Long term standby - like - months

[wallythacker]

I had a fair number of laptops where the lithium batteries died having discharged below the level of recovery. Needless to say I wasn't happy.

Now that I'm back into collecting and playing music gear I don't want lack of use to contribute to failure of potentially expensive and hard to replace amps.

So, my question is, (two questions, really, maybe 3)

1. Is it better to keep an amp on long-term (like, months) standby or power them up from cold and then shut them down?

2. If it it better to power them up from cold then, how often? and for how long? Do we really need to come off standby to make sure all the caps are being refreshed?

 

[danman]

Leaving the amp in standby mode for months is unnecessary. Any amps that I do not use regularly will get turned on for several minutes every 3-6 months to help keep the electrolytics healthy. Leaving the amp on in standby mode continuously for months would cause unnecessary heat buildup and damage to the tubes.

Edit: Depending on how the amp is wired you will need to be out of standby mode for the caps to see voltage. In most amps, when in standby mode, the tube heaters are the only part seeing voltage.

 

[Ghostman]

Batteries and Tubes are NOTHING alike when it comes to powering up/down etc.

 

[wallythacker]

I get that batteries and tubes are miles apart but something crapping out from not being used is a common thing. As danman mentioned, not all amps will have the caps hot when in standby, so you MUST power up and come out of standby every few months to keep the caps refreshed.

I'm just wondering how often we should fire up an amp to make sure it stays healthy.

 

[Masteresgt]

Capacitors in amp doesn't need to be charged when not in use. Most amp has bleeder resistor across capacitors to help them to discharge in a minute !

 

[danman]

I would say that applying voltage to the caps about every six months should keep them formed and healthy. Many amps have gone years without being powered up and seem to perform fine when fired back up for the first time but I prefer not to chance it.

 

[SonVolt]

I left my 2204 in the closet for 5 years untouched while I was in college. Turned it on one day once i finally got my own place and it was like no time has passed. Perfectly fine.

 

[blues_n_cues]

if you have so much carp that something has to sit untouched for 6 months then maybe it's time to downsize a bit.

or...

send some to the home for orphaned amps.

 

[MartyStrat54]

I make sure all my amps are turned on about every 3 months. I leave the amp on for about 5 minutes.

 

[Ghostman]

if you have so much carp that something has to sit untouched for 6 months then maybe it's time to downsize a bit.

or...

send some to the home for orphaned amps.

I agree with this. Why own an amp you're never, or rarely going to play?

or ANY gear, or anyTHING for that matter?

I can understand collections, but then if you are collecting them, who gives a shit if it works or not, you're just staring at it and basking in your own glory that you own it.

 

[ampmadscientist]

I had a fair number of laptops where the lithium batteries died having discharged below the level of recovery. Needless to say I wasn't happy.

Now that I'm back into collecting and playing music gear I don't want lack of use to contribute to failure of potentially expensive and hard to replace amps.

So, my question is, (two questions, really, maybe 3)

1. Is it better to keep an amp on long-term (like, months) standby or power them up from cold and then shut them down?

2. If it it better to power them up from cold then, how often? and for how long? Do we really need to come off standby to make sure all the caps are being refreshed?

The filaments will burn up with time, so it might be better to shut it off,
rather than leave it in standby.
Filament will only last "so many" hours.
The standby needs to be on (operate) for the caps to charge up.

Exception might be extreme cold or humidity.
Then it might be better to leave it on all the time.
But that is a torturous environment, it was not designed for that to start with.

 

[leewinn]

This is a quote from an article written by Hartley Peavey....

EXCESSIVE USE of a standby switch can cause another destructive process within the tube. If the tubes in the amp are allowed to operate for considerable lengths of time with the standby switch off (no B+/high voltage) the cathode material itself tends to build up a destructive process within itself, and this is referred to as “cathode poisoning.” The “old timers” used to call this phenomenon “SLEEPING SICKNESS!” When a tube is at full operating temperature and no current is being drawn (as is the case with no B+/high voltage) a high resistance layer is gradually formed at the “interface” between the oxide coating and the nickel cathode structure. This layer of barium orthosilicate causes tube performance to degrade significantly. It is important that the standby switch NOT be left in the “off position” (no B+) for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time to avoid “poisoning” the tube’s cathodes.

 

[Quasar-Kid]

I agree with this. Why own an amp you're never, or rarely going to play?

or ANY gear, or anyTHING for that matter?

I can understand collections, but then if you are collecting them, who gives a shit if it works or not, you're just staring at it and basking in your own glory that you own it.

This post made me laugh hard...
The unfiltered truth is usually hysterical

 

[Bigmuff]

I make sure all my amps are turned on about every 3 months. I leave the amp on for about 5 minutes.

Is this true for solid state amps as well? I have a Peavey bass amp sitting in the closet that I don't use for anything anymore.