You ever just feel like throwing in the towel?

[briank]

Brian,

The supply was fully rebuilt with new Mallory, Nichicon and Vishay caps...good stuff.

The cap that blew was a 500uF 50V cap.

Shiva H. Vishnu!!! That's a substantial mess!

My plan was to recap my MCI console PSUs with something like 19 of those big blue Mallorys....10,000uf/50v (the smaller caps on the regulator boards have already been re-done with Panasonics).


It does seem like maybe you got a bad cap...I'm sorry that happened to you, not going to be a fun mess to clean up after all the sweat already put into it...but that's vintage gear for ya


If it makes you feel better, I spent 6 hours re-capping a module on my console, noticed a decent sized fried resistor coming off the +24 lamp rail, thought "ohh, that's why the buss assigns weren't lighting up!" sooo I soldered in a nice fat juicy new one. Stuck it all in the conosle to test, powered on the lamp PSU, and *pop* ewww, stinky fried smell! There went my new resistor, spraying brown electro-spooge all over my lovely re-cap job, melting some heatshrink and blackening the bottom of the freshly cleaned up mic preamp card above it I probably should have ascertained that the new resistor would blow just like the old one did...turns out it was a bad tantalum cap between the 24v and lamp ground, which was doubly insulting in that it meant that I had forgotten to include all the tantalum caps on the main module PCB in my cap inventory and none of the modules I'd re-capped to that point were complete I'm still catching up on the little buggers. The mess cleaned up relatively easily with some rubbing alcohol and a bunch of swabs and cotton balls. Ah, restoring old stuff is fun eh! Things like this break up the tedium, at least!

 

[sweetbeats]

Brian,

I am just so not where you are I guess.

I got tired of the charm of the unknown with vintage gear awhile ago at least as it pertains to stuff I thought I already fixed, and problems that are a challenge to nail down. It would be one thing if I was smart enough or experienced enough to diagnose this stuff but I don't trust that it was just a bad cap in the Ampex supply and the Soundtracs meter issue is driving me bonkers. I just want the stuff to work...I fully realize this is what I signed up for, but that's what this thread is about...when you know what you signed up for and yet you're in a valley and you need to vent/whine.

I have no motivation to work on any of right now. That's the sucky part; it IS fun to work on it but stuff like this happens and its just not fun for awhile.

 

[ez_willis]

so to summarize, you should have listened to me all along.

 

[briank]

I just want the stuff to work...I fully realize this is what I signed up for, but that's what this thread is about...when you know what you signed up for and yet you're in a valley and you need to vent/whine.

I have no motivation to work on any of right now. That's the sucky part; it IS fun to work on it but stuff like this happens and its just not fun for awhile.

Well, I'll agree with you there...just trying to boost your spirits some I guess...I was in the studio today trying to hammer out some niggles with my console.

I solved a problem I've had for weeks and that felt real swell...but then I failed to figure out another problem I've spent too many hours on already, that *should* be simple to figure out. This problem is on a module I spent many hours re-capping and I'm suspicious that it's something I did (or didn't) do but I'm not sure. Argh! I know it's my ignorance getting in the way...so much time spent trying to learn how to read schematics, trying to understand how electronics work and still SO far to go!

I left frustrated...especially since it was something I really need fixed for some sessions rapidly approaching. I don't feel like throwing in the towel, but what a PITA! I have those days too, my good man!

 

[sweetbeats]

so to summarize, you should have listened to me all along.

ez...that seriously cheered me up.

Thanks for the chuckle.

 

[sweetbeats]

Well, I'll agree with you there...just trying to boost your spirits some I guess...I was in the studio today trying to hammer out some niggles with my console.

I solved a problem I've had for weeks and that felt real swell...but then I failed to figure out another problem I've spent too many hours on already, that *should* be simple to figure out. This problem is on a module I spent many hours re-capping and I'm suspicious that it's something I did (or didn't) do but I'm not sure. Argh! I know it's my ignorance getting in the way...so much time spent trying to learn how to read schematics, trying to understand how electronics work and still SO far to go!

I left frustrated...especially since it was something I really need fixed for some sessions rapidly approaching. I don't feel like throwing in the towel, but what a PITA! I have those days too, my good man!

Brian, sorry to be such a wet blanket, man. Ez's comment seriously lightened me up.

I'm mentally regrouping on where I'm at with these projects and re-engaging.

I don't know how you've kept at it...you've had some really hairy stuff with your MCI tape machine and now a JH-600 desk...both are far more complex than my Ampex or my JH-400.

 

[ez_willis]

ez...that seriously cheered me up.

Thanks for the chuckle.

awesome. all of life's journeys have peaks and valleys. you're in a valley. it'll pass.

 

[sweetbeats]

awesome. all of life's journeys have peaks and valleys. you're in a valley. it'll pass.

Yeah...and likely sooner than the fishy smell of aluminum electrolyte in my studio.

 

[ez_willis]

Yeah...and likely sooner than the fishy smell of aluminum electrolyte in my studio.

i'm gonna have to take your word for it.

 

[sweetbeats]

...I don't trust that it was just a bad cap in the Ampex supply...

Indeed...

As it turns out, I put the %*@#$*&!@^$ thing in backwards!!

I opened up the other 39V supply I rebuilt annnnnnd...that one's in backwards too!! How did I DO that??

