How to Clean Vacuum Tube Sockets
Vacuum tubes, once prevalent in electronics, long since have been replaced in most uses by solid-state devices. However, vacuum tubes still are used today in a few specialty electronic devices, including high-performance stereos, turntables and guitar amplifiers. Vacuum tube sockets can accumulate dirt and grime over time, which can adversely affect the vacuum tube's performance. Regularly cleaning the tube sockets in your electronic device will help keep the vacuum tubes in good shape for a long time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Assortment of screwdrivers
- Compressed air can
- Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
Instructions
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Power down your electronic device, and disconnect its main power cord. Remove the housing concealing your vacuum tubes. In most cases this is either the outer casing of your stereo or the back panel of you guitar amplifier. Remove the housing's retaining screws as necessary.
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Grasp each vacuum tube, and pull it out of its socket. Use a can of compressed air to blow out any dust and debris from within the tube socket.
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Apply some rubbing alcohol to the pins of the vacuum tubes. Insert a treated vacuum tube into its matching socket on your electronic device, and then quickly remove the tube from the socket. Repeat this for every tube and socket until each socket is thoroughly cleaned.
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Push all the vacuum tubes back into their sockets. Replace the retaining screws securing the device's housing in place.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not touch a tube with your hands. The oils on your hands will shorten its life.
Vacuum tubes are very hot when they are powered up. Do not try to access your vacuum tubes until they are thoroughly cooled down. You could be badly burned.
Depending on the warranty terms for your specific device, dismantling it for tube socket maintenance may void its service warranty. Contact your electronic device's manufacturer to see if maintenance is included in your service warranty.
References
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Stockbyte/Getty Images
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Comments
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With all due respect, that is NOT how you clean vacuum tube sockets. It's best you don't apply solvents or any cleaner/chemical to the tube pins. Why? Because acids, no matter how diluted can migrate into the glass (where the pins pass through and seal), destroying the integrity of said seal. And do not apply rubbing alcohol as it contains traces of lanolin and/or other oils. Clean the tube sockets - not the pins. Buy a tube socket cleaning kit (available online) or head to pharmacy and purchase a proxy brush or something similar and use DeOxit or a similar cleaner, again, to clean the socket - not the tube pins.
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Honestly, that is NOT how you clean vacuum tube sockets, period. Look elsewhere on the Web and find out the correct way to clean them. Don't apply solvents to the tube pins (good way to begin deterioration where the pin seals at the glass) and do not apply rubbing alcohol as it contains traces of lanolin and/or other oils. Again, look elsewhere as plenty of good advice exists on the Web.
