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Topic: RI Twin tube sockets maintenance question, WITH STUPID BONUS |
Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 1:06 am |
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So I have that RI Twin and what I think goes by the designation V9, the third 6L6 from the input end or 2nd one from the pilot light end, is a little loose, giving occasional static/popcorn.
Are those easily done on the RIs, and is there a source that shows one how to do it?
I suppose I could look to the YouTube stuff, but I also thought I would ask if there are any things I need to avoid doing? Like what are the stupid mistakes?
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
Last edited by Lane Gray on 13 Jul 2013 6:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 5:48 am
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You can re-tense the tube socket by getting in with a very small jeweler's screwdriver and closing the contacts... you squeeze the contact together, closing the gap and making the hole smaller.
Caig also makes a hi-temp ProGold liquid for tube pins... regular Pro-Gold will cook right off.
This is a normal service available at a good tube tech's bench... but you're a handy guy and should be able to get'r done. Do all four while you're at it.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 6:03 am
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Normally I'd have my amp guy do it, but: I won't get home til Saturday morning; I have a gig Saturday night; my amp guy is off Saturdays; and I'd rather run the Twin than Peavey power.
Have I mentioned I like that Twin?
Really thinking hard about its big brother.
EDIT: if I can't find my eyeglasses screwdriver, will a multimeter probe tip do the job?
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 7:13 am
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
| if I can't find my eyeglasses screwdriver, will a multimeter probe tip do the job? |
Lane, something flat would be better... the probe tip would tend to do more than just close the contact. With care, it might be accomplished... but a small jeweler's screwdriver is the normal tool. Be careful!
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 7:57 am
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Cool. Walgreen's has the eyeglasses sets.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 7:57 am
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Cool. Walgreen's has the eyeglasses sets.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 8:12 am
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Lane - if you do this, please make sure that the amp is unplugged, powered off and that you are using an insulated tool
the power supply caps may still hold a charge and some pins of the output tubes are directly linked to the power supply
Also, the pins of the socket may be fine - you may have a bad circuit board contact above the socket which has become intermittent in which case you will need to do some soldering in order to repair it.
Be safe!
_________________
Milkmansound.com |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 11 Jul 2013 12:46 pm
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Amp has not been plugged in since June 30: should it still be hot?
Thanks for the warning, I'll check for voltages first as I don't know whether my little tools are insulated.
Pushing the tube firmly into the socket solves the problem for the entire night, which led my thinking to the socket.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 12 Jul 2013 12:48 am
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I have a RI Twin and like it a lot too. I keep it at rehearsal for practice and recording. Be careful poking around, capacitors may hold current a long time! I dont know, so I'd just have a tech look at it.
I also had the bug a few years ago, went and got a sweet '76 Super Twin modded by Ken Fox w/a 15"SICA for Tommy Butler here. It only weighs 52 lbs! |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 13 Jul 2013 6:47 am
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I'd read that some (or was it most?) of y'all didn't like bleeding off the caps with straight wire, putting a resistor in there. Since I have a taillight hanging around but not a resistor, would that constitute load enough?
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2013 7:05 am
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The lamp won't have much more resistance than a piece of wire until it heats up, which I expect it won't have a chance to do anyway. Your twin has bleeder resistors installed, so there should be no voltage. You can check this with a voltmeter, to the chassis, if you like... I'd just use a piece of wire and expect no spark.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 13 Jul 2013 7:09 am
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Thanks, Stephen.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 13 Jul 2013 9:18 am
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So I pull/push/prod them to be less in the slot, more in the hole? Looks fairly obvious, just checking.
PS: you were right about the voltage, nothing higher than 5 mV
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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John Dowden
From:
Louisiana, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2013 10:10 am
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Do you change your tubes out a good bit?
A friend of mine uses some power tube retainers for his power tubes because he's too lazy to always make sure the power tubes are properly seated before turning on his amp. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 13 Jul 2013 10:16 am
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I changed (or had them changed) once when a tube fried and that's it since I got it in the fall.
The one that had been looseish in the socket showed signs ofhaving gotten warmer than the other three (its JJ and 6L6 GC were a bit darker than the rest)
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2013 5:01 am
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
| So I pull/push/prod them to be less in the slot, more in the hole? Looks fairly obvious, just checking. |
Yes. Nice picture, I was envisioning more of a tubular contact arrangement, but same philosophy. Just tense each finger inwards. You can also re-tense the holder, if it even comes into play... many tubes have wafer bases instead of the cylinder, which causes these retainers to not work. If this is the case, I'd go ahead and install Marshall-style spring cage retainers... never a problem again with those.
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PS: you were right about the voltage, nothing higher than 5 mV
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The Twin, like most 6L6 Fenders, uses a stacked PS filter input, with two caps in series to ground and two balance resistors across them that form a bleeder. These can go bad, without you noticing... but if your voltmeter says the voltage is low, then they're functioning. Of course, it's possible to make a mistake and set AC volts on your meter... so the final test is the 'short it with a wire' test.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Dan Lurie
From:
Vermont, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2013 5:26 am
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Clean the socket and the tube pins.
Be careful with the re-tension of those sockets. You can bend and break easily.
You need to gently push in both sides. |
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