Voltage Check Problem [resolved]

[hpjun]

This is the stock crack, but I butchered the speedball install, so I reverted back to the stock crack. Now the measurements are way off. I am not sure what is wrong with it.

1    180k moves up
2    120k moves up
3    0
4    90k moves up
5    160k moves up
6    2.48k
7    2.92k
8    0
9    2.92k
10  2.48k
12  0
13  75k keeps going up.
14  0
20  0
22  0

B3 2.9k
b6 2.9k


Here are the voltage checks

1 82.4
2 172.7
3 0
4 172.7
5 86.8
6 0
7 105.8
8 0
9 108.5
10 0
11 0
12 0
13 172.7
14 0
15 194.3
20 0
21 215
22

A1 86
A2 0
A3 1.4
A4 0
A5 0
A6 82
A7 0
A8 1.4
A9 0

B1 82
B2 171.7
B3 105.7
B4 85.7
B5 171.3
B6 108
B7 0
B8 0

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Please reread the note with the * on it, as you are reporting values that the manual indicates are consistent with a working amplifier.

-PB

 

[hpjun]

opps, Well my crack doesn't sound as good as before. I was thinking it might be a bad soldier joint or the tubes.

Here are the voltage checks

1 82.4
2 172.7
3 0
4 172.7
5 86.8
6 0
7 105.8
8 0
9 108.5
10 0
11 0
12 0
13 172.7
14 0
15 194.3
20 0
21 215
22

A1 86
A2 0
A3 1.4
A4 0
A5 0
A6 82
A7 0
A8 1.4
A9 0

B1 82
B2 171.7
B3 105.7
B4 85.7
B5 171.3
B6 108
B7 0
B8 0

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Your voltages look great, but there still could be a flaky solder joint (they are audible).

 

[hpjun]

most of my solder joints look bad. I am not sure which one it is. I tried reheating a few of the ones that look really bad. I also really don't know how to fix the solder joints, it seems when i reheat them it even makes it worse some times, and when I add more solder it's too much. I also have solder wick and it's a trick to remove excess solder. Any tips to clean up a solder joint?

Here are some pictures.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Are you using lead free solder by chance?  It looks like your joints aren't getting hot enough, or are cooling down far too quickly.

 

[hpjun]

I am using solder that's been old, I burrowed from my dad. It's called archer rosin core solder.

 

[hpjun]

I researched that solder and it probably had lead in it.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Try for more heat and less solder.  The joint you have at 2U looks nice and shiny, without an insane amount of solder.  (The blob on 2U should be heated and just pushed off the terminal onto the chassis)

 

[Deluk]

Most of the joints look dirty, as in there are a lot black bits in them. This can be down to the solder iron tip not being cleaned properly before each use. Distilled water on your sponge can help this. If the tip doesn't want to tin properly and leaves a spot that just won't take solder, de-wetting, it's best to use a new one. They can be cleaned with a small file but cheap bits have only a thin layer of tin plating which the file can remove, This will also give a patchy tip. With the tip clean and shiny, might take several tinning's and cleanings, add just a tiny amount of solder before placing the tip against the joint. When reflowing, allow to flow for a half to one second before removing the iron. Don't try and poke the solder around the joint, just let if flow by itself. Lots of your joints look as if they have been touched up a few times without really flowing the solder. Yes it does need enough heat and the tip shouldn't be the commonly fitted as stock, thin and sharp pointed one. A solder sucker is easy to use once you've got the knack and costs nothing to run except for a new tip now and then if you use it a lot.

 

[hpjun]

It is dirty the iron it's all oxidated and it over 10 years old so it doesn't get really hot, the solder is also old. I just went to radioshack and bought a new 60 watt iron and some new solder.

 

[Doc B]

Google how to tin a soldering iron tip. The old iron tip can probably be improved by a good cleaning and tinning.

 

[hpjun]

The amp cleared up a lot after reheating all the joints and sounds a lot better. I noticed a hiss outside of the amp, (unaudiable with headphones) its came from the area near the big tube. I was thinking it might be a capacitor or the tube? But probably not the tube i probably would hear it from the headphones...

 

[hpjun]

The hiss went away by itself. It sounds great now.