Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
I have one tube that is rattling. I put my finger on it it stops. It is not loose or anything. Is the tube bad? The tube is only a month old.
One Power Tube Rattling
- Thread starter Adjointfork
- Start date
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You have a rattling tube. There are elements banging around in there. It may work forever electronically, but it isn't of much use if it that rattle is present, is it? There are various devices that have been contrived to try to do what you did with your finger...that is to dampen the rattle. Bad tube, IMHO. I got in the habit of holding a tube by the base near my ear while tapping on the glass envelope. You can detect a rattle before you ever get the tube in the amp.
Axis29
Poster Extraordinaire
I have an old pair of mismatched logo RCA 6v6 tubes that have been in and out of several amps, gigged, basically rode hard and put up wet a bunch of times.
On of them started rattling on me an amp and a half ago or so. I didn't have any replacements hanging around at the time. But, I wanted to play. So, I went to my tool box, pulled up some gasket repair goop (the hot stuff with copper in it for exhaust gaskets) and put a very thin ring where the base and glass come together. It was just an experiment to see what would happen (I did driv eot GC and buy a replacement set of tubes while it dried). The next day popped it back into the amp. I think that was three or four years and two amps ago now.... Still going strong and replaced a set of modern Tung Sols in my 5e3 a couple months after I bought it. Surprised the heck out of me.
I don't think you can fix every rattling tube this way. But, the base was loose from the glass and it was the only thing I could think of at the time.
On of them started rattling on me an amp and a half ago or so. I didn't have any replacements hanging around at the time. But, I wanted to play. So, I went to my tool box, pulled up some gasket repair goop (the hot stuff with copper in it for exhaust gaskets) and put a very thin ring where the base and glass come together. It was just an experiment to see what would happen (I did driv eot GC and buy a replacement set of tubes while it dried). The next day popped it back into the amp. I think that was three or four years and two amps ago now.... Still going strong and replaced a set of modern Tung Sols in my 5e3 a couple months after I bought it. Surprised the heck out of me.
I don't think you can fix every rattling tube this way. But, the base was loose from the glass and it was the only thing I could think of at the time.
Old Bill
Tele-Holic
Try VERY GENTLY and bend a pin on the tube VERY SLIGHTLY. This cured a similar problem for me, it tightened the fit in the socket.
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
So I would take the tube out and bend a pin outward a little? In turn that would make a tighter connection in the socket?
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
I bent the pin a little bit and it didn't seem to have an effect. I may need to bend it a little more. It looks as though the tubes are pretty snug. But if I go to move them they move pretty easy with a little pressure. I have a new tube set coming Tuesday. If I hold my hand on them the rattle is very little. Don't know if it's the tubes or sockets
Axis29
Poster Extraordinaire
Do a Google search on tensioning tube sockets.
Adjointfork, tube sockets move. That is, they are not butted down firmly to the chassis. The individual pin contacts in the socket should make firm contact with the tube pins, but the tubes will 'move' because the sockets float, so to speak.
I cannot recall ever being able to solve a tube rattle by bending pins. I will keep that in mind, but if you can hold the tube by the base or the pins up close to your ear and hear a mechanical rattle when you tap on the glass envelope with a fingernail, you have a rattle tube.
I cannot recall ever being able to solve a tube rattle by bending pins. I will keep that in mind, but if you can hold the tube by the base or the pins up close to your ear and hear a mechanical rattle when you tap on the glass envelope with a fingernail, you have a rattle tube.
I've found that pins for octal power tubes do like like to be bent. They break.
By comparision, you can bend 9-pin miniature tube pins quite a bit and restraighten them without problems. If your rattling tube is a preamp tube or an EL84, bend away.
I found that Wally's first post is your best advice. If the tube is mechanically unsound, then fooling with the pins and the sockets is likely to screw up your sockets and won't fix the rattle.
By comparision, you can bend 9-pin miniature tube pins quite a bit and restraighten them without problems. If your rattling tube is a preamp tube or an EL84, bend away.
I found that Wally's first post is your best advice. If the tube is mechanically unsound, then fooling with the pins and the sockets is likely to screw up your sockets and won't fix the rattle.
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
Thanks for the input. I read somewhere that you can put a piece of rubber or heat resistant material in between the tube and the chassis, to help stop a rattle
Adjointfork, if you do a search for 'tube dampers' you will find various devices. Ime, these devices might be useful in case of a small problem. I have seen people try to make useless tube useful with such devices, and it just doesn't work. Audiophiles are big into these dampers. They are not trying to make a quiet tube out of a rattle trap but rather are trying to deal with very small problems in high fidelity situations. If the problem is a minor thing, perhaps dampers will do some good. With a tube with serious mechanical rattles, I have witnessed such dampers merely turning the tube's sonics into a blurry mush instead of a jangling rattle. The tube wasn't fit for use, and nothing was going to help it.
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
Thank you for the input. My new tube set is coming today. If that doesnt solve the problem I will try the dampers.
IMHO, if new tubes rattle, one should return the tubes....instead of spending money on something for which I personally have never found a need for. Ymmv...
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
I agree with you there. These tubes are free from the manufacture under warranty. When I called and explained the problem they offered a new tube set and said if that doesn't fix the problem I have to mail it in for warranty repair. I am pretty clever but I am not 100% sure it is only the tubes.
Is this an EL-84 amp??? Sometimes knowing the make and model of an amp will trigger a response from someone who might have had a similar situation??
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
Yes 2 el84 powertubes. it is a Bugera V22 infinium. For the price it is actually a nice sounding amp.
EL-84's seem to be more problematic with regard to rattling than some other tubes. Ime, if the noise stops when you lightly touch a tube, the problem is in that tube.
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
They are sending me new stock bugera tubes which I am guessing are not the best quality
Probably Chinese tubes, I would think.
Adjointfork
Tele-Meister
yea they are. I will give them a try again.
