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Could This Guy Be Electrocuted?
- Thread starter Eastside
- Start date
It looks like those tubes do not even have a top plate connection. The plate connection is in the base.
Appears that the tube has become gaseous and is now arcing with pieces of metal or oxide. The getter bloom seems to be white indicating this... tapping just makes for loose pieces to become part of the high voltage arc. Usual voltage on these tubes is 450 plus volts at tenths of amps.... I do not think he would be done in by this! 
The tube on the right seems to be operating correctly even with the blue glow!
73 Mechanic
The tube on the right seems to be operating correctly even with the blue glow!
73 Mechanic
BJ radionut
Supporting Member and 6m addict
Reminds me of the good OLD Days....When I ran a Quad Set of 866A's in a Amp PS....
Now those were just Purrty....
The old Century 35mm Arc projectors looked cool also when they were operating in their main PS....Turn the lights off in the booth and enjoy the glow
All the Best
BJ
Appears that the tube has become gaseous and is now arcing with pieces of metal or oxide. The getter bloom seems to be white indicating this... tapping just makes for loose pieces to become part of the high voltage arc. Usual voltage on these tubes is 450 plus volts at tenths of amps.... I do not think he would be done in by this!
The tube on the right seems to be operating correctly even with the blue glow!
73 Mechanic
But could he get zapped doing that?
If by "zapped" you mean "shocked" - as long as he doesn't tap so hard he shatters the glass and his finger comes in contact with the plate itself he probably won't get shocked. If there are other sources of voltage that we can't see inside the equipment, he might get shocked from them if he's not careful.
Your original question was whether he'd get "electrocuted". If he's unlucky enough to allow a current of a few hundred milliamperes pass between his two hands, he quite likely will get "electrocuted", meaning killed. If he's luckier, he might only get a severe (non-fatal) shock.
If he gets such a shock and jumps backwards, crashing through a 15th story window, his death will be the result of the fall, not of the shock.
So your saying its safe to touch the tubes inside a amp when its running?
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Not safe at all as these were not meant to be handled when operating....
Two good reasons were the high temperatures and the possibility of getting "zapped"! A beauty not meant to be touched but listened to or viewed!
many audiophiles like to keep their tubes in the open because of the warm glow of the heaters and the blue rays of the electrons reacting with the glass and metal impurities! :w00t:
73 mechanic
Not safe at all as these were not meant to be handled when operating....
Two good reasons were the high temperatures and the possibility of getting "zapped"! A beauty not meant to be touched but listened to or viewed!
many audiophiles like to keep their tubes in the open because of the warm glow of the heaters and the blue rays of the electrons reacting with the glass and metal impurities! :w00t:
73 mechanic
Thanks for the reply....personally I did not think it wise to be tapping tubes when they are fired up....a cber was supposedly killed here in town back in the 70s from touching a tube in a linear when it was running.
Ya see those metal cap/springs hold those tube in place? Well; if that tube voltage doesn't jump to those and ground out - then what chance does your finger? Don't you trust Beetle or CK to tell ya the truth? You should - IMO.
I still have a MesaBoogie 50/50 amp with 6L6GC's in it. Many other amps over the years too. Fender, Marshall, Vox - etc. Never once had a problem touching a tube. You will get your finger burned from the heat if you keep it there long enough; but who would want to do that?
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There is quite a difference in touching a tube with a top plate cap and one with the plte connection in the base.avoidthe ones with the top capstheHV is readily accessible while the others re pretty safe as long as you dont hit them too hard. I have tapped many 807's with an insulated screwdriver before. They do have a top plate cap and ran at 600 volts. Safe... yeah as I knew what Iwas doing.wise....maybe not:laugh:.
I had a Sunn Model T head and 2 V4 bottoms back in the late 70s....I touched the head in my bare feet and got a poke.
I meant no disrespect to those gentlemen.
Is it safe? No, it is not. Does it take a lot of voltage and current to kill you? No, it does not. If you want to take that kind of chance then just don't do it on my property or with my equipment. It only take one goof to be in a lot of trouble. That's normally called 'stupid' no matter if you live over it or not. If you wanna be stupid... not around me please.
- 'Doc
- 'Doc
Just to to be clear, myself, I would never tap an operating tube with my bare fingers. I would only use and insulated device of some kind. Often wewould havt to tap the 807 driver tubes to locate an intermittent fault in the modulator or RF stage of a transmitter