Hot Rod Deluxe reverb problem help

[JJfender]

Hi the reverb on my hot rod deluxe isn't working and I have tried removing the tank checkin connections and checking if any of the wires on the inside of the rank have come loose.

Has anyone had a similar problem and been able to fix it? Not sure if it's the tank or PCB that's the issue, is there any way I can check. Or do I need to take it to a tech?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance

[xtian]

The reverb going out is one of the set of symptoms caused by the very common failure of the low voltage switching supply.

https://www.google.com/search?client=sa ... n&safe=off

[Stevem]

When you unplug the output cable from the pan and touch the end with the reverb cranked up do you get a pop / buzz from the amp, if so then the recovery amp side of things is working.

[LOUDthud]

Check continunity (resistance) of the coils in the tank. It is not uncommon for the wire inside the insulation to break.

[JJfender]

When you unplug the output cable from the pan and touch the end with the reverb cranked up do you get a pop / buzz from the amp, if so then the recovery amp side of things is working.

thanks but just to confirm how I do this; should I have the amp turned on then remove the output cable from the reverb tank and touch it with my finger?

I just wanted to check that my understanding it right as I have read there is a lot or electricity in the amp that can be dangerous.

Cheers

[Stevem]

Yes have the amp on and when you touch the tip of the connector it's the same thing as touching the guitar end of your cable when the amp is on and the volume is up.
Note, that you may get that same sound when you unplug that cable from the pan which will not hurt you or the amp.

[JJfender]

Thanks for the advice, touching the output connector does make a loud noise like touching the end of a guitar lead plugged into an amp. I think I have narrowed it down to a tank issue and possibly wireing issues. Have my brother in law bringing over his voltmeter and we will check the ohms of the Input/output to the tank then follow the wires inside and see if I can find a break on the ohms and narrow down the source of the problem.

Hopefully it's just a connection I can re-solder.

Thanks for the help will post what I find incase someone else has this issue in future.

[Structo]

Hey JJfender,

I admire your interest in tube amps but you need to learn about the dangers
of working on a tube amp.

I thought I would chime in here to give you a warning about the lethal voltage inside a tube amp.

Just about any tube amp has the potential to kill you if you happen to touch the wrong thing, even if the amp is unplugged from the wall.

The filter caps (which I am sure you have read about) store voltage and current from the last time it was powered up.

Amplifiers vary in this regard, where some have bleeder resistors that discharge the voltage when the amp is powered down.
But you should never depend on that happening depending on the amp at hand.

The best way to protect yourself is to measure the voltage present at the first filter cap (usually the biggest one).
Connect the red probe to the + side of the cap and ground the black probe to a bare place on the chassis.

Anything over, say, 12 volts should be treated with respect with regards to safety.

Once it is below that it should be OK to probe around the amp.

BUT, I encourage you to learn basic electronic theory before you attempt much more than poking around a tube amp..

STAY SAFE!


Search for capacitor bleeder devices on the internet to do it the safe way.

Good luck!

[JJfender]

Hi Structo I appreciate the kind warning as at the start of diagnosing my reverb problem I wasn't aware of the danger of poking around the inside of an amp but after reading several posts online soon learned how dangerous it could be.

I have since had a capable person show me how to use a bolt meter and test the reverb unit, we discovered the cause of the issue which was the transducer coil as there was no continuity there.

I found the following thread to be very useful in breaking town the tests you can conduct safely at home to diagnose the problem.

I appreciate people taking the time to help educate novice amp/electronics people like myself on the internet.

http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=46

[JJfender]

Just thought if post the outcome of the reverb problem, ended up buying a new tank as we found a transducer coil to be the cause inside the reverb tank.

The new tank works so that was the problem.

Thanks to all who replied.