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Ampeg G-12 tube heater voltage issue / power transformer blown?

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  • Ampeg G-12 tube heater voltage issue / power transformer blown?

    Hey yinz'all, I've got a late 60's Ampeg G-12 on the fritz. Over the years I've gotten to know it pretty well, replaced the big multi-cap, all the electrolytic caps, the higher value resistors, a blown output transformer and a tube or two. But I'm a total hack. The other day I powered it up to dead silence; only the power tube in V1 position would light up.

    A while back I rewired the tube heater circuit with a twisted pair off the board which reduced hum dramatically. The amp's worked flawlessly since, but I tend to assume my work is the most likely source of a problem, so I figured I'd check that first. However, after getting the chassis out of the cabinet and reconnecting everything, with the amp plugged in but before powering it on I happened to touch the center of the power transformer. I got a mild zap. So I'm a little suspicious that maybe the PT is fried. Powered on, I went to check the heater voltage: I read 3.2V at each each connection except V1, where pin 2 reads 2.8V. They're supposed to be 6.3V on the schematic.

    Pin 2 on V1's solder looks oxidized, so I'm planning on cleaning and re-doing it... but would one poor connection cause the entire circuit to drop voltage, rather than just short? Am I right to suspect the PT? Any other likely suspects or tests I can run to be sure? I'd hate to go through the trouble & cost of replacing the power transformer to find out something else was the issue.

    Thanks in advance!


    Attached Files

  • #2
    Heater voltage is always measured between both tube heater pins and not to ground.
    See schematic for pin numbers.
    - Own Opinions Only -

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    • #3
      Well, that's very helpful! I'll report back, thanks!

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      • #4
        Do things normally spontaneously fix themselves when people ask questions on this forum? Today when I turned the amp on it's working properly... possibly with more hum / noise than usual, but it's always been a hummer... can't for the life of me figure out what's different from yesterday.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by keganheiss View Post
          ... can't for the life of me figure out what's different from yesterday.
          Maybe some (tube socket or other) contact resistance?
          Bad contacts tend to be unstable/intermittent.
          Last edited by Helmholtz; 06-21-2022, 05:54 PM.
          - Own Opinions Only -

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          • #6
            Originally posted by keganheiss View Post
            The other day I powered it up to dead silence; only the power tube in V1 position would light up.
            If you meant that only one heater was lit up, but today it worked, then I would suspect a bad solder connection somewhere in the heater circuitry.

            Originally posted by Enzo
            I have a sign in my shop that says, "Never think up reasons not to check something."


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            • #7
              Originally posted by Helmholtz View Post

              Maybe some (tube socket or other) contact resistance?
              Bad contacts tend to be unstable/intermittent.
              This seems entirely likely... I removed and replaced the tubes a bunch of times while moving the chassis from position to position...

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              • #8
                Originally posted by g1 View Post
                If you meant that only one heater was lit up, but today it worked, then I would suspect a bad solder connection somewhere in the heater circuitry.
                This was what I was assuming the issue was, originally... I redid the one connection that was visibly sub-par after all, just to be sure.

                Thanks everyone for the advice / troubleshooting... it seems like the amp's back on it's feet with minimal intervention!

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