oldphaser (Ed) Builds Some Amps (Phase Linear & White Oak Audio)

oldphaser

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#1
Finally after all these years, I am just about to finish up a batch of Phase Linear 700 series amplifiers with W.O. Audio and Phase Linear pc boards. I intend on having (1) of every revision of pc board installed in each one of these amps including Phase Linear PL0171, PL14A, PL20, PL36 and W.O.A. rev A, C, D and E. Initially only (1) of these amplifiers will have W.O.A. back plane boards. After completion of these amplifiers, I will be performing extensive tests. There are several rare 700 (series 1) amps I hope to test including the following; bridge amp (no pc board designation), Kelly DeYong amp and 700HF (modified PL0171). This will take some time to complete and the results will be published when completed.

NOTE: I have also acquired some additional test equipment and will be acquiring more in order to perform these tests.

Here is a photo of a W.O.A. Rev E board I just started on a few days ago.

NOTE: I might suggest starting with installing the diodes first as they are the smallest and then the resistors and so forth. Also, Phase Linear typically mounted the resistors with the color coding from left to right (when facing the pc board with the wiring located at the bottom of the board). In this case, I followed the instructions and mounted them from right to left. I could be wrong, but I didn’t see any instructions for mounting the IC socket. However, I think perhaps that will be next before I proceed to following the next series of steps in the instructions.

I am open to suggestions as to what people are using for cleaning the flux from the pc boards. I was taught by Dean many years ago to use Acetone. However, I haven’t always found this to be the best case.

Lee and Joe have been very kind in providing me with parts and some completed Rev A and D pc boards over the years.

I apologize for the long delay.
 

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#2
Try denatured alcohol and a small soft brush. It's not quite a good as xylene but much less hazardous to use.
 

oldphaser

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#3
Solder & FluX Removal

Perhaps I should have mentioned which solder I am using when asking for some input as to what chemicals people are using for flux removal.

I use a variety of diameters of MG Chemicals Sn63/Pb37 RA Solder Wire, depending upon the size and nature of the connection.

MG Chemicals sells (2) different types of flux removers; "Heavy Duty Flux Remover" (with acetone and alcohols) and "Flux Remover For PC Boards" (with ethyl alcohol, isopropanol, and ethyl acetate).

http://www.mgchemicals.com/downloads/catalogs/Solder products catalog Web.pdf

Ed
 

laatsch55

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#5
Good to see you finally getting on with this Ed , should be interesting ..
 

Bradrock

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#6
I bought a quart of Acetone last week at our small town True Value hardware. I had to ask three times & they finally went ' out back' and got one.
Even though I'm in there several times a week , I felt like I was asking for a quarter pound or something.
I wonder if it is used for making meth? That's a big deal here in the deep Ozarks.
 

Gepetto

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#8
Use Kester no-clean solder part number 245 1.1% flux. Full part number is Kester SN63PB37 1.1%/245 It is very low residue and the residue left behind is easy to clean when compared to Kester 44 Rosin flux.

Cleaning with this solder is optional. Clean using 91% isopropyl alcohol (available at Walmart in the pharmacy section) not acetone. Organic solvents such as acetone, tri-chlor and xylene attack the rubber seals in the electrolytic capacitors and should never be used (in addition to being bad for you). You can also use 3M Novec which is extremely good flux remover but is also very expensive.
 

Gepetto

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#9
Finally after all these years, I am just about to finish up a batch of Phase Linear 700 series amplifiers with W.O. Audio and Phase Linear pc boards. I intend on having (1) of every revision of pc board installed in each one of these amps including Phase Linear PL0171, PL14A, PL20, PL36 and W.O.A. rev A, C, D and E. Initially only (1) of these amplifiers will have W.O.A. back plane boards. After completion of these amplifiers, I will be performing extensive tests. There are several rare 700 (series 1) amps I hope to test including the following; bridge amp (no pc board designation), Kelly DeYong amp and 700HF (modified PL0171). This will take some time to complete and the results will be published when completed.

NOTE: I have also acquired some additional test equipment and will be acquiring more in order to perform these tests.

Here is a photo of a W.O.A. Rev E board I just started on a few days ago.

NOTE: I might suggest starting with installing the diodes first as they are the smallest and then the resistors and so forth. Also, Phase Linear typically mounted the resistors with the color coding from left to right (when facing the pc board with the wiring located at the bottom of the board). In this case, I followed the instructions and mounted them from right to left. I could be wrong, but I didn’t see any instructions for mounting the IC socket. However, I think perhaps that will be next before I proceed to following the next series of steps in the instructions.

I am open to suggestions as to what people are using for cleaning the flux from the pc boards. I was taught by Dean many years ago to use Acetone. However, I haven’t always found this to be the best case.

Lee and Joe have been very kind in providing me with parts and some completed Rev A and D pc boards over the years.

