PL700 Rebuild

mlucitt

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Jun 24, 2011
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3,460
Location
Jacksonville, FL
#23
The early Phase Linear amplifiers used RCA 410 Driver Transistors. Later units saw RCA 66546 Driver Transistors, which are the exact same device with a newer RCA part number. These are the only recommended drivers for a Quasi-complementary (in which all NPN power transistors are the same - PL909, XPL909, MJ15024; or the upgraded MJ21196G).

If you need some driver transistors, most rebuild techs on the Forum have some.
 

George S.

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Feb 18, 2020
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4,973
#25
Problem is, the original output sockets are also past due retirement. And they went through several revisions trying to improve that back wall.
I'd rebuild the back wall complementary like the final Series 2 and Pro's had, with the highest quality sockets you can find, or follow Eric's advice.
Eric's advice is spot on.
Many have had issues with shorts when snugging up those outputs due to bad sockets
The sockets were totally trashed in two 400's and just OK in a 700 Pro, all I full WOPL'd in the original chassis. That 700 Pro was the final late model of the 700 series.
Shame the output spacing is different in the 700 "Series 1". One of the reasons it trades for less $.
But Joe has the solution.
 

mlucitt

Veteran and General Yakker
Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Messages
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Location
Jacksonville, FL
#26
George, quite right. I have replaced the original broken sockets for customers that want to keep their amplifiers "original." Gently squeezing the two socket pin receptacles can bring an original socket back to life. Of course using Sil-Pads rather than mica and silicone is also a must for any removed TO-3 transistor. Lastly, the screws should be torqued to 7 inch-pounds and no more. If you don't own a torque screwdriver, you have no business removing any driver or output transistors.
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2024
Messages
50
#27
After spending waaaaay too much time this afternoon cleaning 50 year old thermal paste off the surfaces agree with the silipad comment 150%. And had to smile at the comment about gorilla installed to-3 mounting screws. It’s an amplifier not the Bismarck sheeesh.
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2024
Messages
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#30
Lol, went right back up to shop and looked in vain for the model to hop out of the PL-700 and nothing doing only bunnies I found were dust bunnies :(
Anyways did a thorough check of the to-3 mounting board, found a hairline crack in one of the to-3 mounts, all the resistors and diodes are fine, but those 4uf 150v Mallory paper caps are absolute toast with both capacitance and esr off the scale. Checked pin tension with a just fit pin drill and they all felt nice and snug. Any reason not to use 4.7uf 250v panasonic ecq films I have in stock in this location?
Cracked socket is bottom row third from left btw.

1729538883059.png
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2024
Messages
50
#32
Any suggestions for a fifteen pound Maine Coon female that just turned one and has the teenage female attitude issues?
Sheeesh
repeat after me - - -
those are my pliers
those are my diodes
those are my papers
etc etc etc nosey kitty gets into everything
 
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