Read This Before Installing Tubes

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Upon receipt, inspect all tubes to determine any shipping damage. If damaged, save box and all packing material. Contact the delivery service (UPS, etc) to make claim. RF Parts cannot initiate a claim for shipping damage, you must contact the delivery service company directly. Do not send tubes to RF Parts. Only the delivery company can take care of the return.

Transmitting Tubes

(a) Eimac, Amperex, RFP (RF Parts Co), Taylor, Cetron, Svetlana and similar power grid transmitting tubes carry a Limited Warranty against defective material and workmanship.
(b) RF Parts Co. offers an extended limited warranty on its RFP PREMIUM 3-500ZG: 2 year / 1000 hours against manufacturing defects when used in amateur service (first year full exchange / second year prorated).
(c) Standard Svetlana tube warranty varies from 1 year to 3 years depending on the tube type. Discontinued and New Old Stock (NOS) tubes carry a 90-day Limited Warranty against defects in material and workmanship when used in Amateur Radio or ICAS service. Included are all Eimac, Amperex and Cetron glass tubes. Contact us regarding limited warranty on a particular tube.
(d) Tube problems resulting from improper operation, i.e. excessive operating temperature or power levels will void Manufacturer's Limited Warranty. These conditions are the responsibility of the equipment operator.
(e) Tube Pin Heating or desoldering resulting from defective sockets (i.e. SB220) are not considered a warranty item. We recommend examination of original tubes for signs of this problem.
(f) If grounded grid equipment develops a tube short, inspection of the grid circuit should be made to locate possible open choke or resistor before installation of new tubes.
(NOS) New Old Stock tubes (older date codes) are certified to be in new condition and carry a 30-90 day Limited Warranty (depending on tube) against manufacturing defect.

Receiving and Special Purpose Tubes

(a) Before installation of new tubes, be sure the tubes supplied are the exact type required by your equipment. Some linear amplifiers need a particular brand or tube type in order to operate properly at full power.
(b) Once installed in equipment, tubes are considered used. Thus, cannot be returned for exchange. Damage to tubes from improper application cannot be covered by warranty.
(c) TV Sweep tubes (6JE6, 6KD6, 6KG6, 6KV6, 6LF6, 6LQ6, 6LX6, 6MJ6, 20LF6, 30KD6, 8950, 8975, EL509, EL519, M2057, etc.) are not designed, rated, or warranted by manufacturer for use in RF linear amplifier service. Sweep tube Limited Warranty is 10 days except for breakage or when damaged by operation outside the tube manufacturer's specified settings. Therefore, care should be exercised to avoid premature failure. It is wise to operate sweep tubes at lower power to improve tube life. (As an example, 6JE6, 6KD6, 6KG6, 6LF6, 20LF6, 8950, etc., should be limited to 65w carrier per tube. Use of modulators or peak enhancing methods will accelerate wear-out.) All sweep tubes are tested prior to shipment.
(d) Tubes used in amateur transceivers: 6146B, 6146W, 6JS6C, 6JB6, and 12BY7 carry a 90-day Limited Warranty against factory defects.
(e) “Receiving Tubes” carry a 90-day Limited Warranty.
(f) New tubes returned to RF Parts which are accepted for credit are subject to a 15% restocking charge to cover tube testing and handling.

All receiving & special purpose tubes are factory tested to meet factory specifications. RF Parts Co. tests emission and performs visual inspection for breakage, loose caps, vacuum, etc. prior to shipment. We suggest all tubes be ordered in matched sets in an effort to equalize power sharing and stable operation. Matched tubes are selected for best performance, matching of GM, plate current, etc. All possible care is taken to supply tubes in good condition. No further claim or warranty on receiving and special purpose tubes is offered or implied.

Notes:
(a) When replacing Japanese 6JS6C tubes in FT-101 transceivers with U.S. brand, it is necessary to replace the 100 pF series feedback capacitor with a 10 pF / 1KV dipped mica cap or two 20 pF mica caps in series (equaling 10 pF / 1 KV) before neutralizing.
(Note: Total series feedback capacitance of 10-20 pF is acceptable.)
(b) Consult equipment Owners Manual for tune-up and operating instructions to avoid possible tube damage. Abuse of all tubes, including evidence of excessive dissipation, plate melting, heat caused discoloration of surface, breakage or cracks in glass, and loss of emission due to excessive wear, are excluded from any Limited Warranty.

How to Return Tubes

Tubes to be returned for inspection must be handled in the following manner:
(1) Call our Customer Service Department at (760) 744-0750 for a Return Authorization Number.
(2) Original Purchase Receipt must be included with tubes. No exceptions! (No original purchase receipt = No warranty.) Our Limited Warranty applies to the original purchaser only.
(3) A completed failure report form should be returned with power grid (transmitting) tubes.
(4) Tubes should be returned by prepaid United Parcel Service. Pack tubes carefully to assure safe delivery. Insure if necessary. Warranty coverage is not possible if tubes are received broken. (An outside container must be used in addition to the regular 3-500Z, 4-400A, etc. tube box.)

Allow 20 days at our plant for evaluation by our staff. We will contact you with results of our inspection. If it becomes necessary for us to forward tube to the manufacturer, please allow additional time for their evaluation. (Note: Eimac and Svetlana sometime require up to 6 weeks.) Any inquiries regarding warranty should be made directly to RF Parts Customer Service Department at (760) 744-0750, during the hours of 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Eastern Time). You may also E-mail us here. Technical personnel are not available on our “800” order line.