I recently got a Quad 405. Unit looks fine. It appears to have plaster side plates. Damaged at corners.
On opening unit the grey transformer polymer had run all over the inside of circuitry. See photos.
The front heat sink fins are not painted. Look like a natural Aluminum finish.
Has anyone seen this before in the 405’s. Could this be a fake unit?
On opening unit the grey transformer polymer had run all over the inside of circuitry. See photos.
The front heat sink fins are not painted. Look like a natural Aluminum finish.
Has anyone seen this before in the 405’s. Could this be a fake unit?
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It's a real one. Those PSU capacitors are genuine, and also the transformer. You can't get either of them this century. I would worry about the transformer: it must have severely overheated, and may have internal shorts. Replace with a toroid.
Thank you!
Where can I find a Quad toroidal transformer? Is it easy to replace? I have some soldering experience and a little common sense.
Where can I find a Quad toroidal transformer? Is it easy to replace? I have some soldering experience and a little common sense.
You need a steel angle bracket to mount a toroidal transformer, a bracket the size of the transformer case, a 300Va toroid will fit easily in the space available. I have handled hundreds of 405s and never seen the filing run out. where are you located, I may have a bracket.
I’m located in Austin TX.
Where did you purchase your torrid?
Is Is there a kit to add RCA plugs for the input and banana plugs female for the output
Where did you purchase your torrid?
Is Is there a kit to add RCA plugs for the input and banana plugs female for the output
Yes you need a 300VA toroid with two 35V secondaries and whatever primary windings suit your mains. They're surprisingly inexpensive, $$ not $$$. Usual suppliers have them. You don't need a kit for RCA sockets. Just buy two small ones and make a couple of holes and run a short length of shielded stereo cable from the DIN socket. If possible, use sockets that don't self-ground, as it mucks up the earth lift on the PCBs. Ditto banana plugs. Just buy whatever you like and fit into the same holes. You'll have to remove one PSU cap to get access, which gives you the chance to replace both.
I have a suitable toroid mounting bracket too, but shipping will be from Australia in my case.
EJP
I have a suitable toroid mounting bracket too, but shipping will be from Australia in my case.
EJP
I used to retail these back in the day !
I changed a few transformers for buzzing I think that someone has poured some resin into this and I can only say what a mess !
Yes change for a toroid and hope you have no dc on the mains
I changed a few transformers for buzzing I think that someone has poured some resin into this and I can only say what a mess !
Yes change for a toroid and hope you have no dc on the mains
+1 on never ever seen such a mess, even less in a Quad.
Maybe some desperate user dunked transformer in a completely inadequate "varnish"?
Or worse: poured it inside from an open can without disassembly?
Maybe he didn´t read instructions and forgot to add hardener?
Horrified by what I see.
Not necessarily overheated > molten away, might be a VERY sloppy user job.
UGH!!!!!!!
Maybe some desperate user dunked transformer in a completely inadequate "varnish"?
Or worse: poured it inside from an open can without disassembly?
Maybe he didn´t read instructions and forgot to add hardener?
Horrified by what I see.
Not necessarily overheated > molten away, might be a VERY sloppy user job.
UGH!!!!!!!
When Heathkit started offering impressive kits for everything, from Lab instruments to amplifiers to Ham Radio to computers to even Dalek type robots,
of course they offered help to assemblers, including "if you can´t. send us your partially assembled project and we´ll finish it for a fixed fee" .... which created TONS of "horror stories".
A famous one was:
"instructions stated: cement diode to case, (which I find self explanatory) ... user proceeded to fill case with cement ... Portland cement that is" 😱
I guess here user tried to "pot transformer" .... maybe he found it too troublesome to remove and dunk it in a varnish can so he "did it in place".
Easy to see the "spiderwebs" created when pouring a thick liquid from a can.
of course they offered help to assemblers, including "if you can´t. send us your partially assembled project and we´ll finish it for a fixed fee" .... which created TONS of "horror stories".
A famous one was:
"instructions stated: cement diode to case, (which I find self explanatory) ... user proceeded to fill case with cement ... Portland cement that is" 😱
I guess here user tried to "pot transformer" .... maybe he found it too troublesome to remove and dunk it in a varnish can so he "did it in place".
Easy to see the "spiderwebs" created when pouring a thick liquid from a can.
I have been in communication with Rob Flain Service Manager of the full ISG group that now owns Quad. Based on my pictures he commented that this was a genuine Quad and early 405 units had Ceramic sides. He suspected exposure to an over heated environment. Though he stated that he had NEVER seen such a meltdown.
This unit was shipped through US postal service. Almost zero buffer packaging. (Plain stupid) It came from Miami to Austin in the extreme heat of August. None of these USPS warehouses or trucks are temperature controlled. I filed a complaint and a claim. They immediately sent me a $100 check (standard max insurance limit if additional insurance is not purchased)
The reason I know this meltdown occurred during transportation is because I saw the insides prior to shipping.
Changing the transformer will be a very messy job. Took me trying 6 different solvents to get it off my fingers and the front top of heat sink.
Interesting, can you please post those pictures, for a before/after comparison?
Thanks.