Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: silat on May 20, 2020, 11:49:50 am

Title: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 11:49:50 am
 Does anyone see a problem? I have never used this type of switch.  Amp does not lite up. Did I wire it wrong?

I will post pics later. the files sizes were to big.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 11:52:21 am
Here are pics.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 11:53:57 am
More pics.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: shooter on May 20, 2020, 11:55:55 am
why just suspect the switch?

disconnect the secondary of the PT, tape of and test your fuse again
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 01:29:00 pm
I removed both red wires and smoked a 10 amp fuse in the variac.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: 2deaf on May 20, 2020, 01:35:23 pm
It looks as though the fuse is wired in parallel with the primary instead of in series with it.  This would put a direct short through the fuse for the line voltage.  But it seems this would blow the fuse.  Maybe pictures of the back of the switch would clarify.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: nandrewjackson on May 20, 2020, 01:39:39 pm
If twisted pair, black wire and white wire, are your hot and neutral coming from the wall, then yes, the switch is wired wrong.


If above statement is true about the twisted pair, and the untwisted white and black are the ones going to PT primary.  Here's what's happening;


When you flip switch on, the wall Hot (white wire in twisted pair) conducts to the fuse, out of the fuse, and DIRECTLY to the wall neutral (black wire in twisted pair). 


Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: 66Strat on May 20, 2020, 01:45:47 pm
What's up with the black oily looking substance on the wires leading from the power transformer?
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: nandrewjackson on May 20, 2020, 01:47:46 pm
If the twisted pair is  indeed wall voltage, and untwisted black and white are PT primary, do this.






Disconnect  and throw away short black wire that is going from fuse to switch in pic.


Disconnect untwisted white wire from switch, attach that to newly opened fuse location.


Now you have ;


black and white twisted pair to lower 2 switch tabs.


Short white jumper from switch to fuse tab 1.
White PT primary wire to fuse tab 2.


Black PT primary wire to top switch tab.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: labb on May 20, 2020, 01:56:12 pm
Believe that code says Black hot, White neutral.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 01:56:22 pm
What's up with the black oily looking substance on the wires leading from the power transformer?

 Black Paint  got the PT from Amplified parts. I notice they are all coming that way now.
 
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 01:57:42 pm
If the twisted pair is  indeed wall voltage, and untwisted black and white are PT primary, do this.






Disconnect  and throw away short black wire that is going from fuse to switch in pic.


Disconnect untwisted white wire from switch, attach that to newly opened fuse location.


Now you have ;


black and white twisted pair to lower 2 switch tabs.


Short white jumper from switch to fuse tab 1.
White PT primary wire to fuse tab 2.


Black PT primary wire to top switch tab.

I will try this now. TY!
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 02:17:17 pm
If the twisted pair is  indeed wall voltage, and untwisted black and white are PT primary, do this.


 Did not blow this time. I am going to hook  the secondary back up now see what happens. Nothing lit up. 







Disconnect  and throw away short black wire that is going from fuse to switch in pic.


Disconnect untwisted white wire from switch, attach that to newly opened fuse location.


Now you have ;


black and white twisted pair to lower 2 switch tabs.


Short white jumper from switch to fuse tab 1.
White PT primary wire to fuse tab 2.


Black PT primary wire to top switch tab.

I will try this now. TY!
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 02:53:39 pm
Thank everyone for your contribution. I am getting tired now a product of being little lazy during the  covid 19(84) Orwellian (pandemic) mind control people control experiment..(JK)  I will put it away an dwell on it a bit.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: 2deaf on May 20, 2020, 05:57:34 pm
Make it look like this:

Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 06:10:24 pm
I think that is going to be right since black is hot.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: 66Strat on May 20, 2020, 06:19:09 pm
Thank everyone for your contribution. I am getting tired now a product of being little lazy during the  covid 19(84) Orwellian (pandemic) mind control people control experiment..(JK)  I will put it away an dwell on it a bit.

A nice dinner of Soylent Green should perk you right up. :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 20, 2020, 07:00:41 pm
 No lights or noise, but I am not blowing fuses...... "Soylent green are people!" :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 23, 2020, 05:08:09 pm
I got it to light up . I found a turret I was grounding out against a screw. But I have no sound.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 23, 2020, 08:33:35 pm
The Amp is now playing, but only one side.  The Vox AC15 side plays, but is  distorted not bad but does not sound like an Ac 15. When I flip the switch to the middle it gets a big hum and  all the way over to the Marshall side nothing. I will have to check it later but my power tubes seemed hot and the rectifier was also. The preamp tubes were cool.

Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: tubeswell on May 23, 2020, 10:39:44 pm
The Amp is now playing, but only one side.  The Vox AC15 side plays, but is  distorted not bad but does not sound like an Ac 15. When I flip the switch to the middle it gets a big hum and  all the way over to the Marshall side nothing. I will have to check it later but my power tubes seemed hot and the rectifier was also. The preamp tubes were cool.


Using your R-meter, check for DC-continuity between the chassis and the ground leads of your filter cap grounds- both for the Marshall channel and the filter cap at the junction stage (PI node?*) of both channels. You may have missed one or more ground return hookup wires.


*guessing in the absence of a schematic
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 23, 2020, 10:42:33 pm
Thanks Tubeswell I will do that Sunday.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 24, 2020, 11:20:38 am
I had a little wire flag sticking out on my volume I could not see. grounded on the  grounding bar above the volume pot . I got rid of the flag and both sides started working so played the Marshall side and flipped back and forth, after a couple of tries the Vox side stopped playing. Oh well divide and conquer.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 24, 2020, 01:39:32 pm
I made a rookie mistake and turned the volume all the way down on the AC 15 side and left it down.The amp is upside down on my bench and I have to reach over to mess with things. Both sides are working.  I am just going to plug straight into the wall and check my voltages.

Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: Willabe on May 24, 2020, 02:50:37 pm
I made a rookie mistake and turned the volume all the way down on the AC 15 side and left it down.The amp is upside down on my bench and I have to reach over to mess with things.

Happens to the best of them, your learning fast.  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 24, 2020, 10:46:51 pm
Make it look like this:

I hope I told you Thank you.
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 26, 2020, 11:51:15 am
 Before I finished my Amp and got it  playing, my son was real sneaky and bought me a Keely omni reverb and that thing is awesome. I came home yesterday from memorial day festivities and there was a package on my front step. I did not know anything was running for the holiday.

Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: Willabe on May 26, 2020, 05:58:32 pm
Nice!  :icon_biggrin:

Good son!  :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Dual Lite amp build does not lite up and smoking my fuse in my variac.
Post by: silat on May 26, 2020, 10:01:36 pm
Yeah he really is a Good son!