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

Indeed Selectric, I even monitor AC ripple as I'm bringing the voltage up and carefully touch the caps to make sure they're not heating up!

Hifigeek1,

You are far braver than anyone I know when charging up questionable caps. A friend had a cap blow up when he turned on an old amp and he said the explosion was unbelievably powerful. He is a gun person so he knows what loud is, and he said the cap going up was louder than any gun he has fired.

Larryi I've been doing that kind of work for 25 yrs. Actually a cap will give you warning signs. At low voltage they can heat up and/or sizzle or tic from arcing. That's why you run the amp up slowly. Never bring an amp with caps that make noises up to full voltage. Also if the cap is leaking from the vent.

I'm too much of a chicken to be close by looking for warning signs. I lend my stuff to a friend who can power it up on a variac for me.

Well that works. lol