Rectifier Tubes Keep Blowing

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mattchalkguitar

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Hi guys, wondering if anyone has had an issue similar to this. I’ve got a Multi-Watt dual rectifier. A few months ago at a gig the fuse blew and I replaced a rectifier tube and put a new fuse in and all was good so that appeared to be the issue. Had a gig last night and one of the recto tubes blew the fuse again, replaced the recto tube with a spare and new fuse and it blew again about 30 mins later. So in the end to get through the gig I pulled both rectifier tubes and replaced the fuse, then ran it in diodes (I do anyway) and it worked great. There is no way I’ve gone through 3 rectifier tubes in as many months - so I’m thinking there must be something wrong with the amp? Or it is really possible to get that many dodgy recto tubes in one go!

They are JJ 5u4gb’s and they’re brand new ans can’t get Mesa tubes in the UK at the moment. Amp is flight-cased and all power tubes and recto tubes are new.
 
Hi guys, wondering if anyone has had an issue similar to this. I’ve got a Multi-Watt dual rectifier. A few months ago at a gig the fuse blew and I replaced a rectifier tube and put a new fuse in and all was good so that appeared to be the issue. Had a gig last night and one of the recto tubes blew the fuse again, replaced the recto tube with a spare and new fuse and it blew again about 30 mins later. So in the end to get through the gig I pulled both rectifier tubes and replaced the fuse, then ran it in diodes (I do anyway) and it worked great. There is no way I’ve gone through 3 rectifier tubes in as many months - so I’m thinking there must be something wrong with the amp? Or it is really possible to get that many dodgy recto tubes in one go!

They are JJ 5u4gb’s and they’re brand new ans can’t get Mesa tubes in the UK at the moment. Amp is flight-cased and all power tubes and recto tubes are new.
Welcome to the forum.

There’s not much to the rectifier circuit, it’s really just some diodes and rectifier tubes. The tubes are always in the circuit. If the tubes are pulled and the amp functions correctly in diode mode I’m rather certain the only thing left in that circuit is the tubes.

You’re 100% sure you are using the proper rated slow blow fuse?

You said you replaced a bad rectifier tube. How did you determine you had only one bad rectifier tube?

Leave the tubes pulled for a couple of months worth of practice/gigs and see if the fuse blows again. If not my money is on the tubes.

You could put the rectifier tubes in one at a time (leave the amp in diode setting), play the amp for a few months to see if the fuse blows, repeat with the other tube.

Me personally… I would replace both tubes with Mesa branded tubes. If the fuse blows after doing that I would bring it to a tech.

Dom
 
The Mesa 5U4GB is actually an Electro Harmonix 5U4GB tube (they look the same to me as I have both of those in my box of replacement tubes). You may also try the TAD RT504, it is a 5U4GB tube. RT504 is their part number.

Even some NOS 5U4GB tubes may be suitable. I never had any issues to date with either of the two dual recs (Roadster and MWDR) with the Mesa branded EH 5U4GB tube.

I have, however, had plenty of issues with the Mark V90 killing the 5U4GB tube. When the first one failed, I tried other variants to get the same result. It would work for a while and then blow the fuse when powering up again. Tried a few NOS versions only to get shorted tubes from the vendor. plate was shorted to cathode which is not supposed to happen as there is no grid or anything in the tube except for the cathode that could shed material. I finally got a replacement which worked fine but removed it and installed a current production EH 5U4GB tube and has been in the amp for a few years.

Not all rectifier tubes are created equal even if they have the same base part number. They have their limits based on voltage or temperature. Even when using the silicon diode rectification, the tube is still in the power supply circuit so if it fails due to poor quality or end of life, it will blow the fuse. The Mark V90 I always used at 90W so it does not use the Rectifier tube. Since it was always arcing in the tube when I shut it down, that will destroy any tube. Also had overheating issues with that amp to start with.

I personally have not tried the JJ 5U4GB tube. It is bad enough that Mesa is using the JJ 6L6GC tube in the Mark VII. I have not had much luck with the JJ power tubes in the past so I try to avoid them as much as possible. Perhaps the STR445 is an exception.

If the tube has a hard short, you can measure resistance from the plate to the cathode.
If you can measure continuity between pin 4 and pin 6, that would be a major failure, the plates should be isolated. Also if there is continuity measured from pin 4 to either 2 or 8 (heater/cathode) or from pin 6 to either 2 or 8 (heater/cathode) the tube has an internal short, cathode may have decomposed (coating separated from the element). It should be an open circuit since there is no physical connection between the plates and cathode/heater. There should be some measurable resistance across pins 2 and 8 as that is the cathode/heater element in the tube. If that is open circuit, it is a dead tube.
 
NOS 5U4GB tubes are readily available. Get some GEs or RCAs and you'll enjoy very reliable amplifier operation.

Just to name one source, Tube Depot has them in stock. GEs are under 40 bucks each. How good are they? Well, there are lots of old Fender amps from the 60s and 70s that are still running on their original factory installed GE or RCA rectifier tube.
 
JJ tubes have a high initial failure rate, personally I never use or recommend them. As mentioned above, get a NOS GE, Sylvania, RCA or even a Sovtek.
 
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