentially a light bulb. It's inside a metal can. The filament heats the can and causes electrons to "boil" out of the metal into the vacuum. If you turn down the lights, you'll also notice a cool blue glow coming from the tubes. The boiled-off electrons are accelerated away from the can by a metal grid which is held at about 450 volts relative to the can. The blue glow is light radiating from the accelerating electrons! :cool:

Thomas

-----------------
Barefoot Sound LLC.
Recording Monitors
San Francisco
Click to expand...
 
rvdsm, That's what I'm gonna do I think. The problem is where I live in relation to people that Bias amps. It's about 1 hour drive to a couple places I called. Not one of them would check or adjust it the day I bring it there. Have to leave it and be put on the list. 2 week waiting list ya know. Funny thing is when I ask them what there hours are the say like, 11-5 or 1 to 6 or something to that effect. I would think if business was that good and you had a 2 week waiting list, why not work more hours? Maybe these guys just do it part time. I don't know.....
 
LOL at the tube amp tech....

Look at it this way.... Chances are they are also musicians... I would not let a none musician tube amp tech work on my tube amps... They are working typical musicians hours (LOL).

Try calling the Mesa Boogie factory for ANYYHING!... I think they work Mon. - Wed. for about 5 hrs. a day.... LOL! But heck their amps rock!

Shred
 
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