X-rays from 6FG6 and similar (luminescent tuning-eye) vacuum

B

Bill Webb

Guest
I recently happened on some 6FG6 tuning-indicator vacuum tubes, and am
considering using one as an output-level indicator for a homebuilt
amplifier (it'll raise the component count--this is a transistor amp,
after all--but IMHO will have a bit more class than the usual LED/LCD
alternatives). Do these tubes emit any harmful rays (e.g. X-rays) to
speak of?

TIA
Bill
 
Bill Webb <spam@cexx.org> writes:

I recently happened on some 6FG6 tuning-indicator vacuum tubes, and am
considering using one as an output-level indicator for a homebuilt
amplifier (it'll raise the component count--this is a transistor amp,
after all--but IMHO will have a bit more class than the usual LED/LCD
alternatives). Do these tubes emit any harmful rays (e.g. X-rays) to
speak of?
Click to expand...
Below 10 thousand volts or so, there are no significant X-rays from
vacuum tubes.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Home Page: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
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On 14-Nov-2003, Bill Webb <spam@cexx.org> wrote:

I recently happened on some 6FG6 tuning-indicator vacuum tubes, and am
considering using one as an output-level indicator for a homebuilt
amplifier (it'll raise the component count--this is a transistor amp,
after all--but IMHO will have a bit more class than the usual LED/LCD
alternatives). Do these tubes emit any harmful rays (e.g. X-rays) to
speak of?

TIA
Bill
Click to expand...
I can't find any data on emissions or X-rays for these nice looking tubes,
They seem to be a low voltage tube. 6V filament voltage and all specs I can
find indicate that max voltage inside the tube is 300V. I don't think you
would have anything to worry about unless you were planning to install
thousands of them for a huge wall-sized meter... <g>
 
G'day Sam,
16kV was the figure I heard as the minimum required to produce
significant X-radiation. "Magic Eye" tubes would not produce any more
radiation than any other tube operating with an anode voltage of 250V
or so.
I love "Magic Eyes". I used to play around with them as a kid,
using them as level indicators on amplifiers etc. :) Shame that they
don't retain their brightness for very long.

Bob


Sam Goldwasser <sam@saul.cis.upenn.edu> wrote:
Below 10 thousand volts or so, there are no significant X-rays from
vacuum tubes.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Home Page: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Site Info: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: The email address in this message header may no longer work. To
contact me, please use the Feedback Form at repairfaq.org. Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
"Bill Webb" <spam@cexx.org> wrote in message
news:xi1tb.94$Wy4.29@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
I recently happened on some 6FG6 tuning-indicator vacuum tubes, and am
considering using one as an output-level indicator for a homebuilt
amplifier (it'll raise the component count--this is a transistor amp,
after all--but IMHO will have a bit more class than the usual LED/LCD
alternatives). Do these tubes emit any harmful rays (e.g. X-rays) to
speak of?

TIA
Bill
Click to expand...
They'll be fine, but keep in mind that they don't have very long lifetimes,
and certain rare ones have rather high sale values since antique radio
collectors need them.
 
"Bill Webb" bravely wrote to "All" (14 Nov 03 09:32:13)
--- on the heady topic of "X-rays from 6FG6 and similar (luminescent
tuning-eye) vacuum tubes?"

No Xrays. Maybe a little ultraviolet but very low power. Then again even
a house lamp puts out a tiny bit of UV.

BW> From: Bill Webb <spam@cexx.org>

BW> I recently happened on some 6FG6 tuning-indicator vacuum tubes, and am
BW> considering using one as an output-level indicator for a homebuilt
BW> amplifier (it'll raise the component count--this is a transistor amp,
BW> after all--but IMHO will have a bit more class than the usual LED/LCD
BW> alternatives). Do these tubes emit any harmful rays (e.g. X-rays) to
BW> speak of?

BW> TIA
BW> Bill

.... Is reactance then illusory? No, it just appears that way...
 
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