Long-term Storage for Tube Amps?
Nov 4, 2008 at 1:55 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 8

johnation33

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Hi headfiers,

I was wondering what is the proper way for long term storage for tube amps? In the future, I'm looking to store my tube amp for around 3 months during the summer and was wondering if I should be wrapping the tubes specially, or putting them in ziploc bags, etc? I'm guessing the amp itself should just be stored in a safe, cool place but what about the tubes?

i guess im concerned about oxidation of the tubes and stuff
 
Nov 4, 2008 at 4:16 PM Post #2 of 8
Mostly, you want to keep it dry and keep it from being knocked over or having something fall on it.

For the most part, tube gear is very durable. I've revived a lot of old radios and they hold up well over 50-70 years. Some of the worst damage I've seen has been where mice got into a set stuck in a barn and chewed up most of the wiring for a nest. It was unfixable.

So, guard against rodents, too. But remove the tubes, carefully pack it up and put it somewhere safe and dry.
 
Nov 4, 2008 at 5:59 PM Post #3 of 8
Temperature stability would be best but as long as it's summer, you'd be ok.

If you bag your tubes, see if you can get a bit of nitrogen to flush out the bags. Then use a hard plastic sealed container and flush with nitrogen. Nitrogen will have a dewpoint of -30 to -50 deg C, keeping it dry and removing oxygen from the environment will keep it clean.

I would be glad to offer a place to store it. Would my listening rack be OK?
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Nov 4, 2008 at 9:27 PM Post #4 of 8
i take out the tubes and put them in the little cardboard boxes and then put all of them in a big ziploc tub and cleartape the seal around the edge...then i stack them in the bottom shelf of my cedar lined closet AWAY from sunlight---the important thing is to find the spot in your house with the least variation in humidity and temp and away from sunlight....as for the amp/etc. just put it in the box it came in with all the styrofoam and etc and pack it away in the closet as well---this way has always worked for my gear and tubes
 
Nov 5, 2008 at 1:06 AM Post #5 of 8
Tube amps are designed tough. Did you know tube amps can survive a nuclear war? If I remember correctly, this is what I heard and the reason why the military has tube equipment stashed away.

Many tube amps are built like tanks too. It would not surprise me if archeologists discover a bunch of well preserved tube amps a thousand years from now and they still work.

This is one of the reasons why I spent a lot of money on a good tube amp- to have for the rest of my life. If you think about it, a high quality tube amp is actually a good bargain even if you spent a few thousand dollars on it since it will last a life time brotha!


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Nov 5, 2008 at 2:15 AM Post #7 of 8
Yep, tube gear is not really bothered by high voltages, surges, and EM warfare. Semiconductors are very fragile in comparison.

And they are usually heftier by nature. Since tubes get hot, they contain a lot of metal or are all-metal in build. Since most designs utilize transformers, they are generally heavy.

Keep it dry, and keep it somewhere where it won't be subject to extremely low temperatures (say, below 32 F) since that's bad for the capacitors.
 
Nov 5, 2008 at 9:47 AM Post #8 of 8
keep them cool and dry.
 

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