Can metal chassis become defective? I


I have learned from a top repair technician with 45 years experiance that all internal electronic components can go bad after enough time (resister, caps,tubes) INCLUDING the actual metal chassis. He claimed that if an old unit is not working that you could replace ALL the electronic components and it still may never work because the metal chassis is WORN OUT. His theory is that the electrons that go into the chassis ground have (over the years) filled up the outer atomic orbitals and interatomic space with too many (used) electrons forced into the metal (aluminum for example) and that the metal is now defective for a ground chassis SINCE THERE IS NO SPACE LEFT FOR THE ELECTRONS. The metal is WORN OUT. It becomes a radioactive isotope of aluminum since there are excessive electrons in the outer orbitals, and unusable as an electronic chassis. If this is not the case then where do the electrons go if the chassis is not grounded to true earth ground (cold water pipe only)or through a proper three prong plug?
mint604
And aluminum alloys corrode at a considerable rate. And since pure aluminum is so soft, it is rarely used for anything structural. I cant imagine a chassis being made from pure aluminum.
Much of the aluminum used in aircraft construction has a thin layer of pure aluminum over the aluminum alloy to prevent surface corrosion. Known as "alclad".
Mint604, actually aluminum does corrode at the surface, but contrary to iron, the corroded surface (the patina, as you put it) protects the rest of the aluminum from further corrosion. It is true that aluminum oxide doesn't conduct electricity, however. I am not sure about the isotopes, though!
Bob P.
Standed wire wears out sooner than solid wire. Thin chassis wear out sooner than thicker(gauge) metal. Aluminum wears out sooner than cooper, brass or stainles steel. Therefore inorder to restore an older tube amplifier,you will need in addition to all new caps and resistors ; all new solid wire and thicker gauge stainless steel chassis. Only transformers improve with age. Have you ever noticed on very old tube equipment that the old aluminum chassis appears to have a whitish "patina"? This is PROOF that the chassis is defective for use as a conductive ground, this is not rust or oxidation since aluminum cannot rust. These chassis are toxic and have transmuted into a radioactive isotope of aluminum and can cause anemia and bone cancer.
Joe, thanks for the kind thoughts. I wanted very nuch to go and meet some of the Philadelphia members; we'll probably have one early next year at Community Audio, maybe we can work another joint meeting then. Hope to see you at least at the holiday party, already picked up some nice door prizes!
Russ, they told me, "Let's see, you want us to run 1.25 miles of new utility line to your house?!? For your radio... Oh, sorry, your stereo. Uh, sure, we'll get right on it!"

I'm glad you chimed in here, as I would have never thought of telling them to run the Purist Audio Dominus. Thank heavens it's not too late, as they didn't begin their work yet! And, no, in my experience, having lived in both NJ and PA, PSE&G is better than PECO/Exelon.

Did you run the Dominus in your home before or after I visited? If it was after, I'll be eager to give it a listen at the next party. Was disappointed not to see you this past Sunday, but my your family's health is something I want to wish you the best with - no joke in this sentence, at least.
Trelja's right. I own an 1886 Victorian, and one night in the middle of the Mahler 2nd, as the chorus was singing towards the heavens, the electricity in my house just went off! I went outside and the rest of the neighborhood was fine. Turned out my electrical wiring in the house was completely saturated after around 100 years of use (taking into account the gas lines that were used in the old days), so I had to re-wire the whole house. Of course, I took this as an opportunity to wire with Purist Dominus throughout the house, which has improved my sound dramatically.

Joe, I hope you have more success with your utilities in PA than I did with PSE&G in trying to upgrade the neighborhood wiring.
Actually, I believe in Mint604's theory.

I have often suggested to people that their system problems were not audio component related, but that the wiring in their homes was in need of replacement. After a long period of time, the electrons flowing in the wiring fill the material up, and I definitively believe replacement is warranted. Once this point is reached, regardless of components used and room related tweaking, success is impossible.

In my own case, I have requested the power company to replace the wiring in my neighborhood, as the means to improve my system. Hopefully, they will accommodate me in the very near term.
That works for me Krell_man,I will now plan on watching my system very closely to make an upgrade move when it starts disappearing.I can't wait! What a great thread,no would of thought...............Still here...Still he....Stil.....S......
It becomes invisible when you sell it and tell your spouse that you had to replace the piece because the case went bad.

This is the newest excuse to use with your spouse to justify replacing a piece of equipment.
I second Herman's order in triplicate...does the metal eventually become invisible then when its totally worn out.Or is that hard to see/say.....coolness
Inpepinnovation: LESS does cost MORE initially, but over a period of years the cost amplifiers utilizing this minimalist techonology becomes much less, since the companies now build them for less .
Man, I want some of what your tech has been smokin'. His "theory" is as they say, wrong on so many levels, that I don't know where to start. Or are you just trolling?
No doubt a good dose of dht will put you on another plane. I currently have a 71A driving a 300B that I home brewed. The 45 is a nice tube but a bit polite for my tastes and I wanted just a bit more oomph.
Mint, if only "simpler means less expensive" were true for many small amplifier and cable companies! It seems that that less costs more, just like the fashion or "haute couture" industry.
Salut, BobP.
Herman: I accept your apology. I listen to only 80 year old Direct "eated" triode type 45 tube amps. The 45 tube amps are well known for their "Psychodelic" properties, images dance in space. After only 25 minutes of listening the world appears to resemble a Salvadore Dali painting, replete with melting flowers and swirling colors and sensory/auditory halluciations. I find that if I can overlook the the addictive quality of these hallucinogenic output tubes, then on occasion I am able to expand my consciousness and "TUNE-IN" and "TURN-ON" to the Universal Messages that normal "unstoned" sand based audiophiles are completely unaware of. When the listening session is over and I have come down from my High (fidelity) I am filled with new insight, and expanded consciousness as to the proper path I must now follow, "DROP-OUT" of the main stream of audio back into the Golden Era from 1928 to 1948 of true audio Delirium. After many of these psychodelic listening sessions I am now able to see clearly with my ears and hear with my eyes and have opened the Doors of Perception to Perception to see the World as it actually is- Sound Vibrations-;this ultimate Realization and Enlightenment has caused my total abandonmet of the current Audio ESTABLISHMENT. When my eyes are opened by this means, and the ages of brainwashing by Establisment Hi-Fi Companies is removed and I can then plainly see and hear the uncolored, undistorted TRUTH , Then Message of the Universe that is now clearly revealed to me is, "Simplify, Simplify". It whispers,"Use the fewest parts, the shortest circuits". Obviously this realization cannot make money for the Corporate capitalist since in their minds Simpler means Less Expensive. A good souce for these Hallucinogenic 45 tube amps are; Don Farber (Fi-X), Jeff Korneff, Wellborne Labs and Home Brew (grow you rown hallucinogens)
Mint, I apologize for questioning your previous assessments of 78 records. It is apparent from your last two posts that you have an inside line on audio reproduction that the rest of us can never hope to achieve.

On a side note, please email me the source of your hallucinogens as my broker is evidently providing me with inferior goods.