My amp is sick

[GregM]

I'm like a fish out of water at the moment because my amp petered out the night before last. I called up VAC and they put me right through to Kevin Hayes. What other company lets you talk to their leader for what is essentially a service call? Kevin thinks it's a blown fuse that could be related to a bad tube or maybe even the tube socket. I'll go home and figure it out--I hope--and listen to some tunes. Otherwise I'll be at the local watering hole, crying in my beer.

[Sckott]

If the VAC has a recifier tube (AC to DC) then you'll know if you replace the fuse and ANOTHER fuse goes "pop".

Don't bother going through 3 fuses. By the second one, suspect the recifier tube, whatever it may be, and put that on a tube tester....

[GregM]

Any chance it could just be a blown fuse, plain and simple? I guess I won't find out for sure until I go home, pull the fuses and replace the one that's blown.

[Sckott]

I hope that's all. Do you have tubes in house for replacements?

Usually, it's not just a fuse, but I'm hoping for ya. If a rectifier tube goes flat, it ruins the flow of AC current and blows fuses usually within the 1st 10-30 seconds. If once you replace the fuse and it blows again, chances are it's the rectie tube in the circuit.

[GregM]

Just pulled the fuses. Both look pristine. Crap. Well, maybe I should replace them anyway and see if I can even power up my amp. Should cost me about $1 and the walk to Radio Shack will do me good.

[Gary]

Take 'em with you. Maybe they have a tester....

[GregM]

Well, I replaced both fuses. Still deader than a doornail. Swapped power cords with one that I know is working. Still dead. Checked around the tubes and power supply for any obvious problems. It all looks pristine. That's pretty much all the troubleshooting I can do with my limited expertise.

So I shipped it out to VAC this afternoon. I figure if there's any chance of getting it repaired and shipped back in time for the holidays, I better just get the ball rolling. It sucks to be music-less. :(

[Tullman]

Originally posted by GregM
I'm like a fish out of water at the moment because my amp petered out the night before last. I called up VAC and they put me right through to Kevin Hayes. What other company lets you talk to their leader for what is essentially a service call? Kevin thinks it's a blown fuse that could be related to a bad tube or maybe even the tube socket. I'll go home and figure it out--I hope--and listen to some tunes. Otherwise I'll be at the local watering hole, crying in my beer.

Ken Stevens at Convergent Audio Technology picks up the phone too.:cool:
He helped me out a couple of times. The tech on the phone was confused and not too sure but Ken knew the problem right away.

Did you try replacing the tubes?

[Sckott]

I'm going with bad tubes. Should be inexpensive too.

[Tullman]

Sckott, that is what turned out to be wrong with my CAT. A tube, which was new. I never thought it was a tube because they were just installed.

Man, I would try trouble shooting the tubes before I gave up my big system for the holidays.

[GregM]

The amp wouldn't fire up. I put tubes in there I know are good, and it didn't make a bit of difference. Deader than a doornail.