Safety switch for no load

[timmyjoe]

Plugged speaker into input and yup, no load, dead filter caps:BangHead:

Anyone got a diagram of how to make a protective switch and dummy load? I just can't be trusted with fragile stuff.

[PRR]

How did you  kill *filter caps* ??

I'd expect output transformer or tube.

Maybe more diagnostics first?

[thetragichero]

agree with above

that being said, instead of a physical switch (which i'd imagine if you thought to switch it, you'd think to plug in a load, no?) a shunt tip output jack with a BIG horkin resistor would work. a bit more difficult (as in i can't think of how to do it but i'm sure bright folks around here could) if your amp has multiple impedance jacks

[Auke Jolman]

A 220R resistor from tip to sleeve should do the trick. Make sure the wattage of the resistor is big enough to handle the wattage from your power tubes. According the AX84 site 25W for a 50W amp should do.

[Latole]

The filter caps have nothing to do with your problem, it doesn't make sense.

And by the way, not having a speaker connected does not mean that the amp is instantly damaged.
Unless you do it for a very long time and/or at high volume.

Besides, how can you go wrong and plug a speaker into a guitar input?

Wich amp ?

look it is a troll!

On some Traynor amps

[thetragichero]

the resistor i removed from my yba-1 (in typical dumb ape guitarist fashion: MOAR POWER) was what i was thinking

[timmyjoe]

 

The filter caps have nothing to do with your problem, it doesn't make sense.

And by the way, not having a speaker connected does not mean that the amp is instantly damaged.
Unless you do it for a very long time and/or at high volume.

Besides, how can you go wrong and plug a speaker into a guitar input?

Wich amp ?

look it is a troll!

On some Traynor amps

The troll is my distracted brain! (Dang the pretty young ladies.) 

The guitar input and the speaker out are both on the back of the amp and are unlabeled. I haven't built the cabinet for this 5E3 yet.

Last time this happened, Latole, it was on for a long time. Didn't realize the amp was plugged into a power strip that got turned on. All three filter caps were bad. Friend helped me check it out.

The humming it is making sound to me to be just like the last time this happened, but maybe not as loud. Also, this amp was pretty quiet before.  Almost no hum with the humbucker or filtertron.

Thankfully the caps are not too much money.... if that really is what is going on. I don't have a capacitance meter at my house. But will test that out at hacker space some time this week.

I will add the resistor! Thanks everyone.