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Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build  (Read 2438 times)

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Offline goldteethkeith

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Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build
« on: November 17, 2022, 09:08:55 pm »
Im almost done with my first build, started the amp without the Rectifier tube and everything looked and measured exactly how it should. No noise, no smells, no shocks, totally fine. I put the 5y3 in, start it, and my bulb limiter goes off like a fuse and the GFCI trips. I went through and tested every power wire to see if it was accidentally grounded, nothing. Went through the tube rec pins, none are grounded and none are shorting against eachother. Went through all the sockets and it was the same, no shorts anywhere. I thought maybe the tube was bad but nothings rattling around in it. I dont have another amp with a tube rec so I cant test it like that.

Heres the wired socket, I know my soldering isnt the best but everything feels secure based on a pull test, and i have continuity everywhere I need it and nowhere I dont

https://imgur.com/a/9hNidY3

Offline sluckey

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Re: Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2022, 09:25:16 pm »
I put the 5y3 in, start it, and my bulb limiter goes off like a fuse and the GFCI trips.
That's incredible.
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline goldteethkeith

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Re: Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2022, 09:28:33 pm »
I put the 5y3 in, start it, and my bulb limiter goes off like a fuse and the GFCI trips.
That's incredible.
I'm sorry i dont know as much as you, is this the wrong way to do it? I'm following RobRob and Mojotones startup guides

Offline sluckey

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Re: Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2022, 09:49:18 pm »
That's a good way to start up. It's hard to believe that a bulb limiter goes off like a fuse. What does that even mean? And GFCI trips. Where is this GFCI? The bulb limiter should insure nothing like that ever happens. Worst case scenario, the bulb limiter lights up full brightness. Try to describe what really happened.
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

Offline goldteethkeith

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Re: Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2022, 09:55:44 pm »
That's a good way to start up. It's hard to believe that a bulb limiter goes off like a fuse. What does that even mean? And GFCI trips. Where is this GFCI? The bulb limiter should insure nothing like that ever happens. Worst case scenario, the bulb limiter lights up full brightness. Try to describe what really happened.
The bulb burns to near full brightness, and then the GFCI trips, it looked like a fuse blowing. Its also a 25w bulb, RR's site recommended starting with a value like 14w to let the capacitors form. I also have a 200w bulb to test at closer to full power

The GFCI is after the bulb and before the amp, i think that might be my problem actually. I asked RobRob a few weeks ago about using a GFCI with the limiter, I misremembered what he said. He told me to plug the limiter into the GFCI, I thought i had to put the GFCI between the amp and limiter
« Last Edit: November 17, 2022, 09:58:27 pm by goldteethkeith »

Offline sluckey

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Re: Help me figure out how I messed up my 5e3 build
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2022, 10:00:27 pm »
You don't need a GFCI. Just plug your amp directly into the lamp limiter.
A schematic, layout, and hi-rez pics are very useful for troubleshooting your amp. Don't wait to be asked. JUST DO IT!

 


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