"valves?"

[Metaltastic]

This is just a random musing, but why the hell do Brits call tubes "valves," anyway? I mean, I think of a valve as something that can open and close to let in or seal out liquid or gas...seeing as how vacuum tubes are meant to be totally sealed (you know, hence the "vacuum" part), "valves" seems like a total misnomer given their function. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[JBroll]

They control how electrons move in very-low-pressure environments. Changing some part of the circuit around the tube has an effect on how electrons pass through, much like a valve.

EDIT: Missed the totally sealed part... that's just to control the environment through which the electrons pass. The important thing is that they decide how electrons go this way and that, and can control how electricity flows. END EDIT

Plus, it sounds less retarded. "Series of tubes" will haunt us forever.

Jeff

 

[PhilR]

The full technical name is "Thermionic Valves".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermionic_valves

 

[Atheist]

We call them lamps in serbian.

 

[deLuther]

We, russians, also call them lamps
But I think that valve better describes its physical nature.
One pin controls how much current is transfered, like in valves... (very rough).

 

[ahjteam]

...Tube is the subway for the Brits, maybe thats why they call them valves instead

 

[wyllie]

Tube is also used to insult someone of a stupid dispostion :Smokedev:

 

[siegfried]

We call it "lamps" ("lampy" to be exact) too here in Czech Republic Or "flasky". And official word for it here is "elektronky".

 

[Mutant]

Yeah here in Poland they are called lamps too

 

[elmoe]

we call them tubes too (tube = Röhre)

 

[deLuther]

So to state some fact: all slavs calls them lamps (lampy)
Is finnish calls them "putki" or just "lamppu"?

 

[greyskull]

We, russians, also call them lamps
But I think that valve better describes its physical nature.
One pin controls how much current is transfered, like in valves... (very rough).

you fucking make most of em so i guess they should be called lamps..

 

[beyond dead]

those english blokes are pretty cool. i like how they say summat. did they make that up? it took me like 2 months to learn to understand my ex girlfriends parents lingo. but her accent was totally erotic tho, limp to solid in 2 or 3 words man.

sorry to go ot lol

 

[006]

but her accent was totally erotic tho, limp to solid in 2 or 3 words man.

ROFL!

~006

 

[Behindert]

I calls them BuLbz.

 

[ahjteam]

So to state some fact: all slavs calls them lamps (lampy)
Is finnish calls them "putki" or just "lamppu"?

We call tubeamps "putkivahvistin" aka pipeamps

 

[Nebulous]

We call it "lamps" ("lampy" to be exact) too here in Czech Republic Or "flasky". And official word for it here is "elektronky".

Lampy- globes
Flasky- bottles
elektronky- tubes

I love how we can just call it something because it looks like it, not because it is

 

[JBroll]

Tubes are overglorified fucking light bulbs. Deal with it.

Jeff

 

[Vovus]

Hellow
Who can tell, what is the difference between Soft Rated and Hard Rated tubes, and what kind of them is better match for the high gain amps?

 

[Djabthrash]

We call them lamps in France too ("Tube amplifier" = "Ampli à lampes").