Can you touch the tubes?
I was talking to someone at the tube store about replacing some KT 150 tubes and he said it was perfectly fine to touch the tubes.
I've always thought you're supposed to handle these things very carefully with white gloves or a microfiber cloth.
Handling them with my fingers makes it easier to pull them out , insert them more securely.
Does it really matter if my fingerprints get on the glass or should I clean them off with a microfiber cloth after I touch them?
You want to avoid the oils which in turn heat up the glass and make the tubes hotter than they should be. If it's unavoidable use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to clean off the glass. The little alcohol cleaning wipes are really handy for spot cleaning like that. Of course, make sure your gear is off before getting any fluid anywhere near it. :) |
Washing your hands before (and in the following case after) is a good idea. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Tubes-GettyImages-102677143.jpg
DeKay |
@facten I guess you were just being a smart ass but here is some data: Normal power tubes, 200 to 300 deg F Incandescent light bulb 400 deg F 845 tube 500 to 600 deg F halogen bulb 1000 to 1200 deg F Because the the extreme temps of the halogen bulbs, differential heating caused by oils can cause the bulb to break. I've never heard of an 845 breaking from this. jerry |
