Vox AC/30 Custom Classic Head - Rectifier Problem

[hippybilly]

I went to Weber's website to get a copper cap rectifier for my AC/30CCH to replace the GZ34 that came in it. Some how we got turned around and I ended up with an adjustable box instead of the copper cap. The box has 4 wires coming out of it that goes to a octal plug and you plug this unit in, in place of the GZ34 or solid state copper cap replacement. They sent me the unit and no instructions and after a month of emails, they write and tell me that they dont issue instructions with the box and that I should have known how to hook it up and that they don't give instructions with them. This is the first time in a long time that I paid my money for somebody's product and been treated like crap for a mistake they created. Hell, if I was smart enough to know all this stuff I'd built my own box and wouldn't have had to order his. I don't understand why some instructions for hooking the wires up to the plug couldn't have been included. When you get an amp kit I'm sure you get a schematic with it. I'm a nobody and I know Ted Weber is big and famous but I can't believe the run around and how I got treated at that place. Must be nice to be semi famous and treat people like sht and nothin ever come from it.

Is there anyone here that could help me hook this rectifier box up. I'd like to install it. They copped an attitude on me and told me to return the stuff and buy things else where instead of tryin to help me hook it up.

Any takers on this one? Hippybilly

[52 Bill]

I've never done any business with Weber, but his reputation has always been positive a far as I know. I can't understand why they wouldn't exchange the item if it was the wrong thing sent to you.

In any case, the website explains that there are 4 wires to hook up. The two orange wires hook up to the ac from the power transformer's high voltage secondary. The additional two wires (red and black?) are the dc out and ground connections.

If you get a schematic for your amp you'll easily be able to find where all these wires connect to. If the amp has a GZ34 socket I'd wire the leads directly to the back of the socket.

[hippybilly]

First of all, I need to reword something I wrote in the original post. It didn't come out right.... I went to buy the copper cap and he told me about the box. I decided to try it.... There, that's better. I just wanted to set that straight. I probably should just delete this post. I didn't come here to bad mouth anybody. It's 3 weeks later. I'm still no better off than I was when I started.

There were no return problems. I got aggravated cause its taken since 16 Dec, when I paid for it, to get a working product. The first was defective. Then they forgot the octal plug. Now, I got the new one and a plug, but no instructions or schematic. I emailed for them. He really didn't say yes or no, so I emailed him again. Then he got mad at me cause I kept emailing for instructions. He said that there were different ways it could be installed and I should know how to install it without asking. I said I just want it wired for a stock, AC/30CCH replacement for the GZ34. After a few more emails, a few days waiting for a reply, hopefully instructions, he emailed me and said if I didn't know how I wanted it installed, to send it back and go elsewhere to get what I needed. I don't know why the installation wasn't discussed before I bought it.

I'd just as soon hook it up, if somebody could tell me what wires from the box goes to what pin number on the octal plug for a stock GZ 34 configuration in a Vox AC/30CCH. Can anybody here help me out? Hippybilly

[drlowlow]

there is a schematic on the weber website

https://taweber.powweb.com/store/ssr_schem.jpg

I checked the pinout on GZ34 and it has the same pinout.

to be fair the weber website has a disclaimer on the kits page that states that they dont include instructions and if the schematics arent enough for you to complete the kits you shouldnt order.

[hippybilly]

I didn't even look at his website. We just emailed back and forth. I was trying to order a copper cap when he told me about the box. I just figured it came with instructions since he didn't say different. I guess the best way to do this now is just to say "I screwed up" and bought something that I don't have the brains to install and was too stupid to see all the notes and what not on the website. Now that I've thrown everthing on my shoulders, professed myself a dumbass, and take full responsibility for ordering something that was over my head. Can anybody here help me install this thing? I'll be another two weeks going thru the return process and getting my money back and I'd just as soon install this thing and save the time. I've got the box and an octal plug. Can anybody tell me where the two orange wires and the black and white wire go on the plug. I think we can do this by wire color and the pin number on the plug. Can anybody help me do it this way? Thanks

[drlowlow]

I would be glad to help but I dont think using the colors of the wires will be benficial. It is obvious that if the schematic from the website isn't enough for you (this is a very simple project) that you have little or no electronic experience. for this project you just have to make sure 3 pins on the tube socket are attached 4, 6 and 8. the schematic I linked to has what needs to be connected to what (make sure the diodes are in the correct way or you will have a big negative voltage instead of a big possitive voltage and will probably do some serious damage to your amp.) if you have trouble seeing the link you can save it as a picture and magnify it. I would advise using some DMM to test the circuit before you drop it in the amp. if you don't have one wait until you can use someone's. if you have any more questions feel free to ask. if you still don't feel comfortable doing this then take it to someone with some electronics experience with the schematic (the pinout is correct for gz34) and have them set it up or give you a hand with it. good luck.

