your opinions on leaving equipment running all day

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JMarcomb

JMarcomb

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This thought has blown through my mind a few times and I know there are too many variables for an answer.

Do you get longer life out of your equipment (keyboard, preamp,electronics, etc..etc.) if they have less hours on them? Tubes excluded.
When powering up and shutting down equip. I would guess the expansion and contraction on the components whould shorten the life... but then again its nice to keep those capacitors lubricated once in awhile..

Too keep one of the variables the same... lets say the equip. stays in a room and doesnt get banged around on the road.

just wanted to hear what you guys think of this....
 
I'm not sure if it shortens the life of the equipment, but for most stuff I would say no... But that stuff pulls alot of power! Those little transformers will really make your meter spin if you've got a couple of dozen.
 
My studio is a fairly complete "project" studio, with 3 tape decks, a computer with 21" monitor, 5-6 sound modules, 5 keyboards, 2 drum controllers, midi patch bay, 3 drum modules, 2 guitar FX, 2 Bass FX, and probably several items I've forgotten (like 2 analog and 1 digital mixers, and several FX processors) and a sub woofer - the whole thing draws about 8 amps at idle, which translates to just under a kilowatt an hour, or $1.40 a day, or $42 a month -

When I'm doing ANYTHING in the studio, the stuff stays on 24/7. I've been an electronics tech since 1966, and everything I've learned in that time says leave it on if there aren't any moving parts, although in the case of computers it's kind of a toss-up. I tend to leave those on too, only slacking tape on recorders to stop the capstan motor.

Tube gear kind of depends on how much use it will get - if it is just going to sit for a day or two at a time, I'd turn it off. Do NOT, repeat NOT, use the standby switch on anything that has one, for any prolonged time period. These switches turn off the high voltage supply on tubes, but leave the filaments ON for quick startup - problem is, without current flowing thru the tube, the electrons that are "boiling" off the plate/filament just sort of "hang around" the plate, eventually getting re-absorbed. This causes what is called "cathode poisoning", and will lower the output and performance of the tube.

Certain types of capacitors, if left discharged (gear powered down) for long periods (months at a time) will lower their value, get noisy, and need replacing - the most common type that has this problem are the electrolytic caps used primarily in power supplies as filters.

Whatever you do, remember to turn power amps/powered speakers on last, and off FIRST to avoid turn-on transients -

Hope that helps you decide what/when to leave on or power down... Steve
 
I'm concerned with transient nasties following the mains in so when not in use the mains breaker is off. No way for Ready Kilowatt to come in and shake hands with any of my gear.
As far as my tube preamps, I let them warm up for about two hours before using them.
 
My stuff is up 24/7 on weekends from Friday evening until Sunday evening.

Unless working on an active project it's usually off during the week.

I have a compressor and an effects unit with no on/off switch so those are up all the time.
 
Yer reminding me to go shut off my monitors - left 'em on last night...
 
Man,I never really noticed it before, but I leave everything on 24/7.
 
I unplug stuff during lightning storms (I've taken several hits going thru surge protectors and have lost several TV's and stereo systems over the years). Otherwise, its ON. Units that have on/off switches, that don't get much use, I'll shut off until I actually use them.
 
Nearly forgot about lightning - we get maybe 1 or 2 minor storms a year where it's even noticeable. If I lived where it was a problem, I think I'd run everything on batteries, deep in a cave :=)

Seriously, talked to some guys on RO that live in Oz, you couldn't GIVE me that place if I had to live there. Dish washers blown out of the wall, guitars left plugged into an UNPLUGGED amp, fried, etc - FUGEDDABOUDIT... Steve
 
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