Cleaning a valve amp

[MythSte]

Hey guys,

Ive just received a beautiful Trace Elliot Twin Valve from Shaggy here. But inside its absoloutly filthy. I dont really want to dive straight in and make a mess of it so could i get some recommendations for what to do and what not to do please?! I also dont fancy killing myself...

Thanks!

[umph]

shame your not near me i could walk you through it!

First, remove the amp from the head enclosure and remove all the valves, then hoover the chassis and give it a good scrubbing down.

Second, get some contact cleaner and spray the valve bases and valve pins and slide the valve into the base and pull it back out again a few times and repeat for all the bases. Then spray contact clean into all the pots and rotate them quickly to clean any gunk out of them and also spray all the jacks and push a jack in and out a few times to clean those.

Third, flip the amp over and hoover the inside of the chassis etc. Once it's all clean and dry power the amp on without the valves in and check all the voltages on the valve bases to make sure there correct (mainly bias and plate to make sure there high enough and also check the heater voltage to make sure its there) and also check the power caps to make sure there not bulging and/or leaking (the larger ones).

Finally, power it up with the valves in and let it warm up for a few mins then play through at low volume and don't rag it to hard straight away obviously and you should be sorted!

just realised this isn't the kind've reply you were looking for but its what i do every time i get a older amplifier better safe than sorry with these kind've things!

[MythSte]

[quote name='umph' post='721089' date='Jan 22 2010, 12:43 PM']shame your not near me i could walk you through it!

First, remove the amp from the head enclosure and remove all the valves, then hoover the chassis and give it a good scrubbing down.

Second, get some contact cleaner and spray the valve bases and valve pins and slide the valve into the base and pull it back out again a few times and repeat for all the bases. Then spray contact clean into all the pots and rotate them quickly to clean any gunk out of them and also spray all the jacks and push a jack in and out a few times to clean those.

Third, flip the amp over and hoover the inside of the chassis etc. Once it's all clean and dry power the amp on without the valves in and check all the voltages on the valve bases to make sure there correct (mainly bias and plate to make sure there high enough and also check the heater voltage to make sure its there) and also check the power caps to make sure there not bulging and/or leaking (the larger ones).

Finally, power it up with the valves in and let it warm up for a few mins then play through at low volume and don't rag it to hard straight away obviously and you should be sorted!

just realised this isn't the kind've reply you were looking for but its what i do every time i get a older amplifier better safe than sorry with these kind've things![/quote]

Very thorough! however, i think im going to do the following;

Take valves out, hoover.

Should do the trick, thankyou!

Just had a play through it though, and my god is 100 watts of valve loud. Im genuinly struggling to hear any volume difference between it and my old shuttle 6.0. I love me valves i do!

[Merton]

[quote name='MythSte' post='721094' date='Jan 22 2010, 12:46 PM']Very thorough! however, i think im going to do the following;

Take valves out, hoover.

Should do the trick, thankyou!

Just had a play through it though, and my god is 100 watts of valve loud. Im genuinly struggling to hear any volume difference between it and my old shuttle 6.0. I love me valves i do![/quote]
Pics! Need pics. Oh, and I need first refusal when you move it on

[MythSte]

[quote name='Merton' post='721113' date='Jan 22 2010, 12:58 PM']Pics! Need pics. Oh, and I need first refusal when you move it on [/quote]

[i]When[/i] I move it on?!

Have you no faith!