Welcome To the Hoffman Amplifiers Forum

September 07, 2025, 05:24:17 am
guest image
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
-User Name
-Password



Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: 5F1 Champ Bias Variable Resistor Sourcing  (Read 4172 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Tomahawk

  • Level 1
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Hoffman Amps Forum image
5F1 Champ Bias Variable Resistor Sourcing
« on: January 07, 2020, 10:31:13 am »
I am trying to replace the 470/5 resistor (R11) in the Fender Champ 5F1, link below. I have included Uncle Doug's video where he discusses the trim pot as well. The goal is to be able to bias the tube without having to discharge the caps and remove the amplifier from the cabinet. Any leads on where I can find a quality 1k/5 trim pot or variable resistor that uses a screw head or similar to avoid accidental adjustments?

https://el34world.com/Hoffman/files/Hoffman_5F1.pdf
=578

Offline Williamblake

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 483
  • I just picked values that I've seen in other circu
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 5F1 Champ Bias Variable Resistor Sourcing
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2020, 10:46:27 am »
you can get those resistors cheaply on ebay, they have a screwed on sleeve and they are not pots.

Offline sluckey

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 5075
    • Sluckey Amps
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 5F1 Champ Bias Variable Resistor Sourcing
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2020, 11:34:35 am »
I'm shocked to see u. doug using a 1/4 or 1/2 watt 10 turn trim pot for that cathode resistor!  :huh:
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline PRR

  • Level 5
  • *******
  • Posts: 17082
  • Maine USA
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 5F1 Champ Bias Variable Resistor Sourcing
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2020, 01:12:57 pm »
Good 5W rheostats are rare and expensive. They also beg to be turned to zero and burn-up the tube.

You can trim the bias by leverage. Take a fraction of the voltage on an over-large cathode resistor to the 6V6 grid.

BUT..... what is the point?? What is "optimum" bias in this circuit? A correctly designed self-bias stage should not need manual trims. And up to a point it does not matter much. The "up to a point" is clipping. Setting bias really should be done with normal signal on normal load. Play LOUD into your loudspeaker. Monitor current. For smoothest playing the current should be steady from silent to LOUD, or maybe rise 10%.

However I suspect that most Champs are so over-volted that the idle current had to be set much lower than the full-roar current to avoid melting the 6V6. The real fix is to add resistance in the B+. Since most Champs are also buzzy, this is an opportunity to add a stage of R-C filtering. A trail values for the B+ resistor is about like the cathode resistor.

Offline DummyLoad

  • SMG
  • Level 5
  • *****
  • Posts: 5791
Hoffman Amps Forum image
Re: 5F1 Champ Bias Variable Resistor Sourcing
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2020, 01:48:00 pm »

Offline Williamblake

  • Level 2
  • **
  • Posts: 483
  • I just picked values that I've seen in other circu

 


Choose a link from the
Hoffman Amplifiers parts catalog
Mobile Device
Catalog Link
Yard Sale
Discontinued
Misc. Hardware
What's New Board Building
 Parts
Amp trim
Handles
Lamps
Diodes
Hoffman Turret
 Boards
Channel
Switching
Resistors Fender Eyelet
 Boards
Screws/Nuts
Washers
Jacks/Plugs
Connectors
Misc Eyelet
Boards
Tools
Capacitors Custom Boards
Tubes
Valves
Pots
Knobs
Fuses/Cords Chassis
Tube
Sockets
Switches Wire
Cable


Handy Links
Tube Amp Library
Tube Amp
Schematics library
Design a custom Eyelet or
Turret Board
DIY Layout Creator
File analyzer program
DIY Layout Creator
File library
Transformer Wiring
Diagrams
Hoffmanamps
Facebook page
Hoffman Amplifiers
Discount Program


password