[KevC]

I'm currently burning in my K501 and Darkvoice.... leaving it in the box since I'm busy doing something where I can't be corded.

I was thinking of looping some music/and leaving it on for a long period of time. However tubes get hot, don't they? I don't want to leave the house, then come home to ashes :|

How long have you ran a tube amp for? I'm afraid of letting it run overnight...

 

[mulveling]

I don't think there's exactly been a formal study on this subject. It can't hurt to be safe and turn the amp off before you leave the house - which is what I do. However, with all the headphiles and audiophiles using tubes, the reports I've seen of tube amps or tubes (from respectable manufacturers) failing voilently are very, very few and far between. They're pretty reliable on the whole. I have a friend who leaves his on for long periods during time which he often leaves the house - no mishaps so far.

Still, perhaps it's safest to stick with well established amplifier models with a longer track record of reliability...time to upgrade to a Singlepower

 

[nikongod]

this thread was created, and discussed to the point of a long book length at the begining of the summer.

 

[Spareribs]

I really doubt it's is fire hazzard. I have a tube guitar processor and I've had it for over 10 years with the same tubes. On several occasions, I've left in on by accident for a couple days. Nothing happened. Works fine.

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevC How long have you ran a tube amp for? I'm afraid of letting it run overnight...

If you aren't afraid of light bulbs either, then I'd claim there's no need to fear anything from a well designed tube amp. Or how about crt tv sets? That's one really big tube with plenty of high voltage in there, and still spontaneous self-combustion rarely ever happens with these thingies...

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lini Or how about crt tv sets? That's one really big tube with plenty of high voltage in there, and still spontaneous self-combustion rarely ever happens with these thingies...

Lol, tv sets are one of the main reasons for technically induced fire at home.Google is a friend even for journalists, just look at my 5 second research for incidents in Germany.
I wouldn't run a tube amp of questionable chinese construction unattended either.Dramatically failing tube amps happened twice to me during the last two years.I wouldn't call tube amps as reliable and safe as solid state, but maybe it was just bad luck and not representative.

 

[KevC]

So what happens when they fail? Kaboom?

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevC So what happens when they fail? Kaboom?

The worst I've encountered in my limited experience is a 6080GA that very loudly arced over several times in rapid succession, but it actually still worked afterwards, just not as well.

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevC So what happens when they fail? Kaboom?

I guess there are 50 ways to fail, from totally harmless (just doesn't work anymore) to a serious fire risk.
My Rudistor did evaporate white smoke and a nasty smell.Naturally I pulled the plug in panic.After the repair I was told that the reason was a faulty capacitor causing overheating of the transformer, and the fuse would have blown a few seconds later.
One of the tubes of my old Fisher started to glow way brighter than normal.As a consequence a few other electronic components were damaged (again : nasty smell) and the fuse blew.

 

[muckluck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz The worst I've encountered in my limited experience is a 6080GA that very loudly arced over several times in rapid succession, but it actually still worked afterwards, just not as well.

My Little Dot II+'s power tube just arched. Scared the crap out of me. However, it still works fine. I think tubes may be a fire hazard, but only if left by something that can catch fire easily i.e. papaer, gas, and other flammable stuff.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckluck My Little Dot II+'s power tube just arched. Scared the crap out of me. However, it still works fine. I think tubes may be a fire hazard, but only if left by something that can catch fire easily i.e. papaer, gas, and other flammable stuff.

If you have an arching tube .... you guys need to get them out of your amp. An arching tube is not fine. The tube will arch again and the next arch may be the one that takes out a channel. Arching is a dead short and can seriously damage your amp.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover If you have an arching tube .... you guys need to get them out of your amp. An arching tube is not fine. The tube will arch again and the next arch may be the one that takes out a channel. Arching is a dead short and can seriously damage your amp.

Oh I definitely don't use that tube anymore. I was just amazed that by the time I got over to the amp to turn it off, it was still playing both channels fine (albeit with poor sound quality).

 

[muckluck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover If you have an arching tube .... you guys need to get them out of your amp. An arching tube is not fine. The tube will arch again and the next arch may be the one that takes out a channel. Arching is a dead short and can seriously damage your amp.

hmm.. your probably right. Think little-tube would replace it for free?

 

[PFKMan23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckluck hmm.. your probably right. Think little-tube would replace it for free?

Who knows, you better contact them about that. Although depending on when you bought it and what their policy is that could be a yes or a no.

 

[GotNoRice]

Wow, what does it sound like when a Power Tube Arcs? Were you pushing the unit or did it just happen randomly during normal usage? Is this something that could cause damage to a connected headphone or an amp/speakers? Is this something of a common problem?