Tube not glowing

benz · 4255

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Offline benz

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on: April 03, 2015, 12:32:13 AM
Help! i have done soldering my crack and went to turn on the power and check if the tubes are glowing.
Turns out one side of the 12AU7 is not glowing.
Can anyone tell me what could be the problem?



Offline Grainger49

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Reply #1 on: April 03, 2015, 12:43:11 AM
First you should do a resistance test.  If you have completed that then you should touch up the solder joints for the heaters.  If the 6080 is glowing then the solder joints there (the ones that form the jumpers to the 12AU7) might be bad and the solder joints on the 12AU7 might be bad.

The tube socket is new, but may be old.  The tube is new, old stock.  So try removing and re-inserting the tube a dozen times to get the socket and tube pins cleaned (not the best cleaning but cleans surprisingly well).

Try those and report back.



Offline benz

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Reply #2 on: April 03, 2015, 01:03:58 AM
Ok thanks for replying. Just one question does the wires in terminal B8L and B7L need to be soldered? I did not solder them cause it's not mention in the manual. Just wondering if that is necessary.



Offline hjc

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Reply #3 on: April 03, 2015, 01:20:58 AM
Just one question does the wires in terminal B8L and B7L need to be soldered? I did not solder them cause it's not mention in the manual.

You're right, the manual doesn't say to solder them. I think that will be your problem :)



Offline benz

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Reply #4 on: April 03, 2015, 03:13:48 AM
Ok i have solder the wires and the both sides of the tube are glowing now. However when i did my voltage check some of the reading measurements are wrong. Some of the readings are too high and i can't get any voltage reading from terminal A9 and B7. Any idea why?



Offline benz

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Reply #5 on: April 03, 2015, 04:09:10 AM
This are mine voltage readings:
1-75-90 (148)
2- 170 (166)
3- 0 (0)
4- 170 (166)
5- 75-90 (92)
6- 0 (?)
7- 100 (148)
8- 0 (0)
9- 100 (110)
10- 0 (?)
11- 0 (0)
12- 0 (-12.6)
13- 170 (166)
14- 0 (-11.6)
15- 185 (190)
20- 0 (-11.2)
21- 206 (215)
A1- 90 (91)
A2- 0 (1.568)
A4- 0 (0)
A5- 0 (0)
A6- 90 (149)
A7- 0 (-17)
A9- 0 (?)
B1- 90 (149)
B2- 170 (166)
B3- 100 (148)
B4- 90 (92)
B5- 170 (166)
B6- 100 (111)
B7- 0 (?)
B9- 0 (0.1)
Those that are ? i could not get any readings from the multimeter or some of the readings keep changing and i can't get a proper reading. I am new to this kind of thing so i may not understand  what is going on. Any advice on how to proceed from here?



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #6 on: April 03, 2015, 09:28:29 AM

T1 and T5 should be connected to each other and therefore must have the same voltage on them.
No, this is incorrect.

B1 and B3 are the result of that half of the tube not turning on. 

This is also incorrect.  B1 and B3 are a result of half the 12AU7 not conducting.

Are you 100% sure both halves of the 12AU7 are glowing?  If they are, do both your LED's light?

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline benz

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Reply #7 on: April 04, 2015, 07:50:57 PM
Ok so what you are saying is i should do a resistance check for the grounds? they should all read zero right?



Offline benz

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Reply #8 on: April 05, 2015, 04:17:10 AM
Ok wait i am a little confused here so the resistance i am checking should read what?



Offline Grainger49

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Reply #9 on: April 05, 2015, 04:27:29 AM
Click on this link and perform the checks:

http://bottlehead.com/smf/index.php?topic=4812.0

Almost no meter will show 0 Ohms.  A properly zeroed analog meter will but digital meters always show the resistance of the meter leads.  This number is most often under one Ohm.  Since meter leads have resistance so will the wires in the ground path.  Any reading one Ohm and under is a good reading.

Report back any reading over an Ohm that you find.



Offline benz

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Reply #10 on: April 05, 2015, 09:45:53 PM
Ok just done my check from what i saw everything looks fine all are below one ohm.



Offline Grainger49

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Reply #11 on: April 06, 2015, 12:08:08 AM
Good!  That clears your ground path both from a safety aspect and potential hum producing problems.  It also helps where you got too much voltage on ground points.

Caucasian Blackplate (father of the Crack) asked if you are sure that both sides of the 12AU7 are glowing.  There are only a few things that will cause it to not conduct (turn on).
« Last Edit: November 17, 2015, 12:36:11 AM by Grainger49 »



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #12 on: April 07, 2015, 03:49:25 PM
You should consider re-reading my reply.

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #13 on: April 08, 2015, 08:29:23 AM
This one?

"Are you 100% sure both halves of the 12AU7 are glowing?  If they are, do both your LEDs light?"
My message was to the original poster.  You could remove every ground wire from the Crack and the tubes would still glow.

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline benz

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Reply #14 on: April 11, 2015, 04:47:04 AM
from what i see it looks like both tube are glowing