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 Post subject: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:33 pm 
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I'm finally getting around to installing the VRM I ordered back in the fall....

Does the MOSFET have to be screwed to the chassis? I'm not sure from the documentation on whether it needs it or not. With the MOSFET mounted onto the circuit board, and a ground wire from the circuit board to the chassis ground, it makes me wonder at the need. It certainly is easier if it isn't needed.

Thoughts?


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:31 pm 
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Needs to be bolted to the chassis with the mica insulator pad in between.

The MOSFET can dissipate a lot of energy and needs to use the chassis as a heat sink.

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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:26 pm 
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kurtlives wrote:
Needs to be bolted to the chassis with the mica insulator pad in between.

The MOSFET can dissipate a lot of energy and needs to use the chassis as a heat sink.


Thanks...never thought about it in terms of a heat sink.


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 7:49 pm 
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Well, I thought I had it all sorted out....

With the VRM installed, I seem to have a steady hum. Changing the power know or volume knobs doesn't change the volume of the hum. When first turned on, no hum, it seems to come as the tubes heat up.

Just as I was about to do some voltage tests, I heard a good electrical snap and got to see some smoke coming off the circuit board from the zener diode, on the input side of the diode.

Thoughts?


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 6:52 pm 
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All right, ripped everything apart more or less and redid it all. Think my problem was caused by the pot being wired backwards.. once I googled the pot and saw how the which feet did what, it allowed me to redo things.

So...fired it up...no hiss...no smoke...no sparks... no tapering of volume...sigh. A lot of work to make a knob act as an on/off switch.

How likely a cooked zener is the problem?


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:29 pm 
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Sure sounds like it is. But it could have take out the MOSFET. It's a 6.1V 5W Zener as per the instructions.
Funny how solid state stuff is less forgiving than tube technology.

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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:50 pm 
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coco wrote:
Sure sounds like it is. But it could have take out the MOSFET. It's a 6.1V 5W Zener as per the instructions.
Funny how solid state stuff is less forgiving than tube technology.


6V 5W zener or a 6V 1W zener? The build sheet in the kit says 1W.....


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:42 pm 
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Well, replaced the old zener with a new 6V/1W one and still aren't getting any variable B+...


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:36 pm 
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With the power off...

Checking out the MOSFET the best I can..

No continuity between any leg and ground....
There is continuity between any 2 legs

The Zener has no continuity across it.

All three resistor and the zener diode have resistance

With the power off there is no continuity between the standby switch and the filter cap, with the power switch turned on, there is.

Anything else I can check to try and troubleshoot this?


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:32 pm 
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viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3088&p=24508&hilit=testing+mosfet#p24508

Try this



I always replace the Zener if I'm having issues. They are cheap and I usually have a few on hand. I've had a couple go bad on me.

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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:56 pm 
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Mosfet seems to pass....


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 2:21 pm 
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Replaced the MOSFET and the VRM seems to be working other than a hum I need to track down...


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:25 pm 
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So here's a question regarding the schematic and the build diagram.... I'm trying to reconcile my limited knowledge, please feel free to correct me...

The schematic for the VRM shows pin 3 of the pot going thru R3 and into ground....The build diagram shows the left most pin on the pot (when viewed from the front) going to R3 and ground... isn't the left most pin normally considered pin 1?

Just trying to sort out the hum, which I assume is a ground issue and yet everything else seems grounded OK...as I've mounted the Mosfet/PCB separately from the pot, just wondering if 1 and 3 are crossed....


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:02 pm 
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Here's a good picture. Remember when the pot is upside down, the numbers go from right to left - 1-2-3

It's not uncommon for me to get here numbers reversed.

Attachment:
image.jpg
image.jpg [ 31.24 KiB | Viewed 30543 times ]

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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:21 am 
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I think I'm viewing this right... which is why I'm confused... looking at the schematic..

Drain from the MOSFET to #1
3 to R3 and ground....

The little build diagram shows the pot sitting on top of the PCB so the pins would be ordered 1, 2, 3 as you look down and have the switch over the PCB. This leaves pin 1 on the ground via R3 and pin 3 is on the MOSFET drain

Or am I viewing something upside down? or really..will I harm something if I try to reverse what I think are 1 and 3... I suspect my ground hum would go away... but I'm still thinking I'm viewing the build drawing correctly....


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:30 am 
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The hum your looking for might not be coming from the vrm it self could be preamp tube causing the issue (pull one at a time)
Ive even had a rectifier tube cause a hum issue( course this was after i wired the power supply to do more than its capable of doing)

And if possible could you take a picture of the vrm wiring and post it


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:01 pm 
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I checked and updated the information. I wasnt too worried since I expected most people to use the board attached to the PCB, but this should clarify things.

Attachment:
VRM1.JPG
VRM1.JPG [ 133.67 KiB | Viewed 30525 times ]



Attachment:
VRM2.JPG
VRM2.JPG [ 119.33 KiB | Viewed 30525 times ]

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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:12 pm 
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I've attached a scan of the schematic I have... which shows the 1 and 3 pins reversed.

So, I suspect what you posted is what I figured is should be. I guess I'll rewire my 1 and 3 and see where it gets me.


Attachments:
sc0000.jpg
sc0000.jpg [ 570.8 KiB | Viewed 30519 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:57 pm 
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And...success?

I did NOT change the wiring, I did have it wired as if the pot were mounted on the board. I realized that you'd updated the schematic to reflect the layout drawing and not the other way around.

The hum seems to have been a bad solder joint on one the 1M resistors on V1 that was installed as part of this. All good.

Amp seems to be running dead quiet... B+ between 80 and 369 V DC (was 377 before VRM installed).

I'll put it back in a cabinet and see if we got music happening.


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 Post subject: Re: VRM Installation?
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:21 pm 
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Good news. Good Solder joints -Can't live with out em!

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