Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: Leevi on February 20, 2020, 08:11:44 am

Title: PT thermal breaker
Post by: Leevi on February 20, 2020, 08:11:44 am
I got a PT for Blues Junior and wonder the thermal break wires.


https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/mains-transformer-for-fender-blues-junior-pro-junior-230v (https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/mains-transformer-for-fender-blues-junior-pro-junior-230v)


Do you think I should do something for that or just leave those disconnected?


/Leevi
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: PRR on February 20, 2020, 12:39:37 pm
Do you use seatbelts in your car?
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: Leevi on February 20, 2020, 01:34:19 pm
Yes, I use. Just thinking if  it is overkill to implement this protection. One issue is that I don't have idea how it should be implemented. I suppose there is some kind of thermal fuse inside the PT?
/Leevi
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: kagliostro on February 20, 2020, 02:00:54 pm
Quote
Connection with Board labeled 1998 REV B and REV C:
Primary:
Thermo Pink wire to CP 5 (formerly  unused)
Thermo Pink wire to CP 7 (formerly unused)
0V Violet wire to CP 8 (formerly black)
230V Grey wire to S2B (formerly  white)
 
Secondary:
HV Red To CP 12 (formerly red)
HV Red To CP 13 (formerly red)
Bias Brown To CP 16 (formerly brown)
0V Brown To CP 17 (formerly brown)
6,3V Green To CP 18 (formerly green)
0V Green To CP 10 (formerly green)
 
Connection with Board labeled 2001, 2002, 2003, 2010 (Blues Junior III)
Primary:
Thermo Pink wire to P4
Thermo Pink wire to P7
0V Violet wire to P 8
230V Grey wire to S2B

Reading the PT spec (that say to connect those pink wire on some points on the board), seems that there is a component that interacts with the circuit, not a simple temperature fuse, something like an NTC/PTC

Franco
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: Leevi on February 20, 2020, 02:14:00 pm
I'm building a Blues Junior conversion from scratch, no PCB.
/Leevi
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: shooter on February 20, 2020, 02:42:57 pm
Quote
I suppose there is some kind of thermal fuse inside the PT?
not sure about your case, in automotive wiring you'll find a bunch of "fused links", basically wire that's designed to "burn open" when overloaded, PITA to find in a wiring harness  :BangHead:

last count, I contributed ~ $800 to the govm't oversight of my behavior  :icon_biggrin:
I was fortunate enough to be there to cut 3 ppl from their seatbelts while the cars burnt, or sank.
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: 2deaf on February 20, 2020, 03:20:21 pm
Yes, I use. Just thinking if  it is overkill to implement this protection. One issue is that I don't have idea how it should be implemented. I suppose there is some kind of thermal fuse inside the PT?
/Leevi

P4 is connected to the fuse, so one pink wire connects to the fuse (1A SLO-BLO).  P7 is connected to P8, so the other pink wire is connected to the violet wire from the transformer.  The grey wire from the transformer connects to the other side of the DPST switch which isn't connected to the fuse.
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: 2deaf on February 20, 2020, 04:49:00 pm
I noticed that Fender gives no choice with the thermal fuse in the 120V version, but the export version gives the option of going through the thermal fuse or not.  I also noticed that Fender is calling for a fast 1A fuse.  I would still use a slo-blo.

Is it easy to replace a blown thermal fuse?  If it's not easy or impossible, I would use the thermal fuse initially on the export versions.  Then if something went wrong and it overheated the power transformer, I could fix whatever went wrong and still be able to use the PT by changing the connections. 

Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: sluckey on February 20, 2020, 06:19:11 pm
Yes, I use. Just thinking if  it is overkill to implement this protection. One issue is that I don't have idea how it should be implemented. I suppose there is some kind of thermal fuse inside the PT?
/Leevi
The link you posted for that PT tells you how to hook it up. Just scroll down almost to the bottom of the page.

If you are scratch building this amp then just connect the pink wires between the power switch and fuse. This would be a quick easy and neat way to do it. The thermal fuse will simply be in series with the mains fuse.
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: 2deaf on February 20, 2020, 08:20:48 pm
I should have asked you what voltage you have where you live before I told you to use the grey wire.  Good thing Sluckey mentioned looking at the link you posted.
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: Leevi on February 20, 2020, 08:35:37 pm
Quote
I should have asked you what voltage you have where you live before I told you to use the grey wire.  Good thing Sluckey mentioned looking at the link you posted.


230v mains. The instructions you proposed make sense thanks.


/Leevi
Title: Re: PT thermal breaker
Post by: PRR on February 21, 2020, 04:39:52 pm
The regular fuse protects against over-Current. The thermal fuse protects against over-heating. Some faults will over-heat the transformer without pulling excessive current. An overheated transformer may burn, start a fire. In a crowded club, it may start a panic.

I have not "needed" my seatbelt in many decades. However when I was small a drunk driver T-boned us, we didn't have seatbelts (1956 Plymouth), we were OK, but next day my dad was drilling the car for seatbelts and we were trained to use them every time.

I know PT thermal fuses have a habit of false-blowing. And I have had PTs "burn" with little fuss. And the house is full of transformers without thermal fuses. But I have also seen a whole school emptied-out by a transformer fire. I have mixed feelings, but I'd tend to use it unless it was "only me" and "only out in the open".