Spares

[El Tel]

Hi Everyone

Having just finished my first build (the Moreplay Pre-Amp) I was wondering if there was to be a problem down the line with any of the parts, be it caps,resistors or even the transformer, can I buy spares ? The parts section on the Bottlehead for example has only one transformer available (the PT-5) but nothing else. I guess it's easy enough to find replacement caps,resistors and diodes etc but what would I do if the transformer were to go wrong ? Being a newbe to all this i wouldn't know how to go about finding a replacement transformer for example, as there don't seem to be any specs supplied to enable me to source one. I'd like to know what any of you have done if this has happened to you. Many Thanks !

[Karl5150]

If you go to the BH product page there is a spares category and the PT-5 is listed. Unless something goes totally wrong you most likely will never need a spare. Welcome to BH!
Karl
 

[oguinn]

I don’t think it’s really necessary. If the transformer goes out, which it probably won’t in the amp’s lifetime under normal usage, you can contact Bottlehead for replacement at the time. I’ve got a handful of Bottlehead amps and zero spare transformers.

Lots of tubes, though.

[El Tel]

If you go to the BH product page there is a spares category and the PT-5 is listed. Unless something goes totally wrong you most likely will never need a spare. Welcome to BH!
Karl
 

Hi Karl

Thanks for your reply

Thats the thing that spares page only has a PT-5 listed and the Moreplay uses a PT-12 transformer, i understand that it's unlikely, but i thought it would be good if all spares were listed or at least made available.

[Paul Birkeland]

We don't generally sell transformer spares, especially if that happens to be the only piece that might be an impediment to building kit clones (not that this is at all what you're intending to do).

When a transformer is discontinued, we keep a few spares sitting around.  Humorously enough, if you ordered a PT-5 on the parts page, that particular transformer is NLA (though our PT-11 functions in its place).

If you happened to need a replacement transformer way down the road and we do not have spares, there are winders who can whip out a one-off, and we could provide the specs to help get that done. 

Typically we would expect a power transformer to die from excessive current draw, which in the Moreplay would pretty much have to come from failing power supply caps.  These are likely to last ~30 years and the fuse provided should open up long before the high voltage secondary winding would overheat, so there's not a huge concern there. 

[El Tel]

We don't generally sell transformer spares, especially if that happens to be the only piece that might be an impediment to building kit clones (not that this is at all what you're intending to do).

When a transformer is discontinued, we keep a few spares sitting around.  Humorously enough, if you ordered a PT-5 on the parts page, that particular transformer is NLA (though our PT-11 functions in its place).

If you happened to need a replacement transformer way down the road and we do not have spares, there are winders who can whip out a one-off, and we could provide the specs to help get that done. 

Typically we would expect a power transformer to die from excessive current draw, which in the Moreplay would pretty much have to come from failing power supply caps.  These are likely to last ~30 years and the fuse provided should open up long before the high voltage secondary winding would overheat, so there's not a huge concern there.

Hi Paul

Thanks for your explanation, that's nice to know. I'm a complete novice at this as you can see from my original post (this being my first build), and i was just generally wanting to know what would happen if anything did go wrong with any parts and there availability. Really happy with the sound of this Moreplay !!

[Karl5150]

I misread your original post as to which PT you were asking about. As stated throughout, the need for a spare is unlikely. I had a hotrodded 1963 Scott amp running the original iron that I used until I found my way to BH.
Karl

[El Tel]

I misread your original post as to which PT you were asking about. As stated throughout, the need for a spare is unlikely. I had a hotrodded 1963 Scott amp running the original iron that I used until I found my way to BH.
Karl

Wow, 1963, that's nearly as old as me 😁

[Paul Birkeland]

I also forgot to mention that for our Paramour I amplifiers, we initially used custom power transformers wound from us by Hammond, which didn't turn out to be super reliable, and we switched the winder we used now.  Occasionally over the years, we have produced extra PT-2 power transformers for our Paramour amps or for experimental projects, so that is another way to get replacement iron down the road if necessary.