Troubleshooting an humming WOPL : need help!

[Coldsmoke]

Hi there,

I'm back again after a few weeks rush at work...

I'd like to finish the works on my WOPL 400. I need to finish the installation of the backplanes and I also need to install the DC protection board Lee kindly sent me on.
As usual, I've a bunch of silly questions and I count on you guys to help me... :

1- I soldered all the components on the backplanes board accordding the markings on the plastic pockets, I could'nt find a document describing the positioning of the jumpers on the boardi

2- I soldered the bias transistor on the sockets reading "5088" leaving the three sockets reading "3403" free. I assume this is correct.

 

[Coldsmoke]

Sorry, I wanted to mean : I want to go for a full-comp version.
The BOM talks about quasi-comp jumpers, so I suppose I don't need to install any of these.???

 

[Gepetto]

Hi there,

I'm back again after a few weeks rush at work...

I'd like to finish the works on my WOPL 400. I need to finish the installation of the backplanes and I also need to install the DC protection board Lee kindly sent me on.
As usual, I've a bunch of silly questions and I count on you guys to help me... :

1- I soldered all the components on the backplanes board accordding the markings on the plastic pockets, I could'nt find a document describing the positioning of the jumpers on the boardi

2- I soldered the bias transistor on the sockets reading "5088" leaving the three sockets reading "3403" free. I assume this is correct.

hi Florian

the jumper positions are covered in detail in the assembly document sent via email a while back

 

[Coldsmoke]

All right, I've got it, it's written QC even in the full comp BOM. I guess it's a mistake in the BOM. I suppose I need to solder the following for FC :

J14 to J15
J4 to J5
J17 to J18
J1 to J2
J7 to J8
J20 to J21
J10 to J11
J23 to J24
R42 (0.9" spacing jumper)

 

[Gepetto]

All right, I've got it, it's written QC even in the full comp BOM. I guess it's a mistake in the BOM. I suppose I need to solder the following for FC :

J14 to J15
J4 to J5
J17 to J18
J1 to J2
J7 to J8
J20 to J21
J10 to J11
J23 to J24
R42 (0.9" spacing jumper)

Re sent all pertinent documentation in your email Florian

 

[Coldsmoke]

Re sent all pertinent documentation in your email Florian

Thanks Joe, well received.

I wired everything up, aside the DC protecting board and the fused connections.
One or two questions (hopefully the last...)

About the protection board :
1- I am not sure of the best routing for the AC wire as it might cause HUMMM : in the watts abundant instructions it states "horizontally across the transistors"... With the backplanes in places... Well I Suppose it should be routed on the top with the higher voltages....?
2- J3-1 DC input (from + DC) : Where is the best place to connect this post in my configuration...?

About the led board:
3- I am not sure anymore where to connect the red / black and white wires...

About the backplanes :
4- Just to make sure, B- is the left hand fuse when looking from the inside and B+ is on the right hand side .... (sorry for this but I am like triple checking EVERYTHING I'm doing now...)

Last but not least :
I am two or three solders away from finishing the build. If I read correctly, the start up procedure consist in puting in place the XQ11 and 12 trannys and run the bias tuning procedure.
Once done, I can safely put all the others trannys and fucking enjoy my lovely amp, right....?

Just for info a quick shot from the mess and a couple of shots of parts with wich I don't know what to do .....?


THANKS A LOT GUYS

 

[Gepetto]

Thanks Joe, well received.

I wired everything up, aside the DC protecting board and the fused connections.
One or two questions (hopefully the last...)

About the protection board :
1- I am not sure of the best routing for the AC wire as it might cause HUMMM : in the watts abundant instructions it states "horizontally across the transistors"... With the backplanes in places... Well I Suppose it should be routed on the top with the higher voltages....?
2- J3-1 DC input (from + DC) : Where is the best place to connect this post in my configuration...?

About the led board:
3- I am not sure anymore where to connect the red / black and white wires...

