Need Palomar300A tubes for spares!

[whiteastro]

I have yet to burn up a set...I bought my "Kicker 500" back in 2012 used off ebay, and it had weak tubes in it when I bought it...So I replaced them with a New set, plus bought a extra set just to have as spares...The first set I bought are still working like new, so i'm not sure if I will ever use my spares.

The Palomar 300A I have, has the original tubes still in it, and when I had the box in the shop having a rectifier diode replaced I had the tech check the tubes, and they all tested good and strong...

IMO, if you run these type tube amps the way they were intended, they should last a long time...But if you over-drive them, or maybe have high SWR, then they won't last any longer than a pill box would being abused the same way.

One other side note...Don't get too hung-up on tubes getting hot...That's what tubes do! These tubes were designed originally for old TV set's...Ever see a old TV set with a fan in the back to cool the tubes?..........no

I was figuring on ordering 8 tubes in case some came thru shipment broken and I would go from there. I know and appreciate the theory why the man added the extra cooling fans on top of the amp case. It's called a once of prevention is worth a pound of cure Yes the tubes were made to get hot but how about the other resident electronic parts inside the cabinet. I think resistors, diodes, capacitors, transistors, and all the other parts that make the system work. How do they enjoy all that heat and what does it do to them. I'm no electronic wizard so I can't argue anything, I just read an try to learn. The guy installed the fans wrong in my opinion and I will change them. He put the fan in the 2 tube bay blowing down and the fan in the 4 tube bay blowing up. I want them both blowing up because heat rises!

[JesseJamesDallas]

I was figuring on ordering 8 tubes in case some came thru shipment broken and I would go from there. I know and appreciate the theory why the man added the extra cooling fans on top of the amp case. It's called a once of prevention is worth a pound of cure Yes the tubes were made to get hot but how about the other resident electronic parts inside the cabinet. I think resistors, diodes, capacitors, transistors, and all the other parts that make the system work. How do they enjoy all that heat and what does it do to them. I'm no electronic wizard so I can't argue anything, I just read an try to learn. The guy installed the fans wrong in my opinion and I will change them. He put the fan in the 2 tube bay blowing down and the fan in the 4 tube bay blowing up. I want them both blowing up because heat rises!

So did the guy take out the factory fan then? Originally the 300A had a fan that sat between the driver tubes and the 4 final tubes...

You would be surprised at just how much heat all those parts inside can handle...Even with fans blowing, tube amps still get plenty warm...And one thing i've noticed with mine, is the hotter it gets, the more watts show up on the meter...Now that could just be harmonics playing with the meter, but at any-rate, it put's a smile on your face watching the needle on the meter swing!

[whiteastro]

So did the guy take out the factory fan then? Originally the 300A had a fan that sat between the driver tubes and the 4 final tubes...

You would be surprised at just how much heat all those parts inside can handle...Even with fans blowing, tube amps still get plenty warm...And one thing i've noticed with mine, is the hotter it gets, the more watts show up on the meter...Now that could just be harmonics playing with the meter, but at any-rate, it put's a smile on your face watching the needle on the meter swing!

To be honest with you JJD I will have to take the top off and check to see if the internal fan is working or if the other two fans are just his way of not fixing the internal fan. I really laughed when I read about you smiling as you watched the watt meter rise. That's the way you know you have the radio sickness Really Bad. LOL