Got this amp and found one of the output fets (FET207) shorted so I unsoldered it off the PCB. The amp now accepts power but blows 5A fuses. It will idle with a 10A fuse but appears tobe running hard. On the bad channel which I clipped the bad fet the source resistors are measruring 0.030vDC even with the bias pot fully counter clockwise. Turning it clockwise raises the voltage.
All output fets are measuring identically good on my DVM. I have a question about the drivers which appear to be 6491s and 6488s. Are the drivers supposed to be the same? IE, one channel has two 6488s and the other side has two 6491s. By the traces I thought this would have been a PNP and NPN pair - Leg two to leg three from left to right transistor are connected. Q90/Q1 and Q91/Q4 are whats written on the PCB.
Manual: http://www.mtx.com/caraudio/archive/2004amps/Thunder_342_502_942.pdf
Both of these are 6488 transistors
Both of these are 6491 transistors
All output fets are measuring identically good on my DVM. I have a question about the drivers which appear to be 6491s and 6488s. Are the drivers supposed to be the same? IE, one channel has two 6488s and the other side has two 6491s. By the traces I thought this would have been a PNP and NPN pair - Leg two to leg three from left to right transistor are connected. Q90/Q1 and Q91/Q4 are whats written on the PCB.
Manual: http://www.mtx.com/caraudio/archive/2004amps/Thunder_342_502_942.pdf
Both of these are 6488 transistors
Both of these are 6491 transistors
Can somebody tell me what R91 is supposed to be? Its unreadable and just popped off the PCB with no effort at all.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The solder connections appear to be original on the 88s and 91s.
What's the resistance between legs 1 and 2 on the defective FET?
If it's less than about 100 ohms, it may have caused other FETs to become leaky. Measure the DC voltage from leg 1-3 for the remaining FETs in the blown channel. Is it identical for all of them?
I bet you haven't found a better meter for repair work than that Fluke 10.
What's the resistance between legs 1 and 2 on the defective FET?
If it's less than about 100 ohms, it may have caused other FETs to become leaky. Measure the DC voltage from leg 1-3 for the remaining FETs in the blown channel. Is it identical for all of them?
I bet you haven't found a better meter for repair work than that Fluke 10.
On the defective fet:
Legs
1-2: 216 Ohms
1-3: 37 Ohms
2-3: 176 Ohms
All surviving Fets measure in the bank legs 1-2 measure ~5M ohms. All surviving fets on the PCB are measuring either 3.25vDC across legs 1-3 - Even the good channel is 3.2vDC across 1-3. I think the 3 remaining fets may have survived the attack.
Got R91? I say it might be a 1/8w 10k which I have.
This Fluke 10 rocks! My father bought it for me after I broke his larger dial-a-meter a long-long time ago. Its the best asset I've got, followed by the frequency generator, o-scope, then miniamp.
Legs
1-2: 216 Ohms
1-3: 37 Ohms
2-3: 176 Ohms
All surviving Fets measure in the bank legs 1-2 measure ~5M ohms. All surviving fets on the PCB are measuring either 3.25vDC across legs 1-3 - Even the good channel is 3.2vDC across 1-3. I think the 3 remaining fets may have survived the attack.
Got R91? I say it might be a 1/8w 10k which I have.
This Fluke 10 rocks! My father bought it for me after I broke his larger dial-a-meter a long-long time ago. Its the best asset I've got, followed by the frequency generator, o-scope, then miniamp.
In the above picture showing R91, I also found D90 to be open and not working at all. On its back is E3Z. Is there a through-hole equivalent I can test with? Also D91 seems to be meauring funny in comparison wo other J3 diodes on the PCB.
E3 is a 6v Zener. I don't know what R91 is.
I always recommend the Fluke 10, 11 and 12. I have a lot of other meters but I rarely use anything other than the 10, 11 or 12.
I always recommend the Fluke 10, 11 and 12. I have a lot of other meters but I rarely use anything other than the 10, 11 or 12.
I put a 1k in R91 because that schematic seems to be very very close. I also put a 5v Zener into D90 which replaced an E3Z diode - while I clear up any other surprises with this amp.
I get sound out of both channels. This amp has individual gains for each channel; adjusting the Left gain only slightly raises modulation, but also causes some improper woofer movement and popping.
I'm going to go ahead and adjust the bias and see how she sounds.
