Uhm....I think I broke it.

[Low_fidelity2100]

Ok so, a few minutes ago. I brought my vibrochamp into my living room, PLugged in, let it warm up, then started playing. Had the amp on 10, started playing a little clean stuff (volume rolled down on the guitar), an then when I turned the volume up for a lead part, the Sound cuts out an doesn't come back.
So I set the guitar down, and look at the back of the amp, the 6V6 and rectifier are still glowing, and the second I stand back up. I look at the front of the amp just intime to see the pilot light go out.

So I turn it off, an then back on. Nothing. tubes aren't glowing at all, and the pilot light isn't even lighting. So I check the fuse, its fine. Open it up to see if theres anything OBVIOUSLY wrong (burn marks or something) nothing obviously wrong.

So I'm not sure what happened. I tried plugging it into another outlet, thinking maybe the fuse had popped on that outlet, but still nothing.

So heres the symptoms.
1. Noise cut out
2. Amp stopped working
3. Pilot light doesn't even light
4. Before light went out tubes appeared to still be glowing.

Any idea what may have happened? I've never had an amp with a rectifier tube before, so is this just what happens when the rec tube goes (meaning I should just replace that an all will be ok)? Or did something really bad happen? haha. There was no weird noises or anything before it stopped working, Just went from making noise, to NOTHING. So I'm a little confused, considering any other time an amp has died on me, its always gave some sorta warning sign before hand, like a weird buzzing before death, or a crackle, or in one case Sparks and smoke shooting out of it.

This really sucks considering I just got this amp not to long ago. so I dunno. Anyone know what the hell just happened?

 

[PaulReedSmith]

Re: Uhm....I think I broke it.

the amp gave up the ghost

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Uhm....I think I broke it.

if the tubes dont light up you may have fried the rectifier tube.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Uhm....I think I broke it.

if the tubes dont light up you may have fried the rectifier tube.

Yeah, I'm thinking your right.

I checked the fuse again, just to be safe, and tested it with a multimeter. And despite Looking fine, its apperently busted. So I replaced it, an tried the amp again. Pilot light lit up, and the tubes all started warming up/glowing, EXCEPT the rectifier. An then once warmed up it hummed for a second, and then the fuse blew again.

So I'm guessing the rectifier blew, considering its the only tube that didn't start glowing (Although after the fuse blew I went to pull it out and It was MUCH hotter than the rest of the tubes even though it didn't light up). Which is fine considering I was planning on replaceing it anyways, cause its a sovtek, an I've heard nothing but bad things about they're rectifiers. But in looking around online, I realized That the rectifier in the amp Wasn't even the right KIND! Virbochamps are suppoused to use 5Y3 rectifiers, and who ever had it before me apperently Put a 5AR4 in it! I'de just assumed it was the right rectifier, cause I mean Who'de put the wrong tube in an amp?! Apperently the guy that had it before, haha.

So I know that you can put a 5AR4 in an amp that calls for a 5Y3, an it's normally fine (the other tubes will die quicker though). Or in somecases people will do a mod to Make it work better with a different rectifier. So now I'm not sure what rectifier to replace it with? I mean, it would make sense to put a 5Y3 in there, as thats whats suppoused to be there in the first place. But, considering it had a 5AR4 in it before, I dunno.
If it has been modded to work with a 5AR4, putting a 5Y3 back in would be a bad idea right? And would just burn out the 5Y3 immediately. I think.

I looked at the leads coming off the power transformer onto the rectifier socket, and all the connections appear to be original (original cloth covered wire comeign from the tranny, and all the solder connections are Obviously Old and not shiney/new like they would be if something had been resoldered/modded recently). And theres no resistors or anything between the tranny and the rec. socket. Just straight from the transformer to the socket. So I dunno.
I remember reading somewhere that if ya wanted to use a different rectifier tube on an amp, there was some mod that required either Putting a resistor (can't remember value) in series with the line coming from the Transformer to the socket, Or removeing a resistor that was there to start with. But I can't remember which is was! haha.

So Considering theres no resistor in series with the lines comeing from the transformer to the rectifer socket. And also considering all connections look original, and doesn't appear to have been modded.
I'm gonna Assume, I need to buy a 5Y3 as a replacement rectifier, as thats what the amp called for originally. But if someone could conferm that for me, Or tell me whether I should be useing a 5AR4 instead, Or if it makes any difference. I would really appreciate any info any one can give me!

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Uhm....I think I broke it.

you may want to take it to an amp tech.....most likely you fried the rectifier tube because it was the wrong kind but you should probably get it confirmed before you blow the output transformer or something else.