Tube is glowing blue?!

[SpaceShipOne]

Hey guys, I just got my load box and apon getting the 5150 to about 5 or 6, i heard a slight buzz when actually playing and when I looked in the head, a tube was glowing blue at a spot inside. Just one tube, and it was buzzing too. Does this mean I have one going bad?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

a blue glow that looks like it's on the inside of the glass is normal...

 

[SpaceShipOne]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

And the rattling shake? That is with a load box, so no cab vibrations. Also, why only on one tube the blue glow? Just finniky? If I'm blasting this head near full power into this load box, I want to be sure.

 

[Mephis]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

Pull the tube and check if the legs of it are lose.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

what kind of "load bax" are we talking about here???

Where is the noise comming from??

 

[Al.C]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

http://members.aol.com/larrysb/blue_glow.html

 

[marvar]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

blue glow-normal (and looks really cool in a dark room!)
strong bright orange or red- not normal
white inside of tube means it has lost its vaccum-bad
some tubes glow blue, others don't it's not a concern, if you have a bad power tube, chances are you WILL know it- (squeals, low power output, pops, crackles, microphonics)
read this primer- scroll down near the bottom of the page in FAQ
http://www.vacuumtube.com/FAQ1.htm

 

[SpaceShipOne]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

Thanks guys, you've been a huge help. So the glow in just the one tube is the product of small impurities that pose no problem. I'm going to assume the rattle sound from pushing enormous amounts of power through it.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

Maybe a speaker has come loose. It has happened to me before. Check the nuts around the speakers.

 

[SpaceShipOne]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

Maybe a speaker has come loose. It has happened to me before. Check the nuts around the speakers.

Hehe, sorry bud, but you missed the part about the load box.:friday:

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Tube is glowing blue?!

Yea, my friends valveking does the same thing. Im not sure if the blue glow and the rattle have something in common.. it is odd. So far ive never heard a true explanation of the power tube rattle.