About the backplanes :
4- Just to make sure, B- is the left hand fuse when looking from the inside and B+ is on the right hand side .... (sorry for this but I am like triple checking EVERYTHING I'm doing now...)

Last but not least :
I am two or three solders away from finishing the build. If I read correctly, the start up procedure consist in puting in place the XQ11 and 12 trannys and run the bias tuning procedure.
Once done, I can safely put all the others trannys and fucking enjoy my lovely amp, right....?

Just for info a quick shot from the mess and a couple of shots of parts with wich I don't know what to do .....?


THANKS A LOT GUYS

Hi Florian
Will try and get all your questions in order.
1. Wire the DC protect AC wires along the top edge of the chassis hugging the chassis sheet metal fold as close as you can then dogleg down when you get to the right of the right channel backplane board edge.
2. Skip, I will have to research and get back to you
3. The 22AWG white wire attached to OUT1 on the right channel backplane board goes to PAD1 on the LED light board, the 22AWG white wire attached to OUT1 on the left channel backplane board goes to PAD2 on the LED light board, attach a 22AWG black wire from the bus bar ground to PAD3 of the LED light board (easiest place to grab this is the solder lug provided to tie to chassis ground, solder a second wire into that lug hole.
4. B- fuse holder is the left one, nearest to the AC inlet fuse. B+ fuse holder is the right one farthest away from the AC inlet fuse holder.

Last but not least:
install the predrivers only in the bottom most row, XQ11 and XQ12 on each channel. Bring up on a Variac with DBT is the best way to energize for the first time.

PS: the extra bag of parts are provided as assembly aids to hold the backplanes in place temporarily while getting the first transistors in place. They are not part of the kit per se.

 

[Gepetto]

Hi Florian
Will try and get all your questions in order.
1. Wire the DC protect AC wires along the top edge of the chassis hugging the chassis sheet metal fold as close as you can then dogleg down when you get to the right of the right channel backplane board edge.
2. Skip, I will have to research and get back to you
3. The 22AWG white wire attached to OUT1 on the right channel backplane board goes to PAD1 on the LED light board, the 22AWG white wire attached to OUT1 on the left channel backplane board goes to PAD2 on the LED light board, attach a 22AWG black wire from the bus bar ground to PAD3 of the LED light board (easiest place to grab this is the solder lug provided to tie to chassis ground, solder a second wire into that lug hole.
4. B- fuse holder is the left one, nearest to the AC inlet fuse. B+ fuse holder is the right one farthest away from the AC inlet fuse holder.

Last but not least:
install the predrivers only in the bottom most row, XQ11 and XQ12 on each channel. Bring up on a Variac with DBT is the best way to energize for the first time.

PS: the extra bag of parts are provided as assembly aids to hold the backplanes in place temporarily while getting the first transistors in place. They are not part of the kit per se.

OK on your question #2, you should be able to pick this up from the right channel backplane board on the upper right edge at the unused pad labeled FUSED_B+_OUT

 

[Coldsmoke]

Thanks Joe for your, as usualy, fast and precise answer.
I really need to invest in a VARIAC and pay 15 minutes build a DBT...

 

[Coldsmoke]

I am now stuck with a finished amp that I can't start up ... DAMN!

 

[Coldsmoke]

BTW, how do you replace your dim bulb when there isn't any sold anymore....? I think it's almost impossible to find dim bulbs here in Europe since a couple of years... Only leds....???

 

[Gepetto]

BTW, how do you replace your dim bulb when there isn't any sold anymore....? I think it's almost impossible to find dim bulbs here in Europe since a couple of years... Only leds....???

You mean I have to start including 60W incandescents in my international shipments

They are still available in the US but are 2x the price of what they used to be. And we did not enact the law to ban them...

 

[Gepetto]

Thanks Joe, well received.

I wired everything up, aside the DC protecting board and the fused connections.
One or two questions (hopefully the last...)

