18 Watts amp start up issues

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JMPGuitars
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Re: 18 Watts amp start up issues

Post by JMPGuitars »

davemojo wrote:
Thu 04/15/21 3:54 pm
I will definitely fix this one, I got a little discouraged . I agree on patient and will look at the soldering video again and again. I will remove few parts that I already know are not ok and restart over on those parts example is the 2 green wires but also the mess at socket V3 there is a short in there for sure.

However I will first go through the entire steps looking at the layout I got and check all the soldering.
Jack (TriodeLuvr) is correct, you need to start with the right wire. You need pre-tinned (and preferably pre-bonded) wire. Using bare copper is a PITA, and you would still need to pre tin & bond it before soldering anything if you are going to use bare copper (which you shouldn't).

Thanks,
Josh

PS. The Lite 2b(ish) project you linked previously would be a great build for you after working through this one, and it's a great amp too.
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Re: 18 Watts amp start up issues

Post by davemojo »

JMPGuitars wrote:
Thu 04/15/21 6:48 pm
davemojo wrote:
Thu 04/15/21 3:54 pm
I will definitely fix this one, I got a little discouraged . I agree on patient and will look at the soldering video again and again. I will remove few parts that I already know are not ok and restart over on those parts example is the 2 green wires but also the mess at socket V3 there is a short in there for sure.

However I will first go through the entire steps looking at the layout I got and check all the soldering.
Jack (TriodeLuvr) is correct, you need to start with the right wire. You need pre-tinned (and preferably pre-bonded) wire. Using bare copper is a PITA, and you would still need to pre tin & bond it before soldering anything if you are going to use bare copper (which you shouldn't).

Thanks,
Josh

PS. The Lite 2b(ish) project you linked previously would be a great build for you after working through this one, and it's a great amp too.
Dear Josh, but one thing please, the wire seen on that photo, are the one coming from the PT bought it at Tonefactory and doesn't have any pre-tinned wire, instead the other wire I bought for the build are the right wire,

The wire i used are vintage cloth solid 18 awg green and 22 awg yellow.

I agree my soldering technique was and still is crap :-) and I should have manually tinned those PT wire,

I know many things now and I will do the correct things I am planning to restart over with the same current build fix it and clean up all mess

please see:

https://www.tonefactory.nl/vintage-soli ... 8awg-green
https://www.tonefactory.nl/vintage-soli ... awg-yellow
https://www.tonefactory.nl/vintage-pick-up-kabel
For heater wire use 18 awg green clot wire. For speaker wire:
https://www.tonefactory.nl/klotz-twinma ... abel-black
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Re: 18 Watts amp start up issues

Post by Bieworm »

Don't worry, you'll get there eventually.
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Re: 18 Watts amp start up issues

Post by JMPGuitars »

Sounds like you're on the right path now. Make sure you also add those mechanical connections.
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Re: 18 Watts amp start up issues

Post by TriodeLuvr »

davemojo wrote:
Fri 04/16/21 12:51 am

... the wire seen on that photo, are the one coming from the PT bought it at Tonefactory and doesn't have any pre-tinned wire, instead the other wire I bought for the build are the right wire,

The wire i used are vintage cloth solid 18 awg green and 22 awg yellow.
I'm surprised they would use un-tinned lead out wire for a transformer. Anyway, it sounds like you have the correct wire for building the amplifier.

About the soldering, I wonder if the iron you have might be too small? Beginners don't always know what equipment to use. You need at least 45-60W of heat for tube sockets and such. To tin stranded wire, it's easier if you twist the exposed copper tightly by hand, then put a little solder on the tip of the iron and touch it briefly to the end of the wire. Only tin the end, don't allow the solder to flow up the wire. Otherwise, the wire becomes too stiff to wrap around the lug.

Also, when you start soldering the joint, hold the tip on the joint and apply just a little solder at first (between the tip and joint) to create good heat transfer. Then allow the wire and lug to get hot enough to flow the solder and add a little more. It should melt quickly and flow around the lug and part way up the wire.

Josh's tutorial is good, and there are many more on YouTube showing examples of soldering. Don't get discouraged, it just takes practice.

Jack
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Re: 18 Watts amp start up issues

Post by davemojo »

TriodeLuvr wrote:
Fri 04/16/21 10:21 am
davemojo wrote:
Fri 04/16/21 12:51 am

... the wire seen on that photo, are the one coming from the PT bought it at Tonefactory and doesn't have any pre-tinned wire, instead the other wire I bought for the build are the right wire,

The wire i used are vintage cloth solid 18 awg green and 22 awg yellow.
I'm surprised they would use un-tinned lead out wire for a transformer. Anyway, it sounds like you have the correct wire for building the amplifier.

About the soldering, I wonder if the iron you have might be too small? Beginners don't always know what equipment to use. You need at least 45-60W of heat for tube sockets and such. To tin stranded wire, it's easier if you twist the exposed copper tightly by hand, then put a little solder on the tip of the iron and touch it briefly to the end of the wire. Only tin the end, don't allow the solder to flow up the wire. Otherwise, the wire becomes too stiff to wrap around the lug.

Also, when you start soldering the joint, hold the tip on the joint and apply just a little solder at first (between the tip and joint) to create good heat transfer. Then allow the wire and lug to get hot enough to flow the solder and add a little more. It should melt quickly and flow around the lug and part way up the wire.

Josh's tutorial is good, and there are many more on YouTube showing examples of soldering. Don't get discouraged, it just takes practice.

Jack
nope I am ok now was just a moment of course I am here to learn thanks for all the support.

I have restarted checking my current build, I will definitely succeed I planned to dismount pat of the build and restart over :D
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