Trouble after speedball upgrade

[antoineestephan]

Hi
I got the kit when it was on sale on July 14th, it took about 1 1/2 months to get here to Lebanon and clear customs, then kept it for about a month in my closet, I was too overwhelmed with the idea of building and soldering, I'm all thumbs!!
Eventually I did it in a couple of nights, and WOW, what a joy it was. The whole process was event less, just a couple of glitches though:
1- I have forgotten to install a resistor, did that no problem.
2- I found the hole for the A4 pin was full with solder and couldn't get the 12AU7 in, it eventually worked.
And OMG, the resistance and the voltage checks were alright
Only the voltage on the headphone TRS jack rose to about 12V before returning to 0.
So I started to listen, my PC was running JRiver, outputting to HRT Music Streamer HD, to the crack, to my HD650, what a Bliss, the only trouble was those sleepless nights.
At first I decided I'd use it for a couple of months without upgrading, but what do you know, I started to itch.
Ok I'll just assemble the modules and will not install them, I put them in the closet for a couple of days, and guess what, the itch again.
Yeah you guessed I installed them yesterday, and came the time for the voltage check, even though everything seemed in order, when checking the voltage of the 9 pin socket I noticed that one of the two LEDs was on and off, then it went completely off.
And so I've lost the right channel.
Here is my voltage check:
T1.  150?                   A1.     99???
T2.   154.                       A2.     0
T3.    0.                          A3.     1.54
T4.    154.                      A4.     0
T5.    95??                      A5.     0
T6.    0.                          A6.     160?
T7.     148???                  A7.     0
T8.      0.                        A8.      13.7?
T9.       113.                   A9.      0
T10-11-12.  0-0-0
T13.     154.                   B1.      150?
T14.     0.                       B2.      154
T15.     172.                   B3.       148??
T19.     67.                     B4.       98?
T20.     0.                       B5.       154
                                     B6.       113
                                     B7-B8.  0-0
So guys, I obviously need help, please, I'd be much obliged.
Good day to you all.

[sjeffrey]

Make sure the original connections on Terminals T1-T5 and T6-10 are intact.  Those could get damanged when you removed the big resistors.  Also, since this issue just started after the Speedball, make sure everything is correct.  Check transistors are in right place and orientation.  Check resistors are correct value.  LEDs in correct orientation, small boards to the silver band on right side, big board silver band facing outside.  Check all the wires, make sure they are in correct place, I had one in wrong location and it gave me similar symptoms.

Hope you find the cause of your issues.
Steph

[Paul Birkeland]

Do both the LED's glow on the 9 pin socket?

Your high voltage at T1 tells us that one of the smaller green PC boards is not functioning properly.  If both LED's glow on the 9 pin socket, that will be a helpful clue as to what might be happening. 

[antoineestephan]

Make sure the original connections on Terminals T1-T5 and T6-10 are intact.  Those could get damanged when you removed the big resistors.  Also, since this issue just started after the Speedball, make sure everything is correct.  Check transistors are in right place and orientation.  Check resistors are correct value.  LEDs in correct orientation, small boards to the silver band on right side, big board silver band facing outside.  Check all the wires, make sure they are in correct place, I had one in wrong location and it gave me similar symptoms.

Hope you find the cause of your issues.
Steph

Thank you Steph will do that as soon as I get home this evening, I doubt because I think I did check, any way I'll double check. Thanks for responding.

[antoineestephan]

Do both the LED's glow on the 9 pin socket?

Your high voltage at T1 tells us that one of the smaller green PC boards is not functioning properly.  If both LED's glow on the 9 pin socket, that will be a helpful clue as to what might be happening.

Thank you PB, but not both LEDs on the 9 pin socket are glowing, actually one of them went out when I was doing the voltage check, but my readings were already off. No sound is coming off the right channel. I will recheck and report.
Actually the LEDs on the three boards are glowing, the big one is shinier, the small ones are dimmer, even though all three are dimmer than those on the 9 pin socket.

[Paul Birkeland]

If A8 is indeed 13.7V, then the PC board feeding T5 isn't really letting any current through.   I would remove it, double check that it has 2N2907 and MJE350 transistors, then resolder all the joints.

[antoineestephan]

I double checked the PC board and everything looks in order, but the led attached to A8 is not lighting. And one more thing I have T19 : 65V instead of 0, and T20: 0V instead of 206.
Does the installation of the speedball change the values of T19 and T20? Would change the values of the power supply? I'm almost ignorant you know, so please be patient.
Because if you check the Crack manual 0V and 206V should be the values of T20 and T21, not those of T19 and T20!
Regards

[Paul Birkeland]

Does the installation of the speedball change the values of T19 and T20? Would change the values of the power supply? I'm almost ignorant you know, so please be patient.
Regards

No, it doesn't, and the information you initially posted was enough for us to know that your power supply is functioning perfectly.  I'd focus on getting the voltage at T5 to be correct. 

The manual states that T20 is supposed to be 0V.  The manual does not give a voltage value for T19.

[antoineestephan]

Hi
I just got back from work I took out all the speedball boards and put back the resistors, the led connecting to A8 is done, it's not lighting at all, and again no right channel!!!

[sjeffrey]

Is it possible you shorted it out while doing voltage check?  It happens to a lot of people.

[Paul Birkeland]

No, please do not look at an LED that doesn't light and just pronounce it dead.  When one of our LED's dies, it will be very obvious. 

Can you try swapping the two small PC boards to see if the high voltage changes terminals?

[antoineestephan]

Can you try swapping the two small PC boards to see if the high voltage changes terminals?

Really sorry for the trouble, but I do need help!
As I said earlier I took off the speedball boards and wires, I reinstalled the old resistors, the A8 led didn't glow and I did the readings, the voltages were off in the same problem spots, but I didn't write down the results, and no right channel.
Then I reinstalled the little PC boards, and swapped the right one to the left and vice versa, and installed the big board, all that after taking out the old speedball wires, and put new wires in their place. Still A8 led no light.
I then did the voltage readings, they are still the same, give or take a few % below or above what I had earlier! the problem spots remained the same.
Really hope I'm not giving you a headache.
Let me repeat that when taking the readings, after the first time I installed the speedball, I saw the A8 led go off then on several times then it went completely off. That's why I'm suspecting the A8 led is gone.
Sorry for the trouble
Antoine

[Paul Birkeland]

Are both halves of the tube glowing?  How is the joint at A7? A6?

The LED won't light if no current is drawn through it, which is potentially from a damaged lead, but can have a myriad of other (more likely) sources.

[Doc B.]

You haven't mentioned if you tried reflowing the solder connections on the A8 LED. That would be the most obvious thing to try at this point.

[antoineestephan]

Stupid me
I already did wet the solder of both LEDs in the 9 pin socket, but I said I may try once more, no luck.
So the genius struck, how about I swap the LEDs and see if it was the LED that's the culprit or was it not getting electrical current.
First I tried with the bad one, I got one leg out OK, then trying to get the other one out, I broke it..
I didn't stop at this point, no, I'll be extra careful and take out the good LED from A3 and put it in A8 and see what happens, now with being extra careful I broke the other LED.
I'm sad very sad, I'll have to go to work now, and contemplate how silly I've been
By the way PB, I read somewhere on this forum you advising someone who changed one tube to "6SN7" I think, to replace those little LEDs with resistors, to change the bias for the tube, can you please advise me of some resistors that I can put in place of the LEDs, even if not with optimal results, so I can continue troubleshooting and then listening to my crack.
You may be laughing at me now, but I'm almost crying.
Good day you all, you're a marvelous community.
Antoine