And furthermore, I thought you pretty much got an instantaneous reaction upon power-up if you put a polar cap in backwards and these supplies have seen at least 25~50 hours of service... :???:

Oh well. At least I know the answer to that one and I won't be powering the supply that hasn't blown yet until I replace the backwards cap with a new part ferrrrr sher. I suppose the silver lining is that only one of the two supplies is a mess.

Thanks for pickin' me up, fellas.

 

[cjacek]

Cory, caught your post the other day (so freaking unfortunate I thought) but then spent a chunk of time evaluating what mostly likely may have gone wrong (now we know) and the guys' posts about making just that one tiny mistake is enough to make things go wrong, is what kept popping up. I kept coming back to that very scenario, that it HAD to be a tiny mistake that did it. That's all it takes and you're in good company, my friend, as anyone, at any skill level can trip up and that's what it was. You're dealing with so many details and so much work that one tiny seemingly insignificant detail can make things go "boom". Look how many people worked on the shuttle, planes etc.... all geniuses in their field and still, there's always that story about someone having "overlooked" something important and that "tiny little part" or "wire", a single grain of sand in a pool, being enough to cause a problem. I think what you need to realize is that this gear can be counted on. There's nothing mysterious happening. You make a tiny error, boom, it'll tell you, loud and clear . If you do it right, it'll tell you just that. It doesn't disappoint. This is all a learning experience and the more plentiful and complex it gets, the more careful you need to be. Cory, please slow down and check things many times over so that no further surprises happen. You're doing good, keep at it, take it slow and it'll reward you. Just my 2c worth.....

 

[grimtraveller]

You ever just feel like throwing in the towel?

Periodically, when a session doesn't go well or someone singing for me is in a funky mood and wants to play pussum or some editing goes wrong and drives me to the edge of murderous fury and rage or a piece of equipment dies or won't do as it's told........then that momentary feeling of chucking it in flickers on the horizon. But only momentarilly and it is only fleeting and a good night's sleep and driving around the London traffic with all manner of 'drivers' soon has me thinking straight and thinking about how to rectify whatever.

 

[Blue Jinn]

I've found schematics always label the + side of a cap. The caps themselves more often thne not label the - side. Then you flip a board over to install, and left becomes right, and all of a sudden which way did it go again?

 

[SteveM]

Also if you get too relaxed and the board marks the "+" side you can simply forget that the "<<<" side of the cap is negative. I've caught myself doing that sometimes. It's like you want to go, >>> +

 

[SongJohnn]

I've felt bummed before too. Like this frigging 80-8 I have....the thing out of nowhere decided when it would re-wind and when it wouldn't. Same for play. Not to mention the right reel table started sliding down and it's not because the allen screw was becoming loose! Something in the motor is messed up.

But, on the other hand, the 80-8 and all this 1977 gear I have is going to give me a sound I want to hear. In fact, no other tape machine, even a better one, can sound like this guy. So what I did was look up techs in the area. I called this one tech who works on everything analog and he said he's worked on more 80-8s than he can count to. Also, Russ at factory service has helped me with other 80-8s I've had and a DBX module before. So moral of the story is, leave the repairing to full time repair guys. I want to record and play instruments...let someone else worry about fixing this stuff.

As far as other bands.....forget it. I wouldn't waste the milage on my tape machine on anything other than my own musical projects. This thing...these machines...they're too old and too classic for that kind of use.

 

[Muckelroy]

Indeed...

As it turns out, I put the %*@#$*&!@^$ thing in backwards!!

I opened up the other 39V supply I rebuilt annnnnnd...that one's in backwards too!! How did I DO that??

And furthermore, I thought you pretty much got an instantaneous reaction upon power-up if you put a polar cap in backwards and these supplies have seen at least 25~50 hours of service... :???:

Oh well. At least I know the answer to that one and I won't be powering the supply that hasn't blown yet until I replace the backwards cap with a new part ferrrrr sher. I suppose the silver lining is that only one of the two supplies is a mess.

Thanks for pickin' me up, fellas.

I take comfort in realizing that when things don't work, it's usually user error. It's an annoying comfort - but a comfort nonetheless. That's how we learn

Glad you got that sorted out, good luck ongoing.

 

[briank]

Amen to that, the school of hard knocks yields a pretty solid (if inconvenient) education!

I never would have guessed a backwards cap would work for several dozen hours before popping either! For sure an honest and EASY mistake to make, though! I seem to recall those Mallorys aren't very well marked either, at least the ones in one of my console supplies aren't, and with the screw-on terminals, there's no little "+" on a PCB to reference when you're putting them in.

 

[sweetbeats]

Guys,

Just want to thank you all for the posts.

It was just disturbing because I rebuilt the supply with an original one next to it and the rebuilt the second with the rebuilt one next to it. I did it this way because none of the electrolytic caps are on PCB's in those supplies...all hand-wired so its just baffling how I made the mistake but I did.

So...that's the way it goes. I HAVE indeed made some careless errors and that changed how I did things and how I checked things over. That's why it was a surprise but its this very thing that drives the statement in my signature which is for me more than than anyone else.

I've been out of town for a number of days and cleaning up the supply is on the back burner ATM...I've got some specific troubleshooting steps for the meters in the Soundtracs mixer. I'd love to get that working and get that back together...then back on to the MM-1000, but I've got to calibrate the 388 first...buyer is coming to get it later this month.

Anyway, I'm definitely back in the saddle.

 

[jpmorris]

Good to hear it.