Arced OT?

[Curbdog]

I replaced the power filter caps in my 2 - 6L6 amp project this weekend, and I forgot to ground the Main filter for the plates and the filter for the screens - the preamp filters were grounded. I turned it on with a current limiter, and it seemed fine, so I gave it full power. I passed a signal through it, and of course it sounded terrible. Then a few wisps of smoke appeared, and I immediately turned it off. I discovered my mistake and grounded the caps, and powered back up. The amp seems to be fine, or maybe not. On some low notes when I dip the whammy bar I get some weird distortions and harmonics - could be unrelated.

Question: could I have arced the OT? Can bad stuff happen if I do what I did, pass signal through an amp with ungrounded plate and screen filters on the power tubes? Thanks !

[Leo_Gnardo]

Question: could I have arced the OT?

I doubt there's any major damage. Look for anything toasted, measure resistors, fire up again & check voltages & see they're all OK. Never hurts to have a look with a 'scope on any amp - if it'll pass a sine wave and deliver expected power it's basically healthy.

Heck I goofed the other day & roasted a couple resistors. It happens.

[Stevem]

Without those two filters being grounded you where feeding a bunch more voltage down to the preamp section filters and if those filters are rated for less voltage than the B+ hitting the main filter you may have damaged them?
This would have also applied almost the full B+ to the preamp tube plates and a AX7 is not rated for 360 + plus volts, as such I would take a close look at all the plate load resistors for signs of overheating, and any of them that are 1/2 waters and got hit with over 350 volts replace them, just to be on the safe side.
Fact is 1/2 watt resistors are not rated for over 350 volts so if you have 1/2 watters for your PI plate load resistors they need to be stepped up to 1 watters.

[Structo]

Check the screen resistors