14 Mar
2013
14 Mar
'13
2:30 p.m.
Do any special precautions need to be taken with storing vacuum
tubes? Are these something that can simply be tossed in the attic
and forgotten about until needed? I recently got a fair number, and
expect to get more at some point in the future.
A lot of the ones I got are simply dumped in an old metal tool box.
Valves, ar of course, completely sealed (or the vacuum would escape). So
they are actually pretty 'hardy'.
Obviously avoid mechanical shock wwhcih could crack the glas senvelope.
And if you haev nay US metal tubes, remmeebr that the metal can _is_ the
vacuum envelope, so avoid anythign that might corrode it. Actually, a
corrosive atmosphere is nt ogood for the glass-metal seals on the leadout
wires or pins of other vavles. So don't keep them in salt water or
anythign liek that :-)
I would also avoid excessive vibration (which could damage the intenral
elecrtrod structor) or sudden changes in temperature (which could crack
the envelope or damage a seal).
Other than that there';s not a lot to worry about. I'bve got valves from
the 1920s which are sitll perfectly OK but which have had no special
storage.
-tony