I don't recal where I learned that eye tube life is limited to about 1,000 hours due to ion-poisoning of the Willemite phosphor (same as for early CRT's without an "ion trap"), but I wonder what everyone's experience is. On a brief websearch, the same figure of 1,000 hours came up in a chat regarding 6E5-family tubes, but someone said although the brightness is reduced - it's not nearly end-of-life yet. I have heard that later European side-viewing types like the EM-84, etc, last more like 5,000 hours - is that true? Someone even told me that the EM-34, which looks very much like a 6E5, probably lasts many thousands of hours - but I didn't see any basis for believing that unless it incorporates ion protection or something. I also read an opinion that several other factors, including too much UV exposure, especially direct sunlight, can degrade them very badly - does anyone have a good rundown on such things that can harm eye tubes?
Eddie

Eddie,

Perhaps you would like to check out:

http://www.dialcover.com/eyetube.html

Radiodoc
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:I don't recal where I learned that eye tube life is limited to about 1,000 hours due to ion-poisoning of the Willemite phosphor (same as for early CRT's without an "ion trap"), but I wonder what everyone's experience is. On a brief websearch, the same figure of 1,000 hours came up in a chat regarding 6E5-family tubes, but someone said although the brightness is reduced - it's not nearly end-of-life yet. I have heard that later European side-viewing types like the EM-84, etc, last more like 5,000 hours - is that true? Someone even told me that the EM-34, which looks very much like a 6E5, probably lasts many thousands of hours - but I didn't see any basis for believing that unless it incorporates ion protection or something. I also read an opinion that several other factors, including too much UV exposure, especially direct sunlight, can degrade them very badly - does anyone have a good rundown on such things that can harm eye tubes?
:Eddie

Eddie

Bill Turner ran a test, Radiodoc posted, where he left an eye tube in the sun. Didn't have an effect on tube brightness.

Wearout of the green is subjective. We mention brightness decreases after 1000 hours but how much? How many hours does it take green to disappear?

We don't have a good number but green color wears out long before tube emission goes down. Lower target voltage gives longer life but higher voltage causes green to be seen on a weak eye tube.

Norm

:Eddie,
:
:Perhaps you would like to check out:
:
:http://www.dialcover.com/eyetube.html
:
:Radiodoc
:*****************
:
:
::I don't recal where I learned that eye tube life is limited to about 1,000 hours due to ion-poisoning of the Willemite phosphor (same as for early CRT's without an "ion trap"), but I wonder what everyone's experience is. On a brief websearch, the same figure of 1,000 hours came up in a chat regarding 6E5-family tubes, but someone said although the brightness is reduced - it's not nearly end-of-life yet. I have heard that later European side-viewing types like the EM-84, etc, last more like 5,000 hours - is that true? Someone even told me that the EM-34, which looks very much like a 6E5, probably lasts many thousands of hours - but I didn't see any basis for believing that unless it incorporates ion protection or something. I also read an opinion that several other factors, including too much UV exposure, especially direct sunlight, can degrade them very badly - does anyone have a good rundown on such things that can harm eye tubes?
::Eddie

I'm not sure why, but vacuum fluorescent display tubes last a really long time. My parents have had their Quazar microwave plugged in since about 1986, and the display is still fairly bright. Many cars use vacuum fluorescent displays. VCRs, DVD players, stereos, etc..... The displays last a really long time. I wonder why this isn't so with eye tubes. I have noticed that the vacuum fluorescent displays don't require very much voltage to make them work. Just touching the leads can make the figures light up slightly.

T.