Northwind's 400 to WOPL 500

[jbeckva]

No worry, bias transistor and Q7/10 and predriver variation will put you all over the map which is why such a large range of adjustment is provided.

Just rechecked it tonight.. had to go a lil up on the left but still could hit 380 on both sides, no problem.

Man, if I had an AP right now I'd be all over this one taking measurements.... I gotta say again, this one's a keeper.

EY RON... look what I found when yanking the brand new outputs outta your old 1.5t for this guy!! Aint that some .... (note to self to read more Sherlock Holmes and take his "however improbable, MUST be the answer" quote to heart.. )

 

[Northwinds]

Just rechecked it tonight.. had to go a lil up on the left but still could hit 380 on both sides, no problem.

Man, if I had an AP right now I'd be all over this one taking measurements.... I gotta say again, this one's a keeper.

EY RON... look what I found when yanking the brand new outputs outta your old 1.5t for this guy!! Aint that some .... (note to self to read more Sherlock Holmes and take his "however improbable, MUST be the answer" quote to heart.. )

View attachment 11958

I confess, what am I looking at exactly? I was looking for a hit of acid or something LOL

 

[jbeckva]

I confess, what am I looking at exactly? I was looking for a hit of acid or something LOL

One of the transistors I put in yer old Carv amp... and bent the damn leads in the process so they were prolly just making contact when it was working half decent, but prolly broke the contact after I did some more work to it. NO biggie.. I'll prolly get the round tuit again, repopulate it and sell 'er off somewhere somehow..

 

[Northwinds]

What's an AP Jer? I went back over this thread and noticed the germanium references... I am interested in learning how to work on this stuff, I have no interest in "robbing" the board of components or whatever because I have no clue what they do. I'd like to be able to say that I figured out what is wrong with it and fix it. 1st step on a long journey eh?

You piqued my interest into at least looking into the gemanium deals and most places that I look at reference them as "look at them wrong and they go bad". What is their application anyway, what do they actually do and is there not better options then using them? They don't seem to be very hardy. The other components mention, what is so "rob worthy" about them??? Spares for the amp?

I see the bent leads, if you put it back in right, will it work correctly again? I thought you wanted a pair of them to drive something???

 

[Northwinds]

Jer, quick question for you regardinging Blackie

Lately when I turn it on, sometimes the left channel does not come on. I have figured out it the line fuse holder. I got what RS had to offer for the 8A fuses but they are the 1" ones . When I wiggle the fuseholder, the channel comes on. I think I need the 1 1/4" fuse versions so if you have a few extras, could I buy some from you. I also notice the fusecaps don;t close all the way. Can the little tabs on them be tweaked so they stay closed flush?

 

[Northwinds]

See below, the outboard fuse holders do not close flush

 

[Skynyrd77]

Hey Ron snap a pic of blackie will ya I wanna see it!

 

[Northwinds]

Hey Ron snap a pic of blackie will ya I wanna see it!

Here you go Bro, can't wait for Skratch's new faceplates to become available and get her back to her former classy looks

 

[Skynyrd77]

Nice !!! Got to love them meters

 

[Northwinds]

Nice !!! Got to love them meters

Yeah, I have an affinty for the big analog meters. I don't care how fancy a electronic display looks, nothing conveys power like those big meters swinging hard to the right. I do dig Jer's custom paint job and it sort of was fitting at the time because when the amp went to Jer, it was missing the control board and all sorts of shit blown up in it, face plate really needed a surface cleanup but the lettering was still good. I am still amazed to this day of the transformation of a cool looking doorstop to firebreathing bitch from hell. Blackie is one helluva an amp, someday she will get the full comp treatment also and I am really hoping if Lee nails Aerosmith's backline that maybe I can buy a NOS set of meters for her from him from the extra parts boxes. She deserves it. I put that bitch through some serious workouts and she does not complain, she just delivers a silly shiteatin' grin everytime. Friends come over and ask what she is and comment on the rather unique look, then I turn her on and put the gas to her and their jaws hit the floor. I would like to see her restored to her former glory and a new faceplate is a priority

 

[fitz43]

Jer, quick question for you regardinging Blackie

Lately when I turn it on, sometimes the left channel does not come on. I have figured out it the line fuse holder. I got what RS had to offer for the 8A fuses but they are the 1" ones . When I wiggle the fuseholder, the channel comes on. I think I need the 1 1/4" fuse versions so if you have a few extras, could I buy some from you. I also notice the fusecaps don;t close all the way. Can the little tabs on them be tweaked so they stay closed flush?

Have you got AGC (1 1/4") fuses where AGX (1") should be? RS probably doesn't sell the correct length AGX fuses.

