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Jacks for probing cathode and plate voltages in SSE

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S

spendorite

Member
2010-10-30 10:38 pm
Toronto, Ontario
  • #1
    Rather than doing the cumbersome and potentially dangerous task of getting
    under the chassis to probe for cathode and anode voltages I'm thinking that
    I should install jacks on the chassis to do these probes.

    So for the cathode resistors I should have two live jacks and one common
    jack, correct ?

    For the anode (plate) voltage I should also have two live jacks and one
    common jack with the live jacks connected to the terminals on the pcb
    where the blue wire of the opt's are connected, correct ?

    Where do I connect the common jack for the plate probe ?

    Can somebody provide the part no. for appropriate jacks from DigiKey ?
     
    Last edited:
    rknize

    rknize

    Member
    2009-02-17 6:02 am
    Chicagoland
    www.knizefamily.net
  • #2
    Putting a live jack across the cathode resistors it probably OK. The voltages are relatively safe so long as the circuit is working properly. In the unlikely event of a tube short that doesn't take out the amp fuse first, you could have a very high voltage...potentially B+, there. I have banana jacks on my SSE to do this:

    tubelab-simplese-cathode-resistor-test-points.jpg


    I would refrain from exposing the plate voltage on the top of the chassis. I would say that the risk of having B+ up there and potentially killing someone inadvertently is far greater than the risk of you hurting yourself when you are actively servicing the amp.
     
    S

    spendorite

    Member
    2010-10-30 10:38 pm
    Toronto, Ontario
  • #3
    rknize said:
    Putting a live jack across the cathode resistors it probably OK. The voltages are relatively safe so long as the circuit is working properly. In the unlikely event of a tube short that doesn't take out the amp fuse first, you could have a very high voltage...potentially B+, there. I have banana jacks on my SSE to do this:


    I would refrain from exposing the plate voltage on the top of the chassis. I would say that the risk of having B+ up there and potentially killing someone inadvertently is far greater than the risk of you hurting yourself when you are actively servicing the amp.
    Click to expand...


    Your warning is well taken. I was thinking of installing these jacks at the
    rear of the chassis plate behind the transformers and sticking electrical
    tape over them. I think I'll just install the ones for the cathode resistors.
    Thanks.
     
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