New Rocket STARTS UP!!!

[mlp-mx6]

Somethings screwy here.

I only have the rectifier tube installed.
When the amp is switched off of "standby" into the "play" mode...

the GZ34 has 350V on pins 2 and 8, and
254VAC on pins 4 and 6

There are 350VDC on pins 1 and 6 of V1 through V4, pin 2 of V2, pins 7 and 9 of all 4 EL84s, as well as B+ 1 through 5.

I should check all the resistors and wiring AGAIN? Any ideas of a good place to start?

There is nothing screwy here at all. There are no tubes (other than the rectifier), so there is little-to-no current flowing at all. There is nothing to make the voltage drop across the "dropping" resistors since there is no current flowing across the (missing) tubes. Put in your startup tubes and get going!

[KellyBass]

Ah...no tubes = no current/drop. I should learn to pay attention in class.

[Emin7b5]

looks good

[telentubes]

Once again, thanks for all the help, and sorry about the new builder hysteria.

Here's a drawing of the filter-board wiring, design ideas basically pieced together from Rawnster and M Fowler's design ideas.

The real life bummer is that I only had 2 of the 4 EL84s that I thought I had on hand, so I'm going to have to wait till the ones ordered arrive towards the end of the week.

I have some Saratov EL84s coming from "Tube Sargent" as well as a GZ34 he recommended (Shuguang old stock). Anybody have favorite not too expensive tubes they like to use in Rockets, or experience with these mentioned?

[M Fowler]

I think your on the right track ordering those Saratov EL84s from what I have heard and I need to order some as well.

Mark

[KellyBass]

Thanks for posting the diagram. That's a clever layout!

Nice looking build you have there!...what is that heater wiring your using?

[telentubes]

I'm not in my shop so I can't check for sure... but the heater wire is from McMaster Carr, pretty sure it's Part Number: 7964K684. It's 600V 18AWG PVC single strand. If this isn't the stuff, I'll make the correction.

I've got to get more creative with color choices. Liven the inards up a bit.

[rawnster]

I think your on the right track ordering those Saratov EL84s from what I have heard and I need to order some as well.

Mark

+1 on the Saratovs. I think I've had mine for about a year now, and they're still going strong. It's a nice and thick sounding tube with plenty of sparkle.

[angelodp]

+1 on the Saratovs, sweet sounds.

Ange

[telentubes]

Still not working.
I got my start-up tubes which I installed (JJs, not the Saratovs).
I plugged into the bulb limiter with a 60 watt bulb and turned on the amp.
There was a little surge of bright then the bulb settled into a low glow.
I threw the standby switch and the bulb went BRIGHT. I waited as long as I dared, then shut down the amp. I tried one of my other amps to see if I needed to wait longer for the bulb to die down to a low glow after throwing the standby switch, but the cap charging flash was pretty short.
So... back into the wiring.

One curious thing that I found, while testing with my continuity tester, was that the B+2, 47uf cap read as a closed circuit to GROUND on the POSITIVE as well as the NEGATIVE side of the cap.
I pulled all the wires and the cap (at first I thought I must have a shorted out cap but the cap tested fine) and traced the positive side to ground via the wire that connects to the 100 ohm screen resistors that are connected to pin 9 of all the EL84 tubes (does that make sense?). I pulled all the tubes. Still have a closed circuit to ground via the 4 100ohm screen resisters.
Is there possibly a short in a tube socket? or is this right? It doesn't seem like it could be right. Any ideas?

[mcrracer]

Disconnect the wires going to the 100 ohm resistors one at a time and measure after each. There is something grounded somewhere.

[mcrracer]

Also check where your yellow B+2 wire connects at the power supply board to make sure it is not touching the stand off under the board...looks kind of close.

[M Fowler]

My thoughts are the wiring of B5, B4, B3.

B3 is the two 100k resistors.

The two 220K resistors go to ground.

[marcoloco961]

Also check where your yellow B+2 wire connects at the power supply board to make sure it is not touching the stand off under the board...looks kind of close.

+1 on the B+2 positive too close to the stand-off, which is grounded through the chassis.

Everything else looks good. My guess is that standoff is taking B+ to ground. Remove the stand off and test cap positive to ground again. If that is the problem you can mix a little epoxy and glue the standoff between the chassis and the board in another area a little further away. It beats having to re-drill everything at this point. Good luck.

Very nice looking work BTW. I like the heat shrink on the ends of all the connects. It makes for neat work. I hope you don't mind me stealing that trick........cause I'm gonna........

[telentubes]

Well with my head hanging low... I'd better come clean.
I went to bed last night with wires pulled and schematics and layouts lying all over the place. Woke up early this morning and said "s--t, I put the tubes in the WRONG sockets". The 12AX7s where the EL84s should be, and vice versa. Got up early, went to the shop, soldered everything back together, put the tubes WHERE THEY BELONG and I now have the best sounding amp I've ever owned (even before putting good tubes in or trying out different speakers). The tone is thick and meaty, and chimey and clear. The reverb is subtle (I typically like lots of reverb) but sounds great. So far I've only played at low volume but I'm very impressed. I don't think I need to tweak anything. I'll let it cook for a while before turning it up.
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED ME MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR COLLECTIVE GENEROSITY IN HELPING LEARNERS LIKE ME IS MUCH APPRECIATED. I'm already planning my next build.