 

[Northwinds]

Have you got AGC (1 1/4") fuses where AGX (1") should be? RS probably doesn't sell the correct length AGX fuses.

Yes, been like that for a few months now and it just started acting up a week ago. I just touch it and the channel comes on. I need to get the right length one though. Hopefully Jer has a few extras he can send me and I will pay him for them. I see them on eBay for $3 + shipping for two of them

 

[laatsch55]

Mouser. I'll post the part number.

 

[laatsch55]

504-AGX5
504-AGX8
504-AGX10

62 cents each

 

[Northwinds]

Thanks Lee, I will see about ordering 10 each of the 8s and 10s. Between fans and fuses, I think we will be a-ok LOL

Man, I could be an honorary torture testing member. "Here's this amp Ron, we want to see if it's idiot proof and bulletproof, see if you can make it shutoff or do wierd shit"

 

[jbeckva]

Yes, been like that for a few months now and it just started acting up a week ago. I just touch it and the channel comes on. I need to get the right length one though. Hopefully Jer has a few extras he can send me and I will pay him for them. I see them on eBay for $3 + shipping for two of them

Ron, there are three fuses total. One is for the main AC in, while the other two are for the positive and negative rails. As I suspect you are wiggling one of the other two, what you are really doing there is interrupting either the positive or negative rail voltage for BOTH channels.. A side effect of which is probably tripping the DCP relay (are you hearing a click??). From the symptom it almost seems to me that the DCP relay has become intermittent, which I suspect is why Don designed with a socket to easily replace it. You're welcome to replace it yourself if you wish ... I can give you the part number.

 

[Northwinds]

Ron, there are three fuses total. One is for the main AC in, while the other two are for the positive and negative rails. As I suspect you are wiggling one of the other two, what you are really doing there is interrupting either the positive or negative rail voltage for BOTH channels.. A side effect of which is probably tripping the DCP relay (are you hearing a click??). From the symptom it almost seems to me that the DCP relay has become intermittent, which I suspect is why Don designed with a socket to easily replace it. You're welcome to replace it yourself if you wish ... I can give you the part number.

I heard the click once so I never did it again. I just shut the amp off now and then undo the fuseholder and tighten it again, works like a charm. What is a DCP relay and moi do it???? Bwahahahahhahahahahhahaaaaaa


I only have one of those soldering guns that look like a heavy pistol. It's a Miller Falls with a flat spreader tip on it. I think it would get way to hot and wicked impercise for any tight area. I have even messup up guitar wiring with it. Only other option is I have one of those old plugin pencil types. I could never get solder to stick with it. The solder I have is Alphametals 95/5 lead free rosin core

OR, as long as I power off first to "wiggle" will it last for a longtime? Sometimes I do notice when it happens that after the "wiggle", it will still be dead silent in the left channel and when I turn the preamp volume slightly up, the channel comes on (only requires another power down and "wiggle"). That's why I thought the fuse was the issue with the fuse cap not screwing in all the way and staying that way


wiggle - v : def - theoretical fixit for everything one does not know shit about

 

[jbeckva]

I heard the click once so I never did it again. I just shut the amp off now and then undo the fuseholder and tighten it again, works like a charm. What is a DCP relay and moi do it???? Bwahahahahhahahahahhahaaaaaa


I only have one of those soldering guns that look like a heavy pistol. It's a Miller Falls with a flat spreader tip on it. I think it would get way to hot and wicked impercise for any tight area. I have even messup up guitar wiring with it. Only other option is I have one of those old plugin pencil types. I could never get solder to stick with it. The solder I have is Alphametals 95/5 lead free rosin core

OR, as long as I power off first to "wiggle" will it last for a longtime? Sometimes I do notice when it happens that after the "wiggle", it will still be dead silent in the left channel and when I turn the preamp volume slightly up, the channel comes on (only requires another power down and "wiggle"). That's why I thought the fuse was the issue with the fuse cap not screwing in all the way and staying that way


wiggle - v : def - theoretical fixit for everything one does not know shit about

wiggling the fuse or cycling the input power - both will exercise the relay contacts. theory is .. those contacts are beginning to flake out perhaps, so like a crusty ole switch that if you switch it a few times it will (or won't) eventually "behave". It's those contacts that connect the amp output to your speakers, so if one channel is in and out it could be the switch inside the relay. Next time you have one channel.. or if you know, are the meters still going for the suspect channel, but the speaker is completely dead silent?

 

[laatsch55]

If the DCP trips, it will take out both channels. To reset a tripped DCP you have to power down till the caps drain.

 

[jbeckva]

If the DCP trips, it will take out both channels. To reset a tripped DCP you have to power down till the caps drain.

Not if it's the positive channel fuse and there is a good drain on them to begin with.