Triple Recto HELP!!!!

[Ducci]

So I go to use my triple rectifier today, and immediately after I turn it on, the fuse blows. It has been blowing fuses in about 3 week intervals for the past month or two, so I figured a quick swap would make it fine. It blew the next right away as well. I pulled all of the tubes and checked them, there at least aren't any visual signs of being blown. I tried the amp through a different outlet, and then through a furman, all blowing the fuses. I tried putting it on silicon diodes, spongy power, everything and they still blow.


My main question for advice is, do you think this would be remedied with a total tube change (the tubes are about a year and half old, moderately used I'd say), or should I have the amp looked at by someone for something else? Unfortunately money is REALLY tight right now, and I have three gigs tomorrow so I'll be gigging with a crappy peavey combo and my XT again

I'll call Mesa Tuesday (I imagine they're closed for New Years), but I need some advice now to make this pain go away!

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Try switching to Silicon Diode again, this time pulling all three of the rectifier tubes out before turning the amp on. If it works okay, change the rec tubes.

If it still pops fuses, probably gonna be power tubes, especially if they are a year-and-a-half old. Watch the tubes as you come off of standby...you might see one glowing bright red at the plates. If so, you can relace that one and its mate (they are arranged like 1-2-3-3-2-1) to get you through the gig...but plan on changing them all soon.

Preamp tubes tend to last longer and generally do not pop fuses when they fail, rather they make odd noises like squealing, static, helicopter-like sounds etc.

 

[Ducci]

The main issue is that I can't even take a long look at the tubes to see if any of them are funky. As soon as I switch the power the fuse blows, I can't even switch off of standby it happens so quickly. I'm bumming really hard, I'm worried it's something worse than the tubes!

 

[dennq45]

I would change the power tubes. You can always use a spare set anyways. Dont feel too bad, my brand new Roadster just took a dive...

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

...As soon as I switch the power the fuse blows...

If its popping the fuse while still on standby, I bet its the rectifier tubes. Pull 'em out and try running on the silicon diodes. If it works you can gig with it like that and get new rec tubes when time/money allows.

Power tubes wont blow the fuse untill you come off standby.

 

[Ducci]

...As soon as I switch the power the fuse blows...

If its popping the fuse while still on standby, I bet its the rectifier tubes. Pull 'em out and try running on the silicon diodes. If it works you can gig with it like that and get new rec tubes when time/money allows.

Power tubes wont blow the fuse untill you come off standby.

That's a safe thing to do? If I just run the diodes with the tubes in it dives, so there's a difference if I take them out?

By the way, I can stretch and afford a new pair of power tubes, or maybe even brand new recto tubes. A whole retubing is what I can't afford . Is it possible that I could buy a bunch of fuses and a pair of power tubes and try replacing them a pair at a time to see if that helps if the rectifier tube thing doesn't work? Or should I not mix tubes like that? Sorry if that's a stupid question but I'm pretty new to this tube amp thing!

 

[dennq45]

Better off with a quad. If one is bad then the others arent far behind.

 

[Ducci]

Also, I can't stress how quickly the fuse blows. The red light on the front literally flashes and the show is over. Is that really an output power issue?

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Yes...safe to run without the rectifier tubes as long as you're in the silicon diode setting. The amp will function normally like this (assuming a bad rec tube is the problem.)

If you have some extra fuses, with the amp running put the rectifiers back in one at a time. When the fuse blows, that's the bad one. Trust me on this one...my Triple did the same thing about a year ago, and this procedure came from Mesa's customer service. They walked me thru it over the phone, and stayed on the line until I had it fixed.

 

[nathan28]

Definitely retube, thats probable what the problem is. I had the same thing happen with my a single rec, i put a pair of new power tubes in it and it never blew the fuse.

 

[Ducci]

NoGlass, I can't thank you enough. That is exactly what the problem was. I took out the recto tubes and set it on diodes and it worked perfectly the rest of the day. YOU ARE THE MAN!

Also, thanks everybody for their help and suggestions, it's greatly greatly appreciated.

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Ducci...Good to hear you're up-and-runnin!!!

Okay..now its time for a retube. If you're ok with the sound/feel of the diode rec setting, do the power tubes first. Since they are 1 1/2 years old its time. You might get another year or more out of them, or they might go away tomorrow...you never know. Since they are good for now, keep them as spares after you retube (as soon as your finances allow). You can run without the rectifier tubes indefinately...but if you normally use the tube-rec setting you might want to take care of that first. Preamp tubes...as long as they work, I'd leave 'em. Change those when looking for different tones, or one-at-a-time if there is a failure. They usually last much longer than the power tubes.

Take care
Jon

 

[Ducci]

Ducci...Good to hear you're up-and-runnin!!!

Okay..now its time for a retube. If you're ok with the sound/feel of the diode rec setting, do the power tubes first. Since they are 1 1/2 years old its time. You might get another year or more out of them, or they might go away tomorrow...you never know. Since they are good for now, keep them as spares after you retube (as soon as your finances allow). You can run without the rectifier tubes indefinately...but if you normally use the tube-rec setting you might want to take care of that first. Preamp tubes...as long as they work, I'd leave 'em. Change those when looking for different tones, or one-at-a-time if there is a failure. They usually last much longer than the power tubes.

Take care
Jon

That's great advice I'm going to take. A retube is on the top of my list for what I'm spending money on when I can afford it.

 

[zakkfaerum]

If this doesn't work, what would you suggest????


That seems to be my problem!!!!!!

:x