Trouble on 36 watt fireup!

[allynmey]

Hi all I was wondering if I can get a fresh prespective. I just fired up my 36 watt for the first time. I was checking voltages on the recto and heaters. They all seem fine.

640VAC from the secondaries and Rectified 360VDC. I shut it off and was going to check the voltage at the cap. I turned it on with the amp on standby and saw a flash. I shut it off immediately. I lloked around and saw no arcing on the tube socket and or smelly smells. I turned it back on and checked the voltage from the rectifier. The rectified voltage is 180VDC. I checked the recto tube since it was half the original voltage and sure enough one side of the recto blew. It also took my indicator light with it. Is one side blowing on a recto common for a GZ34? I can turn it on and one half fires up and the voltages are there.

Here's the problem. I only have one other GZ34 and I was trying to decide if I change the tube and indicator and give it another go. Neither the B+ or Mains fuse blew.

Thanks,

Allynmey

[RussB]

There's a good chance you have a filter cap wired backwards, or a shorted cap. It may just be a bad from the get-go recto tube as well...

Measure the capacitance of the filter caps at their terminus (where they connect to) See if you find anything funny. Check for comtinuity...there should be none through the caps (just a quick "beep")

[allynmey]

It can't be caps. The standby was always off and the caps are on the other side! I just replaced the indicator and pulled the recto. Indicator shines brighter than the old one (seemed dark to me). I checked voltages and they are proper. I tested for shorts (none). I think it was the tube. It was a GC special...Mesa/Boogie GZ34. Maybe I should throw caution to the wind and try my only other recto. Valve art. Problem is tomorrow I drive to ampfest and I hate to pull a good recto out of an amp I'm bringing with me to ampfest.

Allynmey

[jetson]

Allyn;
can you just shoot the moon and try another recto? no matter what happens at least you will know.
ampfest needs to hear this amp!. its destiny man!
Jeff.

[allynmey]

Since I've slept 8 hours since Monday and I'm driving to NJ tomorrow morning, I'm packing the whole thing up and takin' it to ampfest to finish. I'm too damn tired to break something else!

Allyn

I'll post my findings.