Hey Guys!
I'm putting together my first Gainclone, LM3886 stereo version, and I have a question about the transformer connections. Ok I bought THIS TRANSFORMER and I know that the red, black, orange and yellow wires are the secondaries and go to the terminals on the rectifier board. I know the the grey and brown are HOT and that the blue and purple are NUETRAL. Now I want to add a rocker switch and a 3.0amp fuse. So what I am wondering is do I just tie the 2 HOT wire together as well as the 2 NEUTRAL? Why are there 2 HOT wires and 2 NEUTRAL wires?
Would I go from the L on the A\C to the fuse to the transfromer? Where do I insert the rocker switch?
Thanks,
Chevy
I'm putting together my first Gainclone, LM3886 stereo version, and I have a question about the transformer connections. Ok I bought THIS TRANSFORMER and I know that the red, black, orange and yellow wires are the secondaries and go to the terminals on the rectifier board. I know the the grey and brown are HOT and that the blue and purple are NUETRAL. Now I want to add a rocker switch and a 3.0amp fuse. So what I am wondering is do I just tie the 2 HOT wire together as well as the 2 NEUTRAL? Why are there 2 HOT wires and 2 NEUTRAL wires?
Would I go from the L on the A\C to the fuse to the transfromer? Where do I insert the rocker switch?
Thanks,
Chevy
That transformer has dual 117VAC primaries. You are going to connect them in parallel (assuming you have 117VAC line voltage) as shown on the last page of the .pdf file whose link is on the page you included in your message. The fuse and power switch should be connected to the "hot" side of the power line coming into your amp.
The manufacturer's literature should ALWAYS be your first reference as you can count on the info to be accurate. Unfortunately, you cannot always rely on info obtained from forums like this one. It is often a case of the blind leading the blind...
As you are a self-declared noob, I recommend that you get someone who lives close to you and knows what they are doing with wiring to check what you are doing. There's no future in electrocution.
I_F
The manufacturer's literature should ALWAYS be your first reference as you can count on the info to be accurate. Unfortunately, you cannot always rely on info obtained from forums like this one. It is often a case of the blind leading the blind...
As you are a self-declared noob, I recommend that you get someone who lives close to you and knows what they are doing with wiring to check what you are doing. There's no future in electrocution.
I_F
Hi,
both are hot.
One permanently and the other when the switch is on.
I suggest you put in a short length of terminal strip.
Run you mains cable input straight to it.
Run the hot through a fuse on it's way to the switch.
Bring the switched hot back to the terminal block.
Run your transformer inputs to the terminal block; hot to switched hot and neutral to neutral.
Run a cable from earth to a bolted connection to the metal chassis and NEVER remove this even during testing.
As and alternative run the mains cable earth straight to the bolted earth connection and then bring a cable from bolted earth to terminal block.
both are hot.
One permanently and the other when the switch is on.
I suggest you put in a short length of terminal strip.
Run you mains cable input straight to it.
Run the hot through a fuse on it's way to the switch.
Bring the switched hot back to the terminal block.
Run your transformer inputs to the terminal block; hot to switched hot and neutral to neutral.
Run a cable from earth to a bolted connection to the metal chassis and NEVER remove this even during testing.
As and alternative run the mains cable earth straight to the bolted earth connection and then bring a cable from bolted earth to terminal block.
Hey all,
I just wanted to let you all know that I haven't blown up anything yet.
As a matter of fact everything is going pretty good. It's taken me quite awhile to construct the chassis. I'm now at the stage of wiring, which brings me to a question. I'm going to use a terminal block and wanted to know what rating it needs to be? I was at the local electronics store awhile back and was asking about them and the fellow there asked what rating I needed. I wasn't sure what I needed at the time so I never bought one.
Secondly, the transformer I'm using (from my first post) has dual primaries (2 hot, 2 neutral wires)..... I wanted to know do I put both wires (2 hot and 2 neutral) into the same terminal on the block? In other words do both hot from transformer go into one terminal on the block and the 2 neutral into a different terminal? Then I could run my hot wire from A\C to the terminal block and run neutral from A\C to the terminal block. The ground from A\C is mounted to the chassis.
Cheers,
Chevy
I just wanted to let you all know that I haven't blown up anything yet.
