left channel distortion

[mic_ael]

Hi,
Im newbie in this forum... i need some help, my amplifier always destroy the left channel of the potentiometer, i dont know why. i use to replace the pot twice. at first use it is ok after few day, it distort the left a bit louder. i turn off the amp and turn it back again, its very loud distortion
what should be the problem? somebody help me to diagnose my amp


mike

 

[Nordic]

Just a guess, but you may be using pots that are too low wattage... maybe try a 1 Watt pot...?

 

[mic_ael]

Thanks Nordic,
the original is small 50k pot, then i replace it with the bigger in size and wattage 50k pot. in the first test the amp play normal after few days of testing the distortion back again in the left channel...i wonder why only the left channel is getting distorted

 

[Nordic]

I would swap the speakers just to make doubly sure one of them isn't on the way out maybe, but those are the low tech kinda fixes I would come up with while we wait for the clever people... they sometimes hide for a while....

 

[I_Forgot]

A higher wattage pot is not the answer. That's like using a bigger fuse if your amp starts to blow fuses.

Is the pot at the input side of the amp as in a normal volume control? If so your amp is probably wired wrong and you're probably sending DC through the pot. DC current will kill a pot quickly because they can't handle much power, especially if the control is set to a very small resistance at one end of its range.

If your pot is at the output of the amp it probably shouldn't be.

Schematic?

I_F

 

[mic_ael]

thanks 4 the responce i_forgot.

yes, the pot is in the input . i wired it correctly, i just follow the original pot. it play sometimes like normal but then after a few test the amp will distort again, but only the left channel.
i suspect the input cap have leakage, is this possible? its (10mF/50V electrolytic).

i bought this amp in a local market here in the phil, i dont have any schematic of this

 

[I_Forgot]

The problem may be the cap. I have run into this problem when restoring antique radios. If the coupling cap goes bad, DC goes through the volume control and destroys it. Try replacing the cap.

I_F