Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: shoto1699 on December 17, 2020, 10:45:31 AM

Title: Crack Voltage Issue
Post by: shoto1699 on December 17, 2020, 10:45:31 AM
So I finally got it built... my resistances are good, tubes glow but the voltages are too high or too low. One of the led lights up when I touch 5 I believe. And the other doesn't light up anymore after I resoldered both leds in the center pin.

Pictures: imgur.com/a/0BZ4Jos (since I can't add pictures here yet)

1) 75V
2) 181V
3) 0 V
4) 181V
5) 67.1V
6) 0V
7) 58.3V
8) 0
9) 100V
10) 0V
Title: Re: Crack Voltage Issue
Post by: Paul Birkeland on December 17, 2020, 11:53:56 AM
You need to go through your kit and trim back all those leads that are sticking out, then reflow your solder joints.  More heat will be very helpful for all the joints in your amp other than the power switch and the LED connections.

There are many, many causes for the LEDs to not light up other than the LED itself, but if you endlessly resolder them you will melt them and they will need to be replaced.  If that happens you will have high voltage on either terminal 1 or terminal 5, so for now leave those LEDs alone and focus on the rest of the kit. 

Title: Re: Crack Voltage Issue
Post by: shoto1699 on December 17, 2020, 12:38:08 PM
Got it, thank you! I will be sure to do that and report back.
Title: Re: Crack Voltage Issue
Post by: shoto1699 on December 17, 2020, 03:00:05 PM
You need to go through your kit and trim back all those leads that are sticking out, then reflow your solder joints.  More heat will be very helpful for all the joints in your amp other than the power switch and the LED connections.

There are many, many causes for the LEDs to not light up other than the LED itself, but if you endlessly resolder them you will melt them and they will need to be replaced.  If that happens you will have high voltage on either terminal 1 or terminal 5, so for now leave those LEDs alone and focus on the rest of the kit.

Only issues I have now is it's 175v on both 2 and 4. LED works for A8. Is that okay?