Troubleshooting Tweed Tremolux Tremolo

[dansamp]

ok here is where I am so far, for those who are watching
I found a broken leg on the top most .01 feedback cap
replaced the cap and I got the photocell to oscillate/pulsate
still no tremolo effect
poked around some more and found that if I touched any part of the ldr/photocell it would affect the tremolo effect
it seems that the photo cell "holds a charge" or something to that affect
I bypassed the output cap of the preamp and ran it straight into the PI and got a very loud thumping sound, reinstalled the preamp output cap and the tremolo started working
but if I touch one of the legs of the photocell even with the probe of my volt meter it would stop working or if I touched the heatshrink cover
the only way I can get it to work is to jumper the preamp output from the 100k plate resistor to the input cap of the PI
not sure why that is but as long as I don't make any contact with the photocell then the tremolo works as it should and sounds great

hope this makes sense, just trying to understand what is happening

Dan.........

[Structo]

Don't know if this will help but Antique Radio Supply sells new optocouplers. $9.95/ea
http://www.tubesandmore.com/

[img:144:109]http://www.tubesandmore.com/cemirror/inv/R-VOP1020.GIF[/img]

[jjman]

For the BF/SF type (which is not the original topic) the Surfbug is supposed to be "better." I installed one but did not perform any baseline comparison that I could use to say it's "better." It could be mere hype or maybe it is truly better.

http://www.tonecraftamprepair.com/html/surf_bug.html

[img:211:141]http://www.tonecraftamprepair.com/asset ... URFBUG.JPG[/img]

[chopstuck]

Got it working and thanks for the suggestions. My output tubes were drawing a LOT of current for 6v6's me thinks. About 65ma at idle per tube.
I swapped in an old pair of RCA's and the draw went down to 30 and 35 ma. each. The amps sounds better and now it just gets wooly and ugly with the tremolo tube removed and better with it in. Go figure. I returned all the values to stock. I just kept one new .02 OD cap on the occ circuit.

[Structo]

Just goes to show how often we chase our tails and find out afterwards that is was a tube issue.....