new build 36lite with vvr

[chaliapin]

Cathode resistors still at 150 ohms. I have 220 ohm I can try. I meant SCREENS are low sorry, ie, pin 9.

Toasty as in, I can feel warmth on my face leaning over the amp and can smell heat. No sparks or smoke. I don't know what a normal amp feels like. Should there be an increase in heat maybe thirty after flicking the amp off standby? I feel like if I patiently take all the pin voltages something bad might have happened by the time ive finished...

I'd been sort of ignoring the preamp side as ive never had any off measurements there but I will add them as ive never taken them with a full set of power tubes.

I did take ABC
A 339
B 312
C 269

[Bieworm]

About the toast.. EL84 tubes are really hot by nature. There’s no comparison with 12ax7 operational temperatures.

[chaliapin]

Maybe toast is actually ok. Took all these turning off the standby between each one.

They all look right to me. Everyone asleep now, I'll give it a blast in the morning, maybe a bit of chopstick on the lead dress is all that's needed?

[JMPGuitars]

Those voltages are fine. With your 150 ohm cathode resistors, you're about 90% dissipation, which is also fine. I think 220 would be too high, and we usually shoot for 85%, so you're close enough.

Play it in the morning and see how it sounds. If there are noise issues, deal with them. If not, record a demo and share it!

[chaliapin]

Something nasty/ cracky/ trashy going on in the sound. Gets worse after a few minutes, much worse higher volume. Definitely accompanied by increased heat and a smell of hot electrical stuff but maybe this is irrelevant. Eurrrgh. Anyone link me to a good trouble shooting guide to work through?

Im assuming as my voltages are good then everything is wired up in the right order at least?

Am I looking for a bad solder joint?

Tried different pre amp and pi tubes, same deal. Chopstick produced no crackling sounds of any sort with volume at 2 or 3, lead in, but no guitar connected. Some change in hum/tone moving wire to pin 2 V2 but nothing dramatic.

[chaliapin]

Power tubes glowing pretty bright, voltage doesn't seem to change, could they be red plating at the voltages posted? I know I'm flailing around in the dark now...

[chaliapin]

Pin 2 v3 and 4 is 0.16V

Pin 2 v5 and 6 is 0.03V

Doesn't seem right.

They all measure 480-490 K to ground.

[JMPGuitars]

Pin 2 v3 and 4 is 0.16V

Pin 2 v5 and 6 is 0.03V

Doesn't seem right.

They all measure 480-490 K to ground.

Those are slightly high, which means the quality of the soldering between Pin 2 and the path to ground could be improved.

For your other issues, it sounds like you might have some oscillations causing trouble. Try moving more wires with the chopstick and see what response you get. Posting high res photos of your build could help too.

[chaliapin]

These are the power tubes at work. 3 and 4 are angled differently to 5 and 6.

[JMPGuitars]

These are the power tubes at work. 3 and 4 are angled differently to 5 and 6.

I meant photos of the inside of the build. Photo color accuracy makes it unlikely we can tell you anything about the tube glow color. If it looks orange to you, it should be fine. The voltages implied the power tubes should be fine also.

[chaliapin]

Ok I'll stop panicking about frying my tubes.

[chaliapin]

Inputs and preamp

[chaliapin]

Pa and outputs

[Bieworm]

If it would be of some assurance : when tubes are redplating… you just unmistakably know, trust me.
Those grey metal bands plates start to glow hell fire red and look like they are being torched…

Bu the way.. didn’t you buy more than just 4 from Ukrain? Try swapping some and see if that cures the crackling

[JMPGuitars]

Crackling is often because of a bad solder joint. Unfortunately, a lot of what I see in the photos needs attention. Please watch the soldering videos linked in my signature, and revisit your build with a magnifying glass. Watch them again if you already have.