Smoking from Speedball [FIXED]

AndTheCookies · 2298

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Offline AndTheCookies

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on: December 02, 2015, 02:20:18 PM
Hello all. I bought the Bottlehead Crack back in July, got it all setup and it worked perfect. I was amazed. I did not expect to assemble it the first time without issue. Ha

I finally got around to installing the Speedball upgrade ... and issues!!

I powered it up to test the voltages. After 20-30 seconds, faint smoke starting coming from the capacitor closest to the fuse. I shut it down. Thinking it might have had something to do with the clipped on voltmeter, I removed it and turned it back on. Note: the first time, the LED on the octal socket closest to me did turn on, but on the second power up ... it did not!

Really worried that I damaged something and will need to replace parts. Or, maybe this is a common issue with a quick fix! Please enlighten me if you can, fellow amp assemblers.

EDIT: it is sitting next to me here, unplugged ... and I am noticing a "click" sound every 5 minutes or so. What the heck?!
« Last Edit: December 03, 2015, 08:49:24 PM by AndTheCookies »


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #1 on: December 02, 2015, 02:30:20 PM
You need to carefully check the mounting of the transistors on the large Speedball PC board. 

The clicking is the glass of the 6080 cooling down, and isn't abnormal.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man

Offline fullheadofnothing

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Reply #2 on: December 02, 2015, 02:31:08 PM

Joshua Harris

I Write the Manuals That Make The Whole World Sing
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Offline AndTheCookies

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Reply #3 on: December 02, 2015, 03:01:36 PM
Quote from: Caucasian Blackplate on December 02, 2015, 02:30:20 PM
You need to carefully check the mounting of the transistors on the large Speedball PC board.

Thank you for replying! So is it safe to assume this will require extensive tear down? Is there anything I should look for at a glance? I can include pictures if that would help.


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #4 on: December 03, 2015, 06:33:19 AM
You need to look at the mounting of the TIP50 transistors to be sure that it's correct.  This is just a couple of steps on page 15, but if hardware has been improperly installed, it will create the exact problem you are having.  Please double check this hardware and post photos of your mounted TIP50's so we can check them before continuing. 

-PB

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man

Offline AndTheCookies

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Reply #5 on: December 03, 2015, 01:34:21 PM
Here are some pictures:

Transistor #1:
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FbflbRcH.jpg&hash=5f245d2e19c19a18441ec4b956fa9fd8d5697479)

Transistor #2:
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FnqclWgo.jpg&hash=1acafddb9e14ed415122b1c0d0a4714fa46c03d0)

I was also worried about this cap. Even when bent down, it comes really close to the circuit board. If it touches, is that a problem?
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FAIAQNrX.jpg&hash=06d5c6940a12ec8cf1ed8d772e0cda53188951b2)

...

Upon further inspection, I noticed this:
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6w2xxEi.jpg&hash=8b150b9933d9590ce6fa53963007fcdafd7e3613)

Apparently I burned this white cable when soldering the Speed Ball components. It looks like I just burned the insulation, but could this be the problem?


Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #6 on: December 03, 2015, 01:44:59 PM
Please look at the instructions on page 15 of the Speedball manual, which reference how the TIP50 mounts to the heatsink, not how it solders to the PC board.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man

Offline AndTheCookies

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Reply #7 on: December 03, 2015, 01:51:13 PM
Quote from: Caucasian Blackplate on December 03, 2015, 01:44:59 PM
Please look at the instructions on page 15 of the Speedball manual, which reference how the TIP50 mounts to the heatsink, not how it solders to the PC board.

Ah! I'm sorry. I know what you mean now. I remember that step clearly, and I am 99% positive I put the parts in the right order. Is there any other way I could mess it up?

EDIT: Oh my gosh. I had the shoulder washer and the lock washer mixed up!! Oh my goodness. I will report back soon!
« Last Edit: December 03, 2015, 02:04:46 PM by AndTheCookies »


Offline AndTheCookies

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Reply #8 on: December 03, 2015, 02:29:50 PM
SUCCESS!

After switching the shoulder washer with the lock washer (I am so stupid), the smoking is no more. All of the LEDs turned on as they should!

Volt test has been completed and everything checks out perfect!

Time to power it up and see if it sounds right. I am a little worried about the smoking meaning damage, but I will report back here.

Caucasian Blackplate and fullheadofnothing, thank you so much. And thank you for repeating yourselves when I didn't understand the first time around. I seriously appreciate the help. You guys are awesome.



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #9 on: December 03, 2015, 02:34:28 PM
Quote from: AndTheCookies on December 03, 2015, 02:29:50 PM
SUCCESS!
Caucasian Blackplate and fullheadofnothing, thank you so much. And thank you for repeating yourselves when I didn't understand the first time around. I seriously appreciate the help. You guys are awesome.
No worries.  You're not the first person to swap those washers, and we have something else in the works besides the video to address this.

The smoking is one of your 270 Ohm resistors.  They do not see much dissipation while the amplifier is running, so you shouldn't have any issues.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man

Offline AndTheCookies

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Reply #10 on: December 03, 2015, 02:41:11 PM
I got the music all hooked up, I press play and ... SILENCE

*Gasp*

Oh, the DAC isnt' on ...  ::)

IT WORKS! Both channels, no humming or buzzing at any volume level, and it sounds CLEAR. Very pleased! Time to get absorbed into this ... until I decide I want to try tube swapping, lol.

Thanks again!! You were both so helpful. The video is great.


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