As a matter of fact everything is going pretty good. It's taken me quite awhile to construct the chassis. I'm now at the stage of wiring, which brings me to a question. I'm going to use a terminal block and wanted to know what rating it needs to be? I was at the local electronics store awhile back and was asking about them and the fellow there asked what rating I needed. I wasn't sure what I needed at the time so I never bought one.Secondly, the transformer I'm using (from my first post) has dual primaries (2 hot, 2 neutral wires)..... I wanted to know do I put both wires (2 hot and 2 neutral) into the same terminal on the block? In other words do both hot from transformer go into one terminal on the block and the 2 neutral into a different terminal? Then I could run my hot wire from A\C to the terminal block and run neutral from A\C to the terminal block. The ground from A\C is mounted to the chassis.
Cheers,
Chevy
Hi,
is that the same 115Vac +115Vac dual primary linked in post1?
If yes then both primaries should be connected to the 110/120Vac mains supply.
It will do no harm to initally test the amp at low outputs with just one primary connected.
But to get full power from the transformer both primaries need to be connected in parallel.
If anyone is using the same transformer on a 230Vac mains supply then both primaries are connected in series and then just two wires connect to the mains supply.
I would use a small terminal block rated at about 7A to 10A. the holes only need to be big enough to take 2 or 3 solid core wires.
The very big 15A blocks are too clumsy for this and small wires can slip up the side of the screw fastening. The heat generated at the terminal block must be incredibly low IF all wires enter from the same side and are all squeezed together by the screw fastening. On that reasoning I think the Ampere rating is more to do with terminal hole size than actual current rating.
is that the same 115Vac +115Vac dual primary linked in post1?
If yes then both primaries should be connected to the 110/120Vac mains supply.
It will do no harm to initally test the amp at low outputs with just one primary connected.
But to get full power from the transformer both primaries need to be connected in parallel.
If anyone is using the same transformer on a 230Vac mains supply then both primaries are connected in series and then just two wires connect to the mains supply.
I would use a small terminal block rated at about 7A to 10A. the holes only need to be big enough to take 2 or 3 solid core wires.
The very big 15A blocks are too clumsy for this and small wires can slip up the side of the screw fastening. The heat generated at the terminal block must be incredibly low IF all wires enter from the same side and are all squeezed together by the screw fastening. On that reasoning I think the Ampere rating is more to do with terminal hole size than actual current rating.
AndrewT said:
uhhh... Better not to do this. using a dual primary with only one primary will induce 110v in the other one. they'll be isolated, but if they touch each other, or you touch both it'll be no fun at all.
you could tape or wirenut the ends, but for all the trouble involved you may as well just figure out the proper wiring and hook it up right.
Make sure you get both primaries facing the same direction
Both hots 1 end, both neutrals the other.
don't let the magic smoke out.
-Nick
Hi Arx,
I did warn him to use a terminal block for the wire ends.
If you/he did that then there is no risk of the ends touching nor of you touching the ends.
Remember also that a single end of the spare 110/120 will be floating so you cannot electrocute yourself. You would need to touch both ends at the same time and in a terminal block that is going to be nigh on impossible unless you really want to commit suicide.
Ken,
did he have a datasheet? Why on earth have we got this thread?
I did warn him to use a terminal block for the wire ends.
If you/he did that then there is no risk of the ends touching nor of you touching the ends.
Remember also that a single end of the spare 110/120 will be floating so you cannot electrocute yourself. You would need to touch both ends at the same time and in a terminal block that is going to be nigh on impossible unless you really want to commit suicide.
Ken,
did he have a datasheet? Why on earth have we got this thread?
AndrewT said:
True, but that's presuming that he hooks both to the terminal block, and doesn't figure he can just ignore the other and leave it hang.
And yes, it is isolated, so with it in a terminal block it'll be fairly safe, but if they're left loose I'd be mainly worried about the two ends touching each other and going pop, or touching both ends and giving yourself a nasty burn. (wires will be close, so more likely to touch both with the same hand)
-Nick
Hi again,
Well my amp is almost done. I did power it up for the first time the other day and so far so good. I was wondering though, I read somewhere about dimming the blue led, but I can't seem to find the thread about it. In a dark room that LED really lights up the room. I would like to dim it if I can, but not sure how to do it.
Cheers,
Chevy
Well my amp is almost done. I did power it up for the first time the other day and so far so good. I was wondering though, I read somewhere about dimming the blue led, but I can't seem to find the thread about it. In a dark room that LED really lights up the room. I would like to dim it if I can, but not sure how to do it.
Cheers,
Chevy
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