I don't think tube amps are supposed to emit smoke....

[SonOfCain]

Ok, there i was minding my own business, playing through my Rivera...when suddenly i noticed an aroma which was not altogether pleasant...and one which history has taught me generally doesn't ever mean anything good.

Glancing about the room, i noticed tendrils of smoke wisping upwards from the right side of the head...which led me to brilliantly deduce that something was very wrong. I immediately powered down, and disconnected the power cord. The smoke by this point was pretty thick,and was definitely coming from a transformer (the amp has 2 similarly enormous transformers...maybe it is an input-power transformer..it is very close to the power cord socket... ?)

I'm guessing that the transformer has elected to commit suicide, but...never having had one go bad before, just wanted to ask if this is typically the way they go...smoking and hot? Also, trying to determine the type of transformer (i don't think it is the output trans, given it's location/wiring) to aid in beginning to find a replacement if necessary.

I removed the chassis...nothing cooked inside.

Pic of the amp, transformer on left is the one that went (smoke has been re-enacted):





View from the inside, the transformer is wired through the large hole in the chassis (shown to perhaps aid in identifying the transformer, which is wired through the larger hole in the chassis, and to the same PCB as the switch):





Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Kazooman]

Smoke IS Bad

Sorry to hear about your amp. The question is why did the transformer fail and it is totally dead? It may have just been a short due to a mechanical failure in the insulation from all the banging around that amp heads have to endure. Or, it may be due to some underlying problem that needs to be fixed before you can replace the transformer.

I do see something in the second picture that you should look at. Check around the filter cap with the red dot on it. If you look at the board around the base from about the 9:00 to the 12:00 position is looks like the cap may have been leaking. If that is the case, you definitely need to replace the cap.

Are you planning to do the repairs yourself, or will you be taking it to a tech?

[SonOfCain]

Sorry to hear about your amp. The question is why did the transformer fail and it is totally dead? It may have just been a short due to a mechanical failure in the insulation from all the banging around that amp heads have to endure. Or, it may be due to some underlying problem that needs to be fixed before you can replace the transformer.

I do see something in the second picture that you should look at. Check around the filter cap with the red dot on it. If you look at the board around the base from about the 9:00 to the 12:00 position is looks like the cap may have been leaking. If that is the case, you definitely need to replace the cap.

Are you planning to do the repairs yourself, or will you be taking it to a tech?

Your condolences are appreciated, this particular amp has been "the one" for many years.

After your post i investigated the cap, and it does indeed appear to have leaked...thanks much for pointing it out, i doubt i would have noticed. Looks like it definitely is in need of replacement (along with some others, probably...cursory research indicates that typical caps are only engineered to last approx 10 years :~/) It also seems entirely feasible that the leaking cap could be the reason the power transformer failed. Tomorrow I'll swab as much of the electrolyte off as possible, and have a better idea of the extent of the damage it has caused.

As for tech vs fixing it myself, i will make this decision after considerably more research. I really don't know of any truly confirmed good amp guys in my area, and have run into enough hacks and electronics-butchers over the years to be extremely wary. I might consider doing the work myself, though i realize it could be an involved process (reforming caps etc). Alternatively, i would love to be able to send the amp back to Rivera for re-working if this is an option, but i haven't yet been able to determine if they offer this type of service (no mention on the website, at least that I've found yet. Doesn't seem encouraging).


Again, thanks much for your reply, and for spotting the cap problem. Puts me a sizeable step or two closer to a solution.

[Kazooman]

Glad To Be Able To Help

Sounds like it may be good news for the amp. If your problem was caused by the leaky cap then you should be able to fix it quite easily. It may end up costing a bit but I would go ahead and replace all the filter caps while you are at it and then move on the the transformer.

Good Luck!

[acorkos]

check your fuses to make sure they are the correct rating. power transformers that i've seen that have lost their magic smoke had higher-than-rated fuses installed.

[überfuzz]

Now understand the expression holy smokes... Sorry about your baby!

Now, when the smoke has cleared you need to start looking at it from the bright side. Opportunity knocks, new tubes, new caps, new output transformer. It'll be so hot it'll be smoking.

(Always a word or two about safety, don't electrocute yourself tinkering with those capacitors.)

[SonOfCain]

Sounds like it may be good news for the amp. If your problem was caused by the leaky cap then you should be able to fix it quite easily. It may end up costing a bit but I would go ahead and replace all the filter caps while you are at it and then move on the the transformer.

Good Luck!

Yeah, i'm trying to see this as a positive thing. I'd always heard about Rivera's excellent customer service, but never needed it until now.
I emailed Paul Jr. asking if Rivera would go over the amp, he got back to me in less than 24 hours, saying yes they'd be happy to refurb it, send 'er on in.

So, off it goes tomorrow...hopefully soon to return in top form.

[SonOfCain]

check your fuses to make sure they are the correct rating. power transformers that i've seen that have lost their magic smoke had higher-than-rated fuses installed.

Believe it or not, the fuses (which are still intact) are the original fuses...never blew one in over 15 years.

This amp doesn't owe me anything, it's performed flawlessly up until this event.

[SonOfCain]

Now understand the expression holy smokes... Sorry about your baby!

Now, when the smoke has cleared you need to start looking at it from the bright side. Opportunity knocks, new tubes, new caps, new output transformer. It'll be so hot it'll be smoking.

(Always a word or two about safety, don't electrocute yourself tinkering with those capacitors.)

Thanks...you're right, i'm actually excited now to have it redone. And i decided to leave the tinkering of the zappy-caps (as well as tracking them all down) to the OEM. Also, i couldn't confirm that the caps don't contain PCBs...not really interested in messing with that.

[bluesfreak]

So our learning is now that all electronics does run on smoke, as soon as you let the smoke out the electronics do stop working.
However, I know that leaking caps can emit a thick, fishy smelling smoke so are u sure that the smoke did really come from the PT and not from the venting cap? Maybe it's enough just to replace the caps (transformers do get warm during operation in this environment, that's normal) and then going back to normal. A qualified tech can tell you quick what the current status is and if the poor guy needs a heart transplant or not...

[Prairie Dawg]

So our learning is now that all electronics does run on smoke, as soon as you let the smoke out the electronics do stop working.
However, I know that leaking caps can emit a thick, fishy smelling smoke so are u sure that the smoke did really come from the PT and not from the venting cap? Maybe it's enough just to replace the caps (transformers do get warm during operation in this environment, that's normal) and then going back to normal. A qualified tech can tell you quick what the current status is and if the poor guy needs a heart transplant or not...

Fishy smelling smoke? I always thought it resembled Mr. Kozlowski's ...ahem....eructations after Lena had fed him the stuffed cabbage.