[hippybilly]

Thank you so much for helping me. I've got a DMM, and I said what I did about using wire colors cause I thought it would simplfy things. I have enough sense to know not to try to tackle anything that I'm not comfortable with so I won't get killed and I won't blow anything up. I'd give anything if I could find somebody local to teach me how to work on tube amps. I bought a bunch of test equiptment and am trying to teach myself how to do this stuff and have started with valve junior mods and they came out good, some pedal mods and so far they are coming out ok too. I have to drive 60 miles or better to find a good amp tech. I have lost a good amp or two by letting somebody work on them that didn't know what they are doing. That's why I decided to learn myself. I built my own house, I use to build my own rides (old SB Chevy hotrods) so I figured if I'm gona own a tube amp I better learn to work on them. I just try to be selfsufficient like me use to be back when I was a kid. I've always tried to be able to take care and fix whatever I owned my whole life. This is my next goal.....electronics so I can work on my amps and toys. Thanks for helping me. I so much appreciate it. I've got one year of VA school benefits left, I guess I should use it to go to electronics school huh? Hippybilly

[52 Bill]

According to the Weber website the two orange wires connect to the high voltage ac winding of the power transformer, so this would correspond to pins 4 & 6 of the GZ34 socket.

The red wire from the module is the dc voltage out so it should go to pin 8 of the GZ34 socket.

[hippybilly]

Originally Posted by 52 Bill

According to the Weber website the two orange wires connect to the high voltage ac winding of the power transformer, so this would correspond to pins 4 & 6 of the GZ34 socket.

The red wire from the module is the dc voltage out so it should go to pin 8 of the GZ34 socket.

I don't understand why Weber couldn't have explained it to me just like you did. I can hook it up this way not problem. I've just got one more question.....I've got a black wire left over and the aluminum box itself. Ground the box to the chassis or does it matter? Where should I put the black wire? Thanks again so much. I think we're getting somewhere now. I can't thank you enough 52 Bill. Hippybilly

[52 Bill]

Originally Posted by hippybilly

I don't understand why Weber couldn't have explained it to me just like you did. I can hook it up this way not problem. I've just got one more question.....I've got a black wire left over and the aluminum box itself. Ground the box to the chassis or does it matter? Where should I put the black wire? Thanks again so much. I think we're getting somewhere now. I can't thank you enough 52 Bill. Hippybilly

What model module do you have?

I guess that these modules were meant to be used as replacements for solid state rectifier circuits that were built into many amps.

If you have 4 wires, I'm assuming that it is a "Bridge" model? If in fact it is, you may not be able to use it on your amp, I'm afraid that I don't know.

Tell me what the model is and I'll try and find out what it can do.

[hippybilly]

Originally Posted by 52 Bill

What model module do you have?

I guess that these modules were meant to be used as replacements for solid state rectifier circuits that were built into many amps.

If you have 4 wires, I'm assuming that it is a "Bridge" model? If in fact it is, you may not be able to use it on your amp, I'm afraid that I don't know.

Tell me what the model is and I'll try and find out what it can do.

52 Bill: On the box it says CCAP Sub-BR (I bet the BR stands for Bridge, huh?) Would a picture help you out Bill? If so let me know and I'll take a picture of it and send to you. It also says 250 mA maximum on it, and it has markings on the face of it that goes from "0" ohms (no sag)clockwise
to 75 ohms (GZ43/5AR4, then to 125 (SV4/6CA4/EZ81), then to 200 ohms (5U4GB/EZ80) to 250 ohms (5Z3) to 325 ohms (5AR) to 375 (5Y3GT sits between 375 and 425 ohms), and then to 500 ohms (80). I don't know if this helps or not. I thought it might not hurt so I post them. Let me know about the picture.

[tedweber]

Yikes...

In our email exchanges, you came across like you really didn't understand the circuitry or how to connect it. So... why on earth would I start telling you how to connect something when you will be poking around lethal voltages?

Please give me a break, I try to look at all angles when I answer emails and I don't think I was putting you off or anything like that. I mistakenly believed at first that you were a tech and understood what to do. It was the later emails when I decided you were a little uncertain, so I kept insisting that you just send it back and we would reimburse you for all your trouble.

Otherwise, as I said several times in email (hmmm.. you didn't mention that here.. now did you?) that we had the variable copper cap in our amp tech tools catalog for technicians and amp builders.


Now... take a deep breath, calm down, if you are going to jack around with high voltages, make darn sure everything is discharged before you go poking around.

You have a bridge module. Disregard the black wire, just tape it off and tuck it away.

The two oranges go to pins 4 and 6, as has been noted here.
The red goes to pin 8.

That's it.

Mount the box on the chassis, but it does not require grounding to operate properly.

With that amp and it's high average current, don't go much below a GZ34 on the dial because the box will get too hot. If you go more towards zero ohms (stiffer), your high voltage will go up and so will the heat in the already too hot output tubes of an AC30.

Ted

[hippybilly]

What you just told me to do is all I ever wanted you to tell me to start with. We could have saved ourselves a lot of headaches if you'd just done that. I'm just glad its over. It's been 3 weeks since I took my amp apart and now I can put it back together and play it. Hopefully it will sound better. I will email you a picture of my work so I can put you mind at ease about me frying myself. Hell a tractor and brushhog will kill you too, but it has to be done anyway. If I mess up, I just have to suffer the consequenses. I appreciate your concern. Most companys that sell tube amp supplies have a "not responsible" statement that goes with their products and understandably so. I know sometimes my hillbilly terminolgy throws people off. It's just the way we are around here, and it don't wash off. Hopefully, no hard feelings between us and life goes on. Hippybilly