New meters

[Thermioniclife]

So I had problems with both the meters, I ended up removing them and replacing them. I partially recessed them and they work great. Dead nuts on with actual measurement.
My Spidey senses tell me someone else may do something similar.
I mounted them facing the 2a3 because I am working on a vertical mounting system keeping the footprint as narrow as possible.
The amps sound very good.

 

[debk]

I am planning on doing the same thing, except I will mount them to face forward.  I will post a picture when I make the modification

 

[debk]

I added the digital panel meters to my MonAmour amps.  Simple to do and I like the look.

 

[debk]

and the top side

 

[Thermioniclife]

Looking good Deb, I have one recessed and one full height, still haven't decided yet, I'm fickle.
My Spidey senses were correct, It's funny how great minds think alike.  ;D

 

[johnsonad]

Great idea! I like both versions!

 

[Thermioniclife]

Thank you Aaron.

 

[Ivan303]

Dose Bottlehead have an 'official' fix, or is this it?

If so, does it come with instructions?  Where to get the meters?

Both of my meters bit the dust as well, and within just a few hours of operation.  No rush, just curious.

TIA

 

[Paul Birkeland]

What is really odd about this is that I put a few dozen of these into service in various projects before we ever released them in a kit.  One out of about 25 ended up being sticky but started working properly with a whack.  Some of these meters have been operating daily for five plus years now without a hiccup.

It would help if we could get some of these back to see what's going on with them.

 

[Thermioniclife]

Hi PB, I will send my meters back to your attention.

 

[Ivan303]

Hi PB

Should be able to send them back.

Do I need to keep those four little resistors in the circuit?  Send them back with the meter and short around them?

Replace them with new little resistors?

Wait for replacement meters?

How should this work?

Be happy to do it any way that makes sense for you.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

The latest meters we have been getting are already compensated, so the resistors aren't necessary any longer.

 

[Ivan303]

Hi Paul,

As those four little parallel resistors are in series with the 2A3 cathode, exactly how does that work, exactly?

Cathode current goes through the new meter?

Meter across some other part of the circuit?

Are you sending out new meters with instructions?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

The paralleled resistors set the meter to read the scale that's displayed on it.  With no resistors it will go to 100mA with 1mA of current.  The new meters have this built into the inside of the meter.

DC current goes through the cathode resistor(s) and meter,  AC current not so much.

We are not sending out the meters with instructions.  You just replace old with new.

 

[Ivan303]

Sounds like I should wait until I receive replacement meters before I return the old ones???

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Yes, I wouldn't run the amp without them!

 

[Ivan303]

What is the proper process for obtaining replacement meters?

TIA

 

[Paul Birkeland]

replacementparts(at)bottlehead(dot)com

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Going forward we (meaning I) will be testing all of the meters before they get sent out.  Requesting a bunch of returns for the ones that don't work should force the manufacturer to remedy the issue.

 

[2wo]

I am glad that you  persevered with these, they look so cool ...John