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Blue Voodoo BV6212, no sound

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  • Blue Voodoo BV6212, no sound

    Long story, feel free to skip to the problem...

    I picked up one of the much maligned Crate Blue Voodoo BV212 combos with new EL34s for $80. It had a couple of funky pots and crackled if you leaned on the top. You could wiggle the pots and move the shafts in and out so I figured a couple of pots to solve that and the crackling was probably bad solder joints, cracked board, ground, etc. Probably something easily dealt with. For $80 it was a least a pair a speakers and some tubes if I couldn't fix it. When I took it apart I found that the pot caps were just about falling off the back so I re-bent the tabs on all the pots, re-flowed every solder joint and put it back together. All the problems were solved. I played through it a bunch of evenings and even used it at a recent band practice (3+ hours of constant playing). Recently I try a few different speakers I had laying around just to experiment. Still no problems.

    Problem

    I decided to use it at band practice last night and no sound. It powers up, all the lights come on and the power and stand by switches, which are illuminated, glow and all the tube heaters are glowing as they should. So I plugged the effects out of the BV to another amp's effects in and still nothing. I reversed the effects in and out, etc, nothing. So nothing from either the pre or power amp. At this point I'm thinking no B+.

    The schematics are attached below if you want to follow along. The second link is the most pertinent.

    So I take it apart and measure the voltage at C48+ and get 500V, should be 490V, close enough. I measure 500V on the left of R115 as I should, but get 0V on the right side of R115 where I should be seeing 480V. So I believe R115 is open. It's a 620/3W cement resistor.

    Questions

    Is my logic sound or am I missing something?
    Why did it go and is there something else likely that I should replace as well?
    Is R115 the problem or a symptom?

    Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

    5434d1242798066-296-11pl_pwa_sch_1.pdf
    5433d1242798027-29601sch_2.pdf
    29601PL_PWA_2.pdf
    Last edited by stoneattic; 07-29-2011, 02:42 AM.

  • #2
    Something on that B+ line pulled more than 3 watts through R115, if it is indeed open.

    Comment


    • #3
      Or it failed mechanically.

      Think this through. You have 500v one one end and zero on the other or a resistor - 500 volts across a resistor. What possibilities are there? The resistor is open, or the zero volts end is shorted to ground. What immediate clue is available? How hot is the resistor? If it is cold, it must be open. If 500v is shunted by 620 ohms, what would happen? It would TRY to dissipate 400 watts. It would be DARN hot. More likely fuses would blow.

      If you think it is open - very likely - pull it and measure it, find out.

      So replace it and find out if anything else is wrong. No other way to know.
      Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks guys. I'll pull it and check, but it's stone cold so very likely open. It's strange that it was working fine when I turned it off the last time I played it and was dead when I fired it up yesterday. It hadn't been touched or moved.

        Sorry for my ignorance but I assume I should replace it with the same type of resistor, what appears to be a cemented wire wound?

        Comment


        • #5
          Everything works until it doesn't, y'know.

          Yes, replace it with another cement wirewound. If you don't find 3 watt size handy, use a 5 watt size. 620 ohms should be a standard value. ANything in the 600-650 range should work if 620 is not available to you.
          Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Enzo View Post
            Everything works until it doesn't, y'know.
            I've got to remember that line.

            Thanks again, I'll replace it report back.

            Comment


            • #7
              Any suggestions as to where to get this resistor? I'm searching Mouser and Newark, which are where I usually get these things, and I can't find the rectangular, boxy ones like what is there. They have wirewound but they look completely different. Are the cylindrical ones okay?

              Comment


              • #8
                620 ohms 5 watts: 280-CR5-620-RC Xicon Wirewound Resistors - Through Hole
                620 ohms 3 watts: AC03000006200JAC00 Vishay/Draloric Wirewound Resistors - Through Hole
                Round or rectangular: doesn't much matter.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Shape doesn't matter. The cement ones are often cheaper. The two choices above seem to be about the same cost. And the cement ones - when desired - can be put flat on the circuit board when installed, making them less likely to shake around and break their leads or solder.
                  Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I just pulled it and it's open. No burn marks or other outward signs of a problem. I'm going to order a replacement and hope for the best.

                    I don't know why I couldn't find them on Mouser. Thanks!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I installed the new resistor and problem solved! Thanks guys!

                      Comment

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