How to restart tube amp and pre in boxes for 2yrs

Important that you bring the amps to room temperature of 72 degrees for at least a day. Never start them otherwise. Second the load comment.

Larryi..You're actually at an advantage having a tube rectifier. The tubes running off that rectifier (high voltage) have a nice soft start. No tube will conduct until the rectifier starts conducting and turns on, minimizing the inrush current. Tube units with solid state rectification are a different story. Voltage appears at the tubes before they have a chance to conduct. The inrush current is not minimized and there is no soft start. That makes it much harder for old capacitors to form up, and puts a strain on the power transformer. The flash you see on the rectifier is because there is no soft start for the rectifier. It provides a soft start for everything in the circuit it feeds.

Hifigeel1,

Yes, the rectifier does act as soft start for other tubes and for the power supply caps.

Perhaps you can help with the issue of using a variac for tube gear that use solid state rectification. A friend had such an amp that had problems with diodes in the bridge rectifier blowing up. The manufacturer stated that both over-voltage and under-voltage could be responsible for that happening. Since the use of a variac would create such under-voltage situation, I am wondering if that claim is really correct.

wow the last 2 comments are way over my head. But tonight after i come back from my dance class i will do what Elizabeth told me. tks to all and i hope to enjoy my records soon Daniel

For those of you with Plinius amps(the old one's anyway), a load is needed. Don't ask how I know.