Silverface Champ blowing my GFCI outlet breaker…why?

[frenster]

Someone loaned me an old silver face champ as a possible trade that seems to be blowing my GFCI circuit breaker. Just plugging it into the wall seems to blow the breaker. Sometimes it won't and it sounds pretty good.

The amp fuse is supposed to be a 1A 125V and currently there is a 1A 250V fuse inside…dunno if that would make a difference.

From my limited amp knowledge, if it blows the circuit by just plugging it in, there are only a few possibilities. I assume it's a power section issue. My guess is that if the fuse was correct, any short in the amp would blow the fuse, not the breaker. My other guess is that the 5Y3 may be bad.

Am I even close?

[ToneMerc]

Does it have a 2 prong or 3 prong plug? I'm thinking a leaking "death cap" and 2 prong plug might be the culprit.

TM

[frenster]

3 prong.

[Structo]

I wouldn't use a GFI on a tube amp unless I was playing outside in the rain.

They detect small amounts of current leaking to ground and trip.

What does it do if you plug the amp into a 15 amp wall circuit?

[ToneMerc]

1. Clarify.... "blows just by plugging it in", is this even when the amp is powered off?

2. Does other devices trip that GFI circuit occasionally?

3. Can you verify if it has the death cap and a 3 prong plug?

TM

[ToneMerc]

I wouldn't use a GFI on a tube amp unless I was playing outside in the rain.

They detect small amounts of current leaking to ground and trip.

What does it do if you plug the amp into a 15 amp wall circuit?

He could even have a GFCI problem as well.

TM

[Firestorm]

Champs from that era and earlier run half the heater circuit through the chassis. Probably the GFCI can see that, especially with a three-conductor cord.

[mhartman]

Drain the water from the tub and report back. The Silverface Fenders weren't rated for underwater performances.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[frenster]

To clarify, the breaker in the wall outlet, those little buttons between the AC outlets, which I'm assuming it's a GFCI, started occasionally blowing and I couldn't figure out why. I'd pop the breaker and it would be fine for a while, and then blow again. Out of frustration, I unplugged everything from that circuit. I began plugging in only what I needed…first the lights, then my soldering station, etc. Finally I needed to use that amp so I plugged it in, while it was turned off, and it blew the circuit. That's my story. Any ideas what I might look to fix in the amp so it won't do that?

[Reeltarded]

Champs from that era and earlier run half the heater circuit through the chassis. Probably the GFCI can see that, especially with a three-conductor cord.

This. ^

[frenster]

Champs from that era and earlier run half the heater circuit through the chassis. Probably the GFCI can see that, especially with a three-conductor cord.

So what can I do about that?

[Reeltarded]

Use another outlet.

[Firestorm]

Finally I needed to use that amp so I plugged it in, while it was turned off, and it blew the circuit.

That's got to be a leaking "death cap" doesn't it? Just clip that sucker out (assuming it's still there).

[frenster]

Which is this death cap I must clip?

[ToneMerc]

Finally I needed to use that amp so I plugged it in, while it was turned off, and it blew the circuit. That's my story. Any ideas what I might look to fix in the amp so it won't do that?

N/A

TM