WOPL a Carver C-500 Amp.

[gary33030]

Next project will be a Carver C-500 amp.
Going to rebuild the back wall to full comp. (Back wall parts already arrived. Power transistors by Joe.)
Going to replace the bridge rectifier with snubber capacitors with Joes kit.
Going to replace power capacitors with Joes kit.
Going to replace the control board with Joes kit.
Going to add a relay board using Dons kit. (Built upside down to fit Carver amp.)
Going to replace RCA Jacks.
Of course, I'm going to reuse the normal parts.
Looking at all the above, it's like I'm putting my Phase Linear into a Carver case.
This evening, I'll take some pictures of the amp. It's in poor shape, but I'm ordering a new face plate. The only item I know is bad is it's missing the front LED control boards.
All are welcome for the ride!!!
Gary.

 

[Pulpmillguy]

Sounds like it is going to be a nice journey. What is the difference of the rail voltages (too damn lazy to look it up)?

 

[George S.]

And, will PL 400 or 700 meter boards fit?

 

[gary33030]

George,
This is what the meter board looks like. Not close the Joes boards. If i have to it just will not have meters.

 

[gary33030]

As everyone can see, the inside looks like a PL 400. Just noticed, the power capacitors have been replaced. Looks like the same size as factory.

 

[gary33030]

Pulpmillguy
I think this will answer your question. I cannot put meter to terminals as fuses are blown.

 

[George S.]

George,
This is what the meter board looks like. Not close the Joes boards. If i have to it just will not have meters.

Yup, the boards are totally different. I sent a member a few S2 boards last year to fix his Carver.
He needed the IC's or the LED modules to repair his boards as they were the same parts.
If you find you need IC's or modules I have several old boards left.

 

[gary33030]

I spent 2 hours this morning stripping down my chassis. And then sent the rest of the day removing all that thermo paste that gets everywhere.
Whoever put the amp together had a deep spoon. paste was thick. All cleaned, will work a little more later this evening.

 

[gary33030]

I think this is as far as I'm going tonight...

 

[mr_rye89]

So was it Bob Carver's idea to use a caulk gun to apply thermal paste? Maybe it's just a condition of vintage amps as my BGW has a shit ton of paste too......

 

[Pulpmillguy]

Pulpmillguy
I think this will answer your question. I cannot put meter to terminals as fuses are blown.

I did some digging...+/- 75 vs 80 VDC so you should be good to go

 

[gary33030]

I noticed the heat sinks have a purple color to them. Overheated at one time?

 

[gary33030]

Relay board completed this morning. Moving ahead!

 

[bill7621]

I noticed the heat sinks have a purple color to them. Overheated at one time?

Could be a bad anodize.

 

[wattsabundant]

The 400 relay board fits in the Carver amp, sort of. It has to be built with the parts on the backside.
It’s important to understand that the C 500 is built with one channel inverted. The black binding post on the inverted channels is actually the output of that channel. So the signal is affectively inverted twice.

My guess is under transient conditions, the power supply doesn’t get hit as hard. The first time you work on one of these you scratch your head for a while.

 

[J!m]

Could be a bad anodize.

Or sun fading.

 

[Gibsonian]

Doesn't the Carver have additional output transistors over the 400? Like 4 more?

 

[gary33030]

Yes, it does. I am going to rebuild the back wall to full comp, hard wired, since no back board replacements exists. Already have all power transistors from White Oak and other parts from Mouser Electronics.
I'm also replacing the control board with duel mono board from White Oak. Building it now. Dons relay board is done. See above files..

 

[grapplesaw]

You should look up my thread on reworking the c-500
I did two with great success

look for

Carver C-500 upgrade to WOPL

 

[gary33030]

You should look up my thread on reworking the c-500
I did two with great success

look for

Carver C-500 upgrade to WOPL

I;m going to fine it now and read. Pick up some pointers from the pros.