I apologize for the long delay.
Hi Ed
I emailed you the assembly order document to help your current assembly project.

Joe
 

oldphaser

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#10
Use Kester no-clean solder part number 245 1.1% flux. Full part number is Kester SN63PB37 1.1%/245 It is very low residue and the residue left behind is easy to clean when compared to Kester 44 Rosin flux.

Cleaning with this solder is optional. Clean using 91% isopropyl alcohol (available at Walmart in the pharmacy section) not acetone. Organic solvents such as acetone, tri-chlor and xylene attack the rubber seals in the electrolytic capacitors and should never be used (in addition to being bad for you). You can also use 3M Novec which is extremely good flux remover but is also very expensive.
Joe,

Thanks for the info. I will check into it.

Ed
 

oldphaser

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#11
Hi Ed
I emailed you the assembly order document to help your current assembly project.

Joe

Joe,

I have an old e-mail with some assembly information. I am not sure if you made any changes to it.

Did you just send me a recent e-mail? I checked my callab e-mail address and Phoenix private messages and didn't see anything.

By the way, could you send me everything you have on the Rev D board? Both quasi and fully comp info. I also need to know exactly where the (3) jumpers go on the pc board. It looks like the Rev D board Lee sent me may have been set up for use with back plane boards and I don't intend to use this Rev D board with backplane boards.

Thanks!
Ed
 
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oldphaser

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#12
W.O.A. Rev E Fully Comp. board completed (for use w/o back-plane boards)

Here is a photo of the Rev E board I just completed a few minutes ago.
It is set up to be used in a fully comp amp without the W.O.A. back plane boards.

NOTE: I still need to do some cleaning to remove the flux.



Joe,

I will need to acquire another Rev E board for use with the new W.O.A. chassis and heat-sinks I have. In this case the board will also need to be set up for fully comp and W.O.A. back plane boards. I will contact you later so we can arrange payment.



Time now for a little rest and relaxation.

Ed
 

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WOPL Sniffer

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#14
Acetone cut 50-50 with 99.99% Isopropyl....... It's all I use.... Makes quick work of the No-Clean (as recommended by the Engineers here). Even cleans up the 40 year old Rosin Flux left over from the factory but you can scrape the big chunks off first to loosen it all up.
 

oldphaser

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#15
Acetone cut 50-50 with 99.99% Isopropyl....... It's all I use.... Makes quick work of the No-Clean (as recommended by the Engineers here). Even cleans up the 40 year old Rosin Flux left over from the factory but you can scrape the big chunks off first to loosen it all up.
Perry,

I have the Acetone but not 99.99% isopropyl. I have some 91% isopropyl alcohol I bought at the local drug store. Can the 99.99% be obtained fairly easily?

Thanks!
Ed
 

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#16
Joe,

I have an old e-mail with some assembly information. I am not sure if you made any changes to it.

Did you just send me a recent e-mail? I checked my callab e-mail address and Phoenix private messages and didn't see anything.

By the way, could you send me everything you have on the Rev D board? Both quasi and fully comp info. I also need to know exactly where the (3) jumpers go on the pc board. It looks like the Rev D board Lee sent me may have been set up for use with back plane boards and I don't intend to use this Rev D board with backplane boards.

Thanks!
Ed
Sent to your gmail address Ed.

Jumpers 5L-5R
11L-11R
12L-12R
 

jbeckva

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#17
Looks nice, Ed. Only a quick question tho.. Q2 is in for your build when IIRC it was yanked in one of Joe's revisions to the "E" BOM. Is it back now?

Here is a photo of the Rev E board I just completed a few minutes ago.
It is set up to be used in a fully comp amp without the W.O.A. back plane boards.

NOTE: I still need to do some cleaning to remove the flux.



Joe,

I will need to acquire another Rev E board for use with the new W.O.A. chassis and heat-sinks I have. In this case the board will also need to be set up for fully comp and W.O.A. back plane boards. I will contact you later so we can arrange payment.



Time now for a little rest and relaxation.

Ed
 

oldphaser

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#19
Looks nice, Ed. Only a quick question tho.. Q2 is in for your build when IIRC it was yanked in one of Joe's revisions to the "E" BOM. Is it back now?
Jerry,

I wasn't aware of a revision to the Rev E build whereby Q2 was removed. Which BOM revision did that occur at? I think I have Rev G and Rev J?


Joe,

If there were any other revisions that occurred to the Rev E board, back-plane boards or LED drive boards (and anything else you can think of) since last October 2017, I sure would appreciate a copy. I'd like the build for the Rev E as up-to-date as possible.

Thanks!
Ed
 

oldphaser

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#20
Joe,

I got your e-mail and just downloaded the documents. I might be wrong, but it appears that the BOM Excel spreadsheet and pdf of Rev E4 still shows Q2. Likewise the "Change History PL14_PL20_RevE PCB" Word document show no change to Q2 either.

Ed
 
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