Fun with fibrillation or how I learned to keep one hand in my pocket
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 13556 Registered: May-04 | . Someone found this article for me, I thought it had been lost. Since we constantly get requests for "how do I fix so and so", this should be bookmarked by everyone as a first answer. Here's the body of the text; "SAFETY TIPS NOT TO REITERATE THE SAME POINT OVER AND OVER, BUT: Tube audio means working with high voltages. High voltages will kill you. Not-so-high current will also kill you and that would suck (mainly for you, less so for me). So, before you embark on this expedition, please read up on safety protocol as relevant to high voltages. If you are not sure what to do or what to watch out for, don't do it without someone to help you out or without reading up on details. Here are some safety tips. This is by no means exhaustive. If you think this is all one needs to know and you get electrocuted, blame Darwinism at work, not me: Always switch off the unit and unplug it from the wall before working with it. Don't assume that merely switching it off will work. Avoid touching the chassis or the innards with both hands. Think "completing a circuit with your hands, with your heart in the current path." No, it isn't pretty. Instead, always poke'n'prod with one hand only, while the other is in your pocket. Get into this habit. The fuse is your friend. Use it well. If the fuse keeps blowing, don't use a higher value - fix the problem instead! Use products that are within their specs. Don't cheap out and try to push the envelope. Bleeder resistors are your friends. Make sure the power supply has a bleeder resistor (100k or so) attached to it, to discharge the energy stored in the cap. Caps can store large amounts of energy for several days, and can cause nasty shocks - possibly fatal - if you touch them. A bleeder resistor eliminates this risk. Use a three-pronged power cord. If hum becomes a problem, you can always a cheater plug, but make sure that atleast one component is earthed. IF YOU GET ANYTHING MORE THAN A MILD SHOCK, VISIT A DOCTOR EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU ARE ALL RIGHT. Fibrillation is not something to be taken lightly." http://web.archive.org/web/20050205104640/www.netaxs.com/~vkalia/beg-7.html . |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2514 Registered: Feb-07 | Good post Jan. Recently when I was poking around in the innards (quite ignorantly, I might add) of my 3B, I made sure I kept one hand in my pocket. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12245 Registered: Dec-04 | Did you hold the test lead with your teeth? |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2521 Registered: Feb-07 | No. Should I have? |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2185 Registered: Nov-05 | As long as they weren't in your mouth, Dave :-) |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2526 Registered: Feb-07 | Haha. I'm not THAT old yet M.R. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 2189 Registered: Nov-05 | I wish I could say the same, lol! |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 764 Registered: Jun-08 | Hey Dave, are there as many screws to remove to get into that 3B as there are on a 3B-ST. I've been interested in getting into mine to locate the source of that mechanical hum but really dreading to get all those screws removed and saved in a safe place. There are already two missing from the back. I've heard the source of the hum could be as simple as loose retaining bolts/screws on the power supply. I've tried but couldn't find a good pic of the inside of a 3B-ST - at least not a close up. Besides dusting, what were you hoping to do on the inside of yours Dave? |
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Silver Member Username: SoundgameRichmond Hill Toronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 765 Registered: Jun-08 | Found one, finally: |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2552 Registered: Feb-07 | From what I remember, George, there was a ridiculous amount of screws. Now that I think of it, it was my 2B that I opened up, cause it had a really dim green LED that I wanted to replace. After opening it up I saw that there was even more stuff to remove to even get to the LED, so I decided to live with it. Shouldn't be too hard to open yours and tighten down the PS. Just do it sober and keep one hand in your pocket. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2553 Registered: Feb-07 | Dual torroids. Cool... |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 13571 Registered: May-04 | . Push on connectors. Not cool. . |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2554 Registered: Feb-07 | This is not good, I take it... |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12292 Registered: Dec-04 | Push on connectors generally denote less than stellar usage of potential for connectivity. Sharing of parts. This is common. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 2555 Registered: Feb-07 | What's the better option? Hardpoints? Soldered? |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 12302 Registered: Dec-04 | If done really well, then yes on the hard connects. This is really where the high quality comes into play. This is like when you replace the timing belt on a 3.5l Chrysler engine. You are there anyhow, why not change the water pump? The coils in George's pic have 2 things wrong. The cap plate is not thickly insulated with neoprene. The coils are not centered on the mount bolts. I do not see the neutral bonding in the pic. I prefer to see a brass mounting stud as well. Tweak city, if you have it open anyhow... The stud is M8 |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2500 Registered: Jun-07 | I had my 3B open and it looked identical to that picture George posted. The connections appear to be push on but in fact are soldered as well. I am not sure the purpose of the crimped plastic push on clips on each cable but peeling/pushing one back slightly revealed a solder point from what my naked eye could tell. Just food for thought. By the way George sexy pic of the bad boy. |
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