OK, I started today on my Paraglow after 6 weeks of dread!

[Tom B.]

First off, I fixed what I broke on the first day of my venture. Paul mentioned that my glow might simply had blown a fuse when my amp smoked one of my 2A3s. This was pretty easy, because I knew that I had torn the solder joint off attempting to access the fuse. Placed in new fuse and re-soldered. MY very FIRST solder!! Nothing happened. Then I looked closely at my broken amp and compared it to my good amp and immediately noticed that my 220uF cap appears to have blown......brown markings on top....an unraveling of the sides of the cap from it's black top.......which is perfectly smooth on the good one. So that's another problem I can solve just by soldering to points. I hope that's it. As it stands now the driver tube won't light up.....and yes, it does light up on my good amp.

Anybody know where I can purchase a big cap like this in the Mt View-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Ca. area. I seem to recall that places like Frys don't carry large caps or resistors.

Thanks, Tom B.

[Paul Birkeland]

So the driver tube doesn't glow and the fuse doesn't blow?

[Doc B.]

Tom,

Do you have the manual for the amps?

[Tom B.]

Yes Doc,  I actually still have it after 11 years. I never had to deal with before. My friend has always worked on the amps with me. I'd appreciate what I should be looking for first. I know I have a good fuse properly installed, but what do I do about a blown 220uF......if it is blown? If I need a replacement....where do i go to get one?

Thanks, Tom

[Doc B.]

The first thing to do is get a digital multimeter and do the resistance measurements as described in the manual. Let us know any that are different on your amp than what is specified in the manual. As to the capacitor, the best approach is to call us for parts. We will be out this afternoon, but back in the office tomorrow. Let's figure out what all has happened before we start sending parts.

[Tom B.]

Will do!

Thanks Bro

[Grainger49]

Tom,

A mis-shaped capacitor is most likely bad.  This often comes from high current or high voltage.  I doubt the voltage got high there unless there is a string of diodes attached too.

There are parts places all over, but I'm not close to you.  The Queen can get something out to you if you call tomorrow and order some capacitors.

[RPMac]

I'm assuming the amp is stock, the 220mfd cap would be the 2a3 cathode bypass cap...originally 200V. I blew one of mine and, if I remember right, it took out C4S on the driver. Doc/PJ recommended 400V+ replacement cap.