Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Reverb Drive Channel not working

[Perkinsman]

Check plate voltages and/or plate resistors on preamp tubes. I find they commonly go towards open on these amps.

Ok, the plate voltages on pins 1 & 6 of V1 V2, pin 1 & V3 were about 240'ish BUT V2, pin 6 was 0. When I put in another tube in V2, the result was the same.

[Perkinsman]

Check plate voltages and/or plate resistors on preamp tubes. I find they commonly go towards open on these amps.

Can you please tell me which resistors are the plate resistors.

[52 Bill]

The second side of V2 is not used in your amp so the zero voltage on pin 6 is normal.

The plate resistors are typically 100K like R4, R11 and R16.

[Perkinsman]

The second side of V2 is not used in your amp so the zero voltage on pin 6 is normal.

The plate resistors are typically 100K like R4, R11 and R16.

Thanks, all 3 of those are within 2% of 100k.....any other ideas as to why the drive channel isn't getting dirty?

[Valvehead]

have you pulled the main pcb out of the amp and inspected the joints on the bottom? ive seen a lot of those amps with cracked joints.

You said you have 0 vdc at pin 6 of a pre-tube but the plate resistor tests 100k --trace back and find where that voltage stops

[52 Bill]

If you look at the schematic, there are only a couple of components that separate the two channels. When the relay turns on the distortion channel, C53 is added to the signal path. If you have a way to test this cap, see that it is still good.

Also test the cathode voltages of the three preamp tube sections. They are marked as TP3, TP6 and TP9.

Have you tested the filament voltages of the preamp tubes?