Orange AD30- Channel Switch Problem

[noob2amps]

Hey fellas,

I got a problem with my Orange AD-30 channel switching. The second channel is the only channel that is working correctly. I have a footswitch for the channels as well as a switch on the amp to switch the channels. When I try to switch to the first channel, either the sound cuts out completely or nothing happens and the second channel keeps going. I originally thought that some tubes could be going out in my first channel, but then I thought "Why would the second channel keep going if it was some tubes going out?" Maybe I'm just naive and that would happen, I don't know, I'm just a noob2amps... Anyway, I checked out both the footswitch and the channel switch on the amp and both work perfect, but the problem still persists.

Any help would be awesome.


Thanks for looking,


noob2amps

[Twist]

This is an odd problem because if the working channel does quit then obviously a relay is switching somewhere. Looking at the schematic it appears the channel switching jack is a stereo type. This would require a TRS plug. Are you using the original foot switch setup? Without looking at the actual amp I don't know if this F/SW jack is soldered directly into a PC board or attached by wires. You need to check all the solder joints in this circuit.
We also need to know how the foot switch is wired.
Aside from the obvious foot switch issues you may also have an open plate resistor in one of the pre amps. You will need to check for high voltage on pins 1 and 6 of the pre amp tube sockets. Be cautious of the high voltage.

[noob2amps]

The F/SW jack is not connected directly to the circuit board, they are connected by wires, but the wires are not soldered into the circuit board, they are connected using clips (like ones used to connect speakers in). I rearranged some clips so that the F/SW jack was completely bypassed and it still was messed up, then I switched some more clips to where the Channel switch ON the amp was completely bypassed and the F/SW jack was the only thing capable of switching the channels, and alas, it still was screwed up...

So I wired it all back the way it came and I plugged it in and it seems to be working fine now, but I still want to figure out what is wrong with it, cause as soon as I am really gonna need it NOT to go out, it is going to go out.

The footswitch (which is the original footswitch set-up) is basically a DPDT switch which runs into a LED and then to an TRS plug. The TRS plug sends the signal down the 1/4 cable and into the TRS plug on the amp.

Maybe this gives you a little more to go off of.

About checking the pins on the pre-amp tubes, how exactly do I need to go about doing this?

[Don Moose]

If unplugging and replugging those clips got it working, that suggests that
1 - the contacts were corroded and needed to be wiped
2 - at least one of the wires has an iffy connection to its wire-end clip
or 3 - at least one of the board-end clips has an iffy contact with the board

What to do (assuming you're comfortable mucking about in there)
1 - swap out to gold-plated clips? (seriously, if you can find these parts with 30uin of gold flash on the contact area, that should end the potential corrosion issue)

2 - assuming you have enough slack and some replacement clips; restrip and tin the wires and _solder_ them into the clips; don't just rely on the crimp.

3 - resolder them.

Hope this helps!