NOISE!

[jckid649]

Ok well all initial testing is done and I finally was able to fire it up but GEEZ!
When I dial the volume up past 2 all I hear is static. It's like a huge tornado of crackle and static. Any suggestions on where to begin tweaking?

It is a Ceriatone Expression build btw.

[passfan]

Pictures are worth gold here and we could find it fast. The more the better, the higher the resolution the better.

[jckid649]

Ok first I will say that I don't have a great camera but I will post what I have at the moment and more if you need it of certain sections. Also I chose to use different resistors than was in the Ceriatone kit so it it will look different in that aspect. Also most of the wire here is solid core wire.

[jckid649]

At low volume it is fine--no noise.

[ampgeek]

Carbon composition resistors are notorious for crackling/hissing. Especially in the plate loading position.

You could make a listening probe and go right to the problematic one(s) or just replace them all with carbon film or metal film types.

Cheers,
Dave O.

[jckid649]

Ive used these as plate resistors before with no problem. I'm suspecting some issues with wiring or positioning of wires maybe.

[jckid649]

I guess I will go through all the troubleshooting steps in the build guide and start there.

[Bob S]

Snap,crackle & pop is usually tubes or power string / plate resistors or power string filter caps.
Stick with it - you're not far away.
Good luck.
Bob

[jckid649]

Yeah it's not installed in a cab, it has no cover over the circuit at the moment and it was upside down while I was testing it. When I first started it up it was quiet, no noise. When I plugged the guitar in it was fine. Low volume fine. Turned it up past 2 and hit a chord and it roared like a hurricane. Just total chaos.

[jckid649]

Does anyone see anything in my lead dress that could potentially be an issue? Could using solid core wire on the Heaters created some of this?

[ampdoc1]

Try reversing the OT primary leads. You may have the polarity reversed. USUALLY this will happen at any volume, but it may not be affecting the amp at low volumes. The screeching howl is a tip-off.

[jckid649]

So just swap the pink and grey on pins 3 of the power tubes? There is an optional brown and blue combo on the tranny that Nik included he told me to try them both to see what I preferred.

I actually wired them the same way they were in Niks pictures. The pink to V5 and grey to V4.

[jckid649]

Also, if the solid core wire has low voltage rating could that present problems with insulating? Perhaps if I use higher voltage wire like tranny clippings or Teflon insulated wire would that provide better shielding against noise?

[VacuumVoodoo]

Redo solder joints. There are solder blobs on a lot of them. Blob=risk of bad, internally porous joint. These can produce crackle and nise.

[ampgeek]

I have built dozens of amps, including two Express'ish types, with solid core wire that had a ~300V (IIRC) insulation rating with no problems.

So....I wouldn't suspect that to be causing the problem that you are describing.

Any way that you can post a quick sound clip? I-phone in voice memo mode maybe? The character of the noise might go a long way in identifying the source.

Dave O.