Help me identify the hum and buzz

Fender Amp Discussion

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deuce42
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:31 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Help me identify the hum and buzz

Post by deuce42 »

Thanks Stevem

I look forward to hearing how it goes.

I also have another slight question - what is the centre tap of the power transformer is no good. How can I test this? I guess I could yank out the centre tap and put two 100r resistors in for a fake centre tap and see if the hum goes, but I'm also intrigued to understand how you test if the power transformer centre tap is shot?
Stevem
Posts: 5144
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: 1/3rd the way out one of the arms of the Milkyway.

Re: Help me identify the hum and buzz

Post by Stevem »

A simple resistance test from each of the winding legs to center tap is all that needed to prove that out.

If you yank your output tubes is the hum still there?

For output tubes to hum cancel heater voltage hum like they should the pin 2 of one tube should feed / go to pin 2 of the other output tube and the same such thing with the pin 7 connection points , so check this.

With my hum issue amp last night I unbolted the speaker jacks from the chassis and I removed the OT fully from the amp and I still have the hum!
This is with the only thing hooked up to the primary side of the OT being the center tap, no plate leads.

When I then installed the OT into another amp there was no hum issue.

In fact when I hook up a voltmeter between chassis ground and ground on the speaker jack in the problem amp I am reading .116 VDC so that's my hum.

This voltage reading is at 125 HZ so the root of this amps hum issue is in its power supply and I am still on the hunt as to why!
When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!

Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
deuce42
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 12:31 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Help me identify the hum and buzz

Post by deuce42 »

If I pull out my power tubes the hum is gone. If I pull out the PI tube the hum is gone. So I cant help but think the problem has to be in the preamp and/or reverb driver circuit. Just cannot fathom what the problem could be.
Stevem
Posts: 5144
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: 1/3rd the way out one of the arms of the Milkyway.

Re: Help me identify the hum and buzz

Post by Stevem »

A this point I would say that you have a bad power supply filter, likley one of the main stacked 220 UF @ 300 volt filters.
Get at least one new one of these and jump out what you have there.
When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!

Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
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