[Amps] A Filament Query

[Radio WC6W]

    This concerns somewhat smaller tubes than are typically discussed on this reflector but, where else can I hope to find someone old, errr... experienced enough, to know the answer.

    Given an old miniature tube with a 1 volt filament and a (stated) 10,000 hour service life. 

    And an application that requires the tube to be active for slightly less than one second per minute.

    Is it reasonable to idle the tube with some percentage of its rated heater voltage applied, bringing it up to full voltage periodically, with the goal of substantially increasing its service life?

    And if so:
        What percentage of the rated heater voltage would be optimal for the "standby" period?

        How much increase in service life may be expected?

   Note that the directly heated filament acheives operating temperature in a fraction of a second from a cold start.

73 & Good morning,
   Marv WC6W 

http://qsl.net/wc6w/



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