|
Certain makes or types of tubes did worse. Here are my experiences: 10/12" round tubes hold up well, as do most of the 21" crts from the mid-50s on. The most troublesome tubes seem to be the larger metal-cone round tubes, 15/17" rectangulars from the early 50s, and the tubes used in electrostatic sets. RCA tubes seem to hold up the best overall, along with Zenith color tubes from the 60s/80s. I have also had good luck with GE tubes. I have had multiple weak bw tubes from Sylvania and Zenith.
I doubt any of us will use a set enough to weaken a tube, at least not in just a matter of a few years. If the tube is weak, it got that way decades ago from hard, daily use. Dad turned the set on at 6am for the weather, the kids watched Captain Kangaroo, Mom watched game shows and soaps all day, then the kids were back to watch cartoons 'til Dad sat down to watch Walter Cronkite, and then it was primetime, and later Dad would fall asleep in his easy chair, awakening after midnight to turn the set off. Repeat this 365 days a year and eventually you'll weaken that tube pretty good. A few years ago I got a pair of consoles from an old farmer I know. One is a Silvertone he bought new in 53; it has a rebuilt tube in it, which is weak. The other is a Motorola he bought new in 60, also with a weak tube. He had replaced that set with a color model (long gone) in the mid-60s. So, in 7 years the Sears set ate 2 tubes, followed by the Moto which made it 5 or 6 years. He had several kids to help use up those sets.
__________________
Bryan
|