I am disconnecting, packing, moving and storing. I want to insure these are safe and secure for storage. I also want to ensure that there are no electrical hazards. I want to make sure there is no need to discharge the amps or any associated electrical hazards. Please share any tip on storage and transport. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I am brand new to the McIntosh world. I also need to store a pair of McIntosh preamps too.
How to move disconnect and store a pair on MC40s?
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If you’re moving them I would be sure to remove tubes, pack them separately in smaller boxes, don’t leave them plugged in just to prevent damage from the amp moving around inside the box.
First I would thoroughly clean the amp, all chrome especially (be careful, the printed tube designations can be damaged, the stamped serial number won’t even endure a solvent-based car wax). If it already has rust on the surface I’m not sure how to stop if from spreading, others might be able to suggest an oil or other preservative that won’t damage the lettering on the amp.
I would bag the McIntosh amp, preferably with a desicant (sp?) pack to keep the moisture down/out, then put it in a sturdy box, clearly marking what’s in there and FRAGILE, and HEAVY, and TOP/BOTTOM. Also, one thing that is difficult to anticipate when picking up a box with one of these amplifiers is how off-center the mass/weight is, picking it up in the middle will quickly cause it to flip out of your hands, maybe mark it “carry this side toward you” on the transformer side so that it’s a more stable load for someone picking it up next time.
Store it somewhere away from heat and moisture.
Regarding discharging capacitors? They pose no threat inside of the amplifier in a box, they will discharge on their own, usually within minutes, sometimes there is a small charge left that takes longer but again it doesn’t affect anything if you’re not touching tube-pins.
First I would thoroughly clean the amp, all chrome especially (be careful, the printed tube designations can be damaged, the stamped serial number won’t even endure a solvent-based car wax). If it already has rust on the surface I’m not sure how to stop if from spreading, others might be able to suggest an oil or other preservative that won’t damage the lettering on the amp.
I would bag the McIntosh amp, preferably with a desicant (sp?) pack to keep the moisture down/out, then put it in a sturdy box, clearly marking what’s in there and FRAGILE, and HEAVY, and TOP/BOTTOM. Also, one thing that is difficult to anticipate when picking up a box with one of these amplifiers is how off-center the mass/weight is, picking it up in the middle will quickly cause it to flip out of your hands, maybe mark it “carry this side toward you” on the transformer side so that it’s a more stable load for someone picking it up next time.
Store it somewhere away from heat and moisture.
Regarding discharging capacitors? They pose no threat inside of the amplifier in a box, they will discharge on their own, usually within minutes, sometimes there is a small charge left that takes longer but again it doesn’t affect anything if you’re not touching tube-pins.
For the preamps, I recommend that you buy the correct packing boxes and materials (if you don't already have them) from Audio Classics or McIntosh.