Cleaning valve pins; suggestions?

[Mike Reed]

It's been nearly a year with my E.A.R.s and I have a fancy to take the valves out and clean the pins. Whether this is necessary, good practice or sonically enhancing, I know not.

Do I go for common or garden switch cleaner (Maplins, e.g.) or go for the highfaluting audio cleaners (De-oxit, e.g.)

What do others do? Or don't you?

[hifi_dave]

I usually unplug and plug back in a couple of times, that should do the trick. With the EAR's, you might just find that the o/p tubes are soldered in place..:eyebrows:

[chris@panteg]

Have you tried Servisol ' .

[anthonyTD]

I usually unplug and plug back in a couple of times, that should do the trick. With the EAR's, you might just find that the o/p tubes are soldered in place..:eyebrows:
Dave is right here,
most valve sockets are to a degree self cleaning, ie, if you pull the valve in and out, the sharpness of the socket clips actualy scrape the valve's pins clean!
if you want to take things further though then a good switch cleaner is fine.
A...

[Marco]

Hi Mike,

Happy New Year, my friend :)

Anthony and Dave's suggestion is good. However, for really dirty pins (say ones that haven't been cleaned for years or valves that have been bought second-hand on Ebay) then I prefer using a fibreglass pen:

http://www.consolesandgadgets.co.uk/catalog/fibreglass-pen-p-1610.html

Just gently rub the pins (back and front) with the pen and dab off any grunge with Isopropyl alcohol, and bingo, you've got nice shiny valve pins! :cool:

Be careful not to get any 'shrapnel' on your fingers, or anywhere else, (best to wear thin gloves when you do it), as it nips like hell if the fibreglass shavings get into your skin!

When the fibreglass tip wears out, you can get refills here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FIBREGLASS-PEN%2FPENCIL-FIBRE-REFILLS-NEW-ABRASIVE-X-10_W0QQitemZ200414003537QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20091 205?IMSfp=TL091205174002r14031

Marco.

[Mike Reed]

Many thanks to one and each. A prosperous New Year and decade to 'ee all.

[Rare Bird]

Craig DeoxIT

http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?lookup=1&region=UK&currency=GBP&pf_id=5007&customer_id=PAA0219011310423DFDZXCSQRRLGBRNY

[Marco]

It's nowt to do with "Craig", ya daftee, it's 'Caig' :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Rare Bird]

:lol: him anorl

[Alex_UK]

I'm beginning to think Andre IS Russ Andrews! :lol:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hi Mike,

Happy New Year, my friend :)

Anthony and Dave's suggestion is good. However, for really dirty pins (say ones that haven't been cleaned for years or valves that have been bought second-hand on Ebay) then I prefer using a fibreglass pen:

http://www.consolesandgadgets.co.uk/catalog/fibreglass-pen-p-1610.html

Just gently rub the pins (back and front) with the pen and dab off any grunge with Isopropyl alcohol, and bingo, you've got nice shiny valve pins! :cool:

Be careful not to get any 'shrapnel' on your fingers, or anywhere else, (best to wear thin gloves when you do it), as it nips like hell if the fibreglass shavings get into your skin!

When the fibreglass tip wears out, you can get refills here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FIBREGLASS-PEN%2FPENCIL-FIBRE-REFILLS-NEW-ABRASIVE-X-10_W0QQitemZ200414003537QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20091 205?IMSfp=TL091205174002r14031

Marco.

As a little tip that relates to these, if you ever buy anything battery powered - an old camera or flash for example that at first doesn't work these pens are excelent at cleaning the crap off the battery terminals, which from experience very frequently solves the problem!
Marco is very right though, get one of them strands of fibre glass in you hand and you can look forward to itchyness for days to come! I once had a kite that had fibre glass ribs(?) crashed and managed to snap a rib. I unknowingly grabbed at the fibres if the break... It hurt like shit for weeks!!

[Rare Bird]

I'm beginning to think Andre IS Russ Andrews! :lol:

:eek:

[Primalsea]

Cleaning anything is a good idea from a standpoint of longevity of electrical connections, reduced capacitance on PCB and generally look all nice and stuff, if not to actually change the sound of your system per see.

However I did read in the Making Valve Amplifiers book that removing and inserting valves stresses the glass around the pins which can lead to tiny fractures that can result in breaking the vacuum seal.

I always remove and insert valves in an almost anal retentively ceremonial fashion now that I've read that.

[anthonyTD]

Cleaning anything is a good idea from a standpoint of longevity of electrical connections, reduced capacitance on PCB and generally look all nice and stuff, if not to actually change the sound of your system per see.

However I did read in the Making Valve Amplifiers book that removing and inserting valves stresses the glass around the pins which can lead to tiny fractures that can result in breaking the vacuum seal.

I always remove and insert valves in an almost anal retentively ceremonial fashion now that I've read that.
hi paul,
the valves that have the pins going directly into the glass for eg, ECC81,82,83,6DJ8,EF86, etc, are at risk if the pins become bent from rough handling or poor replacement methods because when you re-straighten the pins it is posible for the glass to crack, but apart from that there should be no issues pulling them in and out of their bases frequently for cleaning as long as the person doing it is careful in aligning the pins correctly and pushing them in straight! as for power valves, well the wires coming out of the glass envelope are usualy connected to an external base so there are no issues there apart from the correct positioning etc.
hope this helps.
A...

[Ali Tait]

A good way to clean small valve pins-get a shallow dish and pour in some coca cola to the depth of the valve pins.Stand the valves in it overnight.Remove and wipe clean and dry.

[The Grand Wazoo]

So that's how you get sweet treble!

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Dammit ... I knew there was a joke there... To early for me!

[Ali Tait]

:lol:

[The Grand Wazoo]

How about sticking the pins into some sirloin for meaty bass?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

The only thing I can think of with mid in it would be middle earth in a j r r Tolkien book and what with the earth and the middle ... I dunno it prob would be far to complicated to be funny... Bloody gin, I always wake up rubbish brained after a gin Saturday!

[Primalsea]

Chinese amps must be made in the same factories as the fireworks. The amps must get dipped in gunpowder at some point, thats why they keep blowing up in a shower of sparks and crackling noises.

[Ali Tait]

You just had one go on you Paul?

[Primalsea]

No but I have heard from many people who have had it go. The ones I had worked OK but did smell funny, like burning oil.

[Ali Tait]

Touch wood,this Audioromy is fine,and it's on 5-7 hours a day.

[Mike Reed]

A good way to clean small valve pins-get a shallow dish and pour in some coca cola to the depth of the valve pins.Stand the valves in it overnight.Remove and wipe clean and dry.

But surely it'll go flat?!!!

Never thought an innocent request for info. could turn into a jokes thread!


Seriously, though, the reason I asked was that my system seems to have gone off a bit sonically of late. Having new Axminster and thick underlay recently has, I know, had an effect on dynamics, but it occured to me to investigate the power side first by learning about Valve maintenance, as it were.

[Ali Tait]

It's not a joke!! Try it with a penny if you don't believe me.

[Rare Bird]

No but I have heard from many people who have had it go. The ones I had worked OK but did smell funny, like burning oil.



Is this because the Mains transformer aint built for & can't handle UK voltage long term?