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Registered Member #1438
Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:57AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 218
After some time searching any tubes in the local area, I've managed to find someone selling a bunch for a very cheap price. However, I'm wondering if any of these tubes are applicable for generating even a bit of x-ray using a power supply of 35kv or more.
From the looks of some data sheet of the 6L6 Tubes listed below and the picture from the seller, there seems to be some metallic getter but I could be wrong.
The ones indicated are the following (these are all 6L6) - 2 Mesa - 2 Sylvania - 1 Groove Tube - 1 Fender
If all comes to worst and these tubes are not usable for generating x-rays, I could just use them since I've never played with any tubes in my life.
Registered Member #1438
Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:57AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 218
Wow some of these tubes goes up to $70+ on ebay and I'm getting all 6 tubes for $25. The only problem is that I'm inexperienced at selling anything on ebay.
But still I'm curious if I could just keep one of them to produce a small amount of x-ray and perhaps find a buyer for the other five
Registered Member #2463
Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546
What you could try is connecting all the pins on the base together to one wire. Then make tinfoil wraps or caps placed at places where the gettering shows. (this is the silvery zone on the inside of the bulb.
Connect the foil to the high side of your 35kV source and the low side to the wire from the base connections. Don't let the voltage flash back to the base. The mischmetal in the getter might contain something that an electron could knock hard enough.
Pay attention to any faint visible glows seen in your various tubes. Are any of your tubes Soviet in origin?
Registered Member #1438
Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:57AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 218
So I just went and bought it anyways since it was cheap enough.
radiotech wrote ...
Pay attention to any faint visible glows seen in your various tubes. Are any of your tubes Soviet in origin?
All of the tubes are American. There does seem to be a pretty thick layer of getter on most the tubes. Should I power the heater filament or run the tube cold?
Registered Member #3271
Joined: Mon Oct 04 2010, 02:29AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 159
I would find someone with a tube tester and see if they still have good emission. If so, sell them on e-bay to someone who will appreciate what these classics can do in a good amp instead of **^%$#%$** them!
There are many other tubes (like HV rectifiers and shunts) for old color TVs that give a lot of x-rays, can be had cheaply and have no real use nowadays.
Registered Member #1438
Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:57AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 218
richnormand wrote ...
I would find someone with a tube tester and see if they still have good emission. If so, sell them on e-bay to someone who will appreciate what these classics can do in a good amp instead of **^%$#%$** them!
There are many other tubes (like HV rectifiers and shunts) for old color TVs that give a lot of x-rays, can be had cheaply and have no real use nowadays.
If I'm going to sell these, I might have to sell it locally. Never sold anything on eBay before and I don't want anything going wrong with shipping etc.
Registered Member #2463
Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546
Should I power the heater filament or run the tube cold?
Run them cold. You are interested in getting the mass of metal in the tube to let flee some electrons, that could smash into gettering coating under electrostatic force.
Edit- Forgot to mention that this method of trying to get X-Rays from 6L6 tubes shouldn't harm the tubes as long as you use a spark coil with very low energy output. Somewhere on-line you may find C.L. Stongs circuit diagram of Simons' X-ray apparatus which is what you are trying to do.(p 510 The Amateur Scientist)
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