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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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In Reply to: Re: How many NOS tubes still exist? posted by we262a on August 12, 2002 at 06:31:31:
How long it takes to lose vacuum depnds primarily on the strength of the vacuum to begin with, the quality of the sealing process, and the amount of residual gas left in the tube.You may notice if you have a large stock of pre-1950's tubes that some getters are becoming smaller and are getting discolored.
You may also notice that pre-1940 tubes are becoming hit and miss. I have several early 45's and 80's that have become gassy over time. There is also the issue of cathode sleepiness in these older tubes.
It is probably true that the majority of tubes with weak vacuum are gone already, by natural selection process.
There is no perfect vacuum, even space is not a perfect vacuum. Consequently, there is no way these tubes will have an infinite shelf life. As to how long, this is indeterminate, as every individual tube will be different. Personally, I'm not greatly worried about my stock in my lifetime. But I wouldn't bank on my 1930's tubes being around in 2030, at least with certainty.
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Follow Ups
- Re: How many NOS tubes still exist? - Robert H. 07:22:35 08/12/02 (0)
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