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Tube rectifier issue

post #1 of 5
9/27/10 at 12:32am
Thread Starter 

I'm new to the diy and I'm still learning so forgive the question if it sounds stupid but here it goes.  I finished my bijou amp, sounds amazing, but its having this weird issue.  When turned on and when touched, only on occasion, the rectifier would glow bright.  The last time I bumped into it and the rectifier blew.  Here is a picture of the internals (if I had to do it over again I would change the topography of the whole thing).  Any ideas on why this would happen?IMG_20100927_002937.jpeg

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post #2 of 5
9/27/10 at 12:36am

Pick at least one.

 

(a) Maybe you made an error in following the schematic.

(b) Maybe you made an assembly / soldering error or created a short.

(c) Tubes aren't generally new parts. Maybe you had a bad one.

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post #3 of 5
9/27/10 at 7:56am

It's kinda hard to tell, but when bumping something causes an intermittent problem, to me that sounds like a short. 

 

You mentioned the tube glowing bright, so possibly this has to do with the heaters. Looking at the photo, it's hard to see how your transformer is wired. It looks like the wires are bundled together in some electrical tape in the upper right. I'd take a look there to start, and perhaps rework those connections using a screw-type terminal block. At least you would eliminate those connections as a possibility.

 

So the amp otherwise works correctly?

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post #4 of 5
9/27/10 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gimble View Post

Pick at least one.

 

(a) Maybe you made an error in following the schematic.

(b) Maybe you made an assembly / soldering error or created a short.

(c) Tubes aren't generally new parts. Maybe you had a bad one.


a) The only thing I can think of is the led.  I wired it wrong but everything else is right.

b) I'm 99% sure everything is clean but I will recheck.

c) I hope this is the case because a new one is one the way.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by TimJo View Post

It's kinda hard to tell, but when bumping something causes an intermittent problem, to me that sounds like a short. 

 

You mentioned the tube glowing bright, so possibly this has to do with the heaters. Looking at the photo, it's hard to see how your transformer is wired. It looks like the wires are bundled together in some electrical tape in the upper right. I'd take a look there to start, and perhaps rework those connections using a screw-type terminal block. At least you would eliminate those connections as a possibility.

 

So the amp otherwise works correctly?


Well the touch sometimes can be VERY light (again intermittently) and by light I mean a soft touch that wouldn't be felt anywhere on the amp.  However what caused the blown rectifier was a big jolt.  The wires that are bundled together are the extra wires and they are terminated properly, individually taped up and put to the side.  I will check it out and make sure the wires are properly secure but otherwise the amp works very well.

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post #5 of 5
9/28/10 at 11:51am
Thread Starter 

I got my new rectifier, RFT EZ81, and everything is working perfect now.  So the problem was really just the tube.  Thanks for your help guys!

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