mrjones200x Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Hi, heres my prob quite simply. My new orange tiny terror gets very hot and i need to condition the electric. I know the amp is ok as i play at my friend with the exact same setup and volume just different electric. My electric is at 245Volts which is kinda high and EDF energy have said its within tolerance. Anyhow the guys on the orange forum recommended a power conditioner to help as it will kill the tubes quick time. Any one got any idea about what to use ect? Im inb the UK so 240volt stuff please if you send links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altair Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 You could try and have a look in one of your local computer shops. Computers are highly sensitive to power fluctuations, so computer shops will very likely have different types of conditioners in stock. Hmm... maybe I'll get a UPS for my gear lol... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Are these what i need to bring down my voltage and keep it constant. http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tracks_vm100_voltage_meter.htm http://www.thomann.de/gb/phonic_ppc_9000_e.htm http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tracks_pc_200.htm Or just these, http://www.amazon.co.uk/APC-Line-R-600VA-Automatic-regulator/dp/B0000ATFTV/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244365079&sr=8-2 http://www.amazon.co.uk/APC-Line-R-1200VA-Automatic-regulator/dp/B0000C88CR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244365079&sr=8-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 You're unlikely to find what you need for less than a few hundred $$. Simple line conditioners/filters won't do it, and most of what's called "regulators" won't, either. You really have to sort through the hocus pocus marketing BS and find out what these devices are TRULY capable of doing. You might be wise to just call up a local amp tech, or perhaps a staging company that provides backline for concerts, and ask them what they use. On the other hand, if you're not chewing up output tubes, you're not doing it right anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 Well my 2 output tubes on my Tiny Terror were crapped out in 2 weeks in a brand new amp. The voltage killed the whole amp today and its gone back to the shop and has been sent to orange for repair. The amp was getting so hot it was getting to the point i couldnt touch it the transformers were really hot. The preamp tubes wouldnt work unless i shook them a bit and the guy in the shop reakons must be bad solder on the plates that the tubes sit in. maybe got so hot the solder ran? Dont know but could that be down to the voltage being so high? Coming out of my wall was 245Volts approx? Surely that wouldnt fry the amp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Something's definitely not right with that amp. Chewing tubes with heavy use is one thing, but burning them alive is quite another. I wouldn't think that a 10% voltage swing would be the culprit, but perhaps. It's possible you've got a shorted out resistor on the B+ rail. That would send those raised voltages (and current) from your wall through the ceiling. I certainly don't think that a 10% increase in wall voltage by itself would cause the sort of meltdown you're seeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Thank M-Theory. Hope this isnt the problem. electric board coming today again they said to do some tests but its prob the owner of the buildings problem as we live in appartments. There was a rattle in all the tubes if you shoke them individually. and on the power tubes was a small looking burn mark on the side of the glass about half way up. It wasnt a hole but a burn on the inside. How hot do power tubes normally get? you couldnt touch them for more than a split second without burning yourself. Thanks. Thats why i was looking for a voltage regulator to step it down slightly. Have got a surge protector at the minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Just spoke to the electric guy and he measured it at 245Volts too. He said the current regulations are 230V +/- 10%. So its well within tolerance. The back of the amp says 220-240V which is standard for the rest of europe. Now i suppose they do a one amp suits all sort of thing. Do you think this is a slight oversight on there behalf? Then again my laney says 230V? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 You're within tolerance. I don't believe your issue is going to be the wall voltage, frankly. You're not enough over to cause what you're seeing, imo. Properly running tubes will get too hot to touch, but not so hot that they'll etch burn marks in the glass. The rattle was probably something that broke loose inside the tubes, due to the excessive heat. Bear in mind that the only facet of delivered electricity that's regulated is the hz. cycle. Voltage and current vary, based upon how far away we are from the source (or the last transformer). The cycle HAS to be constant, in order for clocks to be reasonably accurate. You've got a problem in that amp, and, if it's cooking everything, I'd look to those B+ rail resistors as potential culprits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Well its in the hand of orange now so if i find out what it was i'll be sure to let you know. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 You're within tolerance. I don't believe your issue is going to be the wall voltage' date=' frankly. You're not enough over to cause what you're seeing, imo. Properly running tubes will get too hot to touch, but not so hot that they'll etch burn marks in the glass. The rattle was probably something that broke loose inside the tubes, due to the excessive heat. Bear in mind that the only facet of delivered electricity that's regulated is the hz. cycle. Voltage and current vary, based upon how far away we are from the source (or the last transformer). The cycle HAS to be constant, in order for clocks to be reasonably accurate. You've got a problem in that amp, and, if it's cooking everything, I'd look to those B+ rail resistors as potential culprits. [/quote'] Mtheory, I wonder if the dark mark he is seeing is simply ion burn (silvering) on the glass. That's common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I wonder if the dark mark he is seeing is simply ion burn (silvering) on the glass. That could be, though the rattles and searing internal temps certainly aren't right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 If the amp returns with the old tubes then i'll take pics. Im sure they'll fit new ones. Maybe they send back the crap ones too but i doubt it. The mark was about 5mm round circle about half way up the power tube. Never saw it on my epi VJ before when looking at the tubes. Hopefully i get a report which says what was wrong with it too but i doubt that too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 With the amp getting as hot as you've described and with the tubes rattling like they were, I seriously doubt you'll be getting those same tubes back. I would think you'd learn what was wrong with the amp, though, unless it's something so drastic that it requires that they flat out replace it altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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