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Post by ss "Shane" on Mar 27, 2017 17:05:45 GMT -7
So I was playing along at about 9 o'clock on the volume when power got weaker and I heard a hum. After that it completely died with no power at all. I checked the fuse and it looks like it's blown. The fuse filament isn't broken in half, just a small dark spot on the glass and the filament looks damaged in the middle. The amp was purchased new on 06/06/16.
I could replace the fuse but I'd like to know what caused it in the first place. Btw, is this a fuse I can find at a local hardware store?
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Post by "Z" Steve on Mar 27, 2017 17:43:57 GMT -7
I would start with the trouble shooting here on the Z Amps page. drzamps.com/info/faq-troubleshoot/You can get the fuses at any electronics store, and as you mentioned,it can still appear to be intact but not. Something caused it to fail and that usually points to tubes, but it's easy to rule things out if you follow the Doc's steps given on his website. Update us on how it goes! |
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Post by ss "Shane" on Mar 27, 2017 18:04:26 GMT -7
I just read the trouble shooting process. I guess I need to buy another fuse before I go any further. I'm pretty sure I understand the trouble shooting. Basically it's checking each tube one by one until I find the one that blows a fuse?
One more thing...there is only one fuse one the Ghia that I need to deal with right? The one that I remove directly from the back? I'm not a very good amp tech lol.
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Mar 27, 2017 18:14:08 GMT -7
Make sure you get a slo-blow fuse.
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Post by BritInvasion on Mar 27, 2017 18:17:56 GMT -7
My moneys on a bad rectifier.
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Post by ss "Shane" on Mar 27, 2017 18:34:42 GMT -7
Can't really trouble shoot now without a new fuse but I did remove my tubes. I found that one 84 tube came apart and there was white residue inside. This has to be the problem. What I mean is that the glass detached the tube itself. Looks like the glass wasn't melted well at the seem near the base of the tube.
I'm thinking about just ordering all new tubes anyway.
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Post by headshrinker (Marc) on Mar 27, 2017 19:37:48 GMT -7
If you liked the way the amp sounded, don't change the preamp tubes. They generally last a really long time. Years. You're just asking for trouble. Maybe the phase invertor if you haven't changed it,but that's all. Of course the power tubes. Buying preamps for spares is a good idea.
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Post by nmz on Mar 27, 2017 21:45:34 GMT -7
Seems like 80% of the time it is power tubes. I use to over think these problems but it usually came down to new power tubes. Always keep an extra pair, good luck!
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Post by John on Mar 28, 2017 3:58:24 GMT -7
Can't really trouble shoot now without a new fuse but I did remove my tubes. I found that one 84 tube came apart and there was white residue inside. This has to be the problem. What I mean is that the glass detached the tube itself. Looks like the glass wasn't melted well at the seem near the base of the tube. I'm thinking about just ordering all new tubes anyway. This happened to me. Amp died right before a gig. It was quick and fast. Turns out, a power tube's glass had broken. Just to be sure, I replaced the fuse, the rec tube and both el84's. I didn't change the preamp tubes. When something in the power section goes bad, it often takes something else with it, but not the preamp tubes. Keep spares: 1) rec tube 2) power tubes 3) fuses |
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Post by ss "Shane" on Mar 28, 2017 5:38:39 GMT -7
I still haven't bought a fuse to check my amp, but here is what I found when I was pulling the tubes. I'm just not sure if the tube came apart when I was pulling it out or has always been a bad tube.  |
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Post by BritInvasion on Mar 28, 2017 6:54:50 GMT -7
^^ Wow! Probably had a hairline crack which let the vacuum escape and blew the tube and fuse. I've only seen this twice. I think it was cracked before you pulled it looking at the grayed-out getter flash in the top of the tube. Weird.
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Post by greenblues58 on Mar 28, 2017 8:41:49 GMT -7
I still haven't bought a fuse to check my amp, but here is what I found when I was pulling the tubes. I'm just not sure if the tube came apart when I was pulling it out or has always been a bad tube. Had exactly the same thing happen with a couple sets JJ in my Maz. |
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Post by mudman on Mar 29, 2017 15:50:45 GMT -7
frankie has mentioned before that they were having trouble getting reliable EL84's from JJ
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Post by dcarver on Mar 29, 2017 20:46:31 GMT -7
That IS wierd. I've never seen glass break that cleanly unless it was scored with a glass cutter.
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Post by ss "Shane" on Mar 29, 2017 21:21:19 GMT -7
That IS wierd. I've never seen glass break that cleanly unless it was scored with a glass cutter. yeah I think it's weird too. I wouldn't call it a break, that's why I mentioned that it's as if it was never sealed or melted at the seam properly. Whatever we want to call it it's still a poorly produced tube. |
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Mar 30, 2017 2:39:46 GMT -7
I had an EL84 go before a gig and take the fuse. That's why it's there, to protect us from more devastating problems. Taught me to always carry spare tubes and fuses. My local Ace Hardware carries an abundant supply of fuses. It seems electronic stores are fewer and farther apart.
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Post by lowbudget on Mar 30, 2017 6:33:06 GMT -7
I had an EL84 go before a gig and take the fuse. That's why it's there, to protect us from more devastating problems. Taught me to always carry spare tubes and fuses. My local Ace Hardware carries an abundant supply of fuses. It seems electronic stores are fewer and farther apart. Do they carry the slow blow fuses as well? That would be good to know given the scarcity of electronics stores these days as you note. |
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Mar 30, 2017 6:36:46 GMT -7
I had an EL84 go before a gig and take the fuse. That's why it's there, to protect us from more devastating problems. Taught me to always carry spare tubes and fuses. My local Ace Hardware carries an abundant supply of fuses. It seems electronic stores are fewer and farther apart. Do they carry the slow blow fuses as well? That would be good to know given the scarcity of electronics stores these days as you note. Yes they had the slow blow fuses. Each Ace is independently owned although some owners have multiple stores, but I've had success at two of my local stores. |
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Post by dcarver on Mar 30, 2017 11:52:40 GMT -7
I had an EL84 go before a gig and take the fuse. That's why it's there, to protect us from more devastating problems. Taught me to always carry spare tubes and fuses. My local Ace Hardware carries an abundant supply of fuses. It seems electronic stores are fewer and farther apart. Do they carry the slow blow fuses as well? That would be good to know given the scarcity of electronics stores these days as you note. My Maz 8 says 1 Amp on the back plate, under the fuse holder. But it came stock with a 250 Volt, 1.5 Amp slow-blow, so that's what I set out to find. Man... it's not as easy to find small electronic parts as it used to be. Fry's is 10 miles away, so I tried the two closest hardware stores. The first one didn't have any slo-blo fuses. The second , True Value affiliated store had a small display of Cooper Bussmann brand fuses. I got the last pack of 1.5 A "time delay" fuses. ( BP/MDL-1 1/2 if they need a part #. ) Here's a link to what Ace Hardware sells. Same part #, so I bet they're the same manufacturer. 250 V, 1.5 Amp slow-blow fuses |
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Post by ss "Shane" on Mar 30, 2017 13:38:52 GMT -7
New set of tubes and problem solved. Man I've missed this little amp! Almost forgot how great it is...now excuse me while I plug back in.
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