I get sound out of both channels. This amp has individual gains for each channel; adjusting the Left gain only slightly raises modulation, but also causes some improper woofer movement and popping.
I'm going to go ahead and adjust the bias and see how she sounds.
I'll call this amp fixed for now. Even with the 5v Zener in place, the guess work on the 1k resistor, and the missing output fet; both channels are sounding pretty excelent. I'll need to order a new IRFP240 output fet.
Do you think the 5v Zener can stay in place of the 6v zener? I measured other E3 diodes on the board and I get 6vDC across them. Of course the 5v zener has 5vDC.
Do you think the 5v Zener can stay in place of the 6v zener? I measured other E3 diodes on the board and I get 6vDC across them. Of course the 5v zener has 5vDC.
I don't know if the compressor circuit will work properly with the 5vZ but since I've never seen one work properly anyway, I don't think it matters much.
You need to get into the habit of repairing amps with proper replacement parts. Unless the owner needs the amp immediately, order the correct Zener.
You should also replace all of the IRFP240s that were in parallel with the one that failed.
You need to get into the habit of repairing amps with proper replacement parts. Unless the owner needs the amp immediately, order the correct Zener.
You should also replace all of the IRFP240s that were in parallel with the one that failed.
This amp still has a problem with the corssover. When set to anything but full range; the amp produced no sound. This amp is using surface mount TL074C opamps.
I think this is the first time I've had to work with actually fixing blown surface mount components and I've just been using temporary parts for troubleshooting. I've already added the needed parts to my digikey order; I just wanted to make sure the 5v Zener is safe while I wait for parts.
I wish these output fets didnt cost $5 each Ouch.
I think this is the first time I've had to work with actually fixing blown surface mount components and I've just been using temporary parts for troubleshooting. I've already added the needed parts to my digikey order; I just wanted to make sure the 5v Zener is safe while I wait for parts.
I wish these output fets didnt cost $5 each Ouch.
I don't have anything on the crossover circuit but the first thing you need to do is to confirm that all op-amps have both positive and negative supply voltage.
If they do, confirm that none have significant DC on any of the output terminals.
If they do, confirm that none have significant DC on any of the output terminals.
I've got some strange readings on both the TL074C opamps. Meter measuring from pin 4 to pin 11 shows 16vDC. Referencing amp ground, all pins measure between 5vDC and 6vDC with the exception of Pin 11; which measures 22vDC.
This amp also has TL072C and NE5532 opAmps.
This amp also has TL072C and NE5532 opAmps.
NE5532 here in the middle is showing -15vDC on the outputs referencing amp general ground. I think this opAmp is used for the RCA outputs which this amp has a selectable crossover for.
All other opAmps on the PCB have approximatly -5vDC on the outputs referencing amp ground.
All other opAmps on the PCB have approximatly -5vDC on the outputs referencing amp ground.
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What is the DC voltage on the third leg of the PZTA06s and PZTA56s near the center of the board (near D202/203 and D302/303)?
The only A06/A56 transistors on the pcb are the ones near R91.
A06 leg 3: 0vDC
A56 leg 3: 3.3vDC
Near D202/203 and D302/D303 this amp has a total of four A92 transistors. Each measuring 59.5vDC on leg 3.
All of these transistors diode check fine with fluke.
A06 leg 3: 0vDC
A56 leg 3: 3.3vDC
Near D202/203 and D302/D303 this amp has a total of four A92 transistors. Each measuring 59.5vDC on leg 3.
All of these transistors diode check fine with fluke.
Follow the traces back away from the power supply pins of the op-amps to see which transistors are being used as regulators. It going to be larger transistors (PZTAs, 2N64xx...).
Also look for burned 10 ohm (or other low value) resistors feeding the power supply pins of the op-amps.
Also look for burned 10 ohm (or other low value) resistors feeding the power supply pins of the op-amps.
Ive still got a Diode (D91 near D90) which is measuring funny compared to diodes across the board. Its got J3 on its back and compared to other J3's I think is leaking but still checks somewhat OK. Off the board this diode measures 100ohms with reversed dvm leads. This diode's cathode leads to leg 1 of the top-left most 6488 transistor, and anode 'eventually' leads to one of the opAmp's (TL072C) Vcc- pin4.
What is a J3 surface mount diode? I tried google and its definatly a diode.
What is a J3 surface mount diode? I tried google and its definatly a diode.
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