Vacuum Rectifers X-Ray Report

[cdev]

Seems some of those (very) old rectifier tubes are kind of dangerous.

http://4hv.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?106277

[Tac Eht Xilef]

Put 50kV across you and you'd probably emit x-rays too

[amyk]

Bremsstrahlung... a lot of early HV tubes had warnings printed on them:

[helius]

Of note are the warnings printed on CRTs from the 1980s or newer: "This device contains integral protection circuitry. Operation without the protection circuit may emit harmful X-Rays." It refers to the beam current limit and shutdown circuit.

[floobydust]

Old TV's had the "high voltage cage", with 6BK4 shunt regulator inside.
It's rated 25kV to 55kV max. at about 1.5mA. Quite the triode 

I hated running TV sets with the cage open, troubleshooting HV problems.

[fourtytwo42]

Seems some of those (very) old rectifier tubes are kind of dangerous.

http://4hv.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?106277

Anything can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing and it is not practicable to print warning labels on everything. Component manufacturers usually have appropriate warnings in data sheets. Many high power devices use materials internally that are poisonous and carcinogenic yet fools on youtube and elsewhere  delight in dissembling them. Components do not have to be old to be dangerous, just in the hands of an idiot is enough!!