Life of Valves

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 33, 1 March 1929, Page 7

Life of Valves

Good Figures at 2YA!

NFORMATION was recently published*in our columns concerning the remarkably long life of a Marconi value at the Daventry Broadcasting Station. Following on various details, it became advisable in another connection for the chief engineer of the Radio Broadcasting Company to compute the life of the valves in operation at 2YA. It was found that some of the valves had given remarkable service. ‘These water-cooled tubes are handling 10,000 volts and passing at least a half ampere of plate current. Two particular tubes headed the list of service with 3426 hours, and are still in operation in perfect condition. ‘Two others attained 2670 hours of service, and were then removed O.K., as it was considered their life was about complete and replacement would perhaps save a stoppage. Other tubes have various periods of service. Considering the hours the station has been in operation, it is remarkable amd creditable that there have been no burn-outs whatsoever in connection with the water-cooled tubes. Following on publication of the Dnglish record, it is the intention of the engi~neer to carefully watch the tubes now heading the list for length of. service, and see how near they can come to the British figure. Amalgamated Wireless advise that they have now received particulars of long-lived Marconi valves at the Deut-sche-Altenburg transmitting station of Radio-Austria, Limited. At the end of October there were in use two MR6 valves, each of which had worked for 24,356 hours; one MR6 valve which had worked for 24,126 hours. One MT6 valve burnt out in October after a life of 18,648 hours. At the end of October MT6 valves were in operation which had worked for 15,146 hours, 19,081 hours, and 19,576 hours.