About the protection board :
1- I am not sure of the best routing for the AC wire as it might cause HUMMM : in the watts abundant instructions it states "horizontally across the transistors"... With the backplanes in places... Well I Suppose it should be routed on the top with the higher voltages....?
2- J3-1 DC input (from + DC) : Where is the best place to connect this post in my configuration...?

About the led board:
3- I am not sure anymore where to connect the red / black and white wires...

About the backplanes :
4- Just to make sure, B- is the left hand fuse when looking from the inside and B+ is on the right hand side .... (sorry for this but I am like triple checking EVERYTHING I'm doing now...)

Last but not least :
I am two or three solders away from finishing the build. If I read correctly, the start up procedure consist in puting in place the XQ11 and 12 trannys and run the bias tuning procedure.
Once done, I can safely put all the others trannys and fucking enjoy my lovely amp, right....?

Just for info a quick shot from the mess and a couple of shots of parts with wich I don't know what to do .....?


THANKS A LOT GUYS

Florian
The 4 - #10 solder lugs are provided in each wire kit that we ship to attach the B+ and B- wires to the large bulk cap screws. It makes for a neat looking termination.

 

[Gepetto]

Thanks Joe for your, as usualy, fast and precise answer.
I really need to invest in a VARIAC and pay 15 minutes build a DBT...

Hi Florian
The 3 wire jumpers on the back side of the board are not needed or desired when used in amps that have the backplane boards installed. Leaving them in causes the pico fuses in both channels to blow in the event of a fault in a single channel and makes debugging very hard to accomplish. You should clip these off.

This note appears in the BOM for the PL14_20 Board

[TABLE="width: 1634"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="align: right"]13[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 7"]Important Note: When the PL400 or PL700 Backplane Board RevA or RevB is used, the 3 bus wire jumpers should NOT be installed on the back side of the PL14_20 board. [/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="colspan: 4"]The PL400 and PL700 Backplane Board accomplish these connection. Skip to step 14 if this is the case.[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody><colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col span="2"></colgroup>[/TABLE]

These jumpers are only needed in original point to point wiring amps, where Phase Linear only brought one B+ and B- connection onto their original board.

 

[laatsch55]

OK on your question #2, you should be able to pick this up from the right channel backplane board on the upper right edge at the unused pad labeled FUSED_B+_OUT

That's where I've tapped all of mine Joe...

 

[laatsch55]

I am now stuck with a finished amp that I can't start up ... DAMN!

As Dirty Harry said........." Ya feelin Lucky?".......

 

[laatsch55]

You mean I have to start including 60W incandescents in my international shipments

They are still available in the US but are 2x the price of what they used to be. And we did not enact the law to ban them...

Aw Jeez....next thing ya know we'll be reading about Joe in the paper for smuggling banned items and being an international sponsor of GLOBAL WARMING......an ecoterrorist of the highest order....a seemingly harmless feller, until you look deeper.....

 

[Coldsmoke]

You mean I have to start including 60W incandescents in my international shipments

They are still available in the US but are 2x the price of what they used to be. And we did not enact the law to ban them...

Ah ah ! You know what, I was tonight at a friend's place who used to be the official reseller for ALTEC LANSING and JBL back in the 80's and 90's in Belgium to pick up an AMCRON IC 150 preamp and a DC300 amp.
I have a couple of good news : he borrowed me a variac, and, rarer, a 60W bulb! An other good news is that a good frien of his used to service PL stuff in the 70's and 80's and could have some rare PL parts like this fuck*** IC's for the 2000....
A bad news is that ... The DC300 HUMMMMMS JEEEEZ, I AM CURSED!

 

[Coldsmoke]

As Dirty Harry said........." Ya feelin Lucky?".......

Nope, I just feel like having to use a variac and a dbt for the first time, and hope being lucky BTW, would an amp meter be a good replacement for the bulb ? Cause he gave me the bulb but had no screw socket left :/

 

[Coldsmoke]

BTW, I can't thank you enough Joe for your patience....