Champion 600 conversion to Champ 5F1

Mr. Bill
Top Producer
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby Mr. Bill » Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:56 am

Yes, you can plug it in and see if the red pilot light comes on and test the red high voltage secondary voltage, just be careful.

Do you have the filament wires going to the correct pins of the power tube socket?

User avatar
dubtrub
Administrator
Posts: 3795
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 10:12 am
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby dubtrub » Fri Dec 16, 2016 12:05 pm

The filament are not connected. The voltage reads 280V. That's 392V using the 1.4 multiplier. The old 5F1 Champ, which is what I'm making, runs at 340v, and the new Champion 600 with similar circuit with different value caps runs at 366V.

Would it cause any damage to the components to run that much higher voltage?

If so how should I bring the voltage down to the proper range?
Danny Ellison

User avatar
Greg_L
Top Producer
Posts: 473
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:15 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby Greg_L » Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:13 pm

dubtrub wrote:Thanks Greg! I know just enough to get in over my head then have to ask Mr. Bill to bail me out. But, it is fun! ;)

Yeah I'm kicking around the idea of building a Marshall JTM45. The kits and supplies are so plentiful that it's just a matter of following instructions. I can do that. My worry is when something goes wrong, I can't diagnose or fix it because I don't know the theory behind it.

Mr. Bill
Top Producer
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby Mr. Bill » Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:44 pm

Dub, I'd wait until you get it built to see what the voltage actually comes to before you worry about the voltages. The main filter caps are rated at 450 volts, so no worries there, and Fender Deluxes run 6V6 tubes at 400+ voltages all the time, so the tubes should be fine. The original 600 circuit was working before you took it apart, so there really is no problems with the transformers.

Greg, there are lots of guys that build amps without understanding the theory. There are also lots of forums that will help you to build and troubleshoot kits as well.

User avatar
dubtrub
Administrator
Posts: 3795
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 10:12 am
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby dubtrub » Fri Dec 16, 2016 3:06 pm

Mr. Bill wrote:Greg, there are lots of guys that build amps without understanding the theory. There are also lots of forums that will help you to build and troubleshoot kits as well.


That's why I started this Amp section on the forum, hoping to get people interested in building and or trouble shooting their amps. We are very fortunate to have Mr. Bill as a member and will jump in with his expert technical advise. Also that was the reason behind posting all those guitar building projects detailing the various steps of the process. It is rewarding to know that several of the forum members have built their own guitars.

Here's is a link that has some good information to help get you started. https://robrobinette.com/How_Amps_Work.htm

Be sure and read the safety section on that site.
Danny Ellison

User avatar
Greg_L
Top Producer
Posts: 473
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:15 am
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby Greg_L » Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:33 pm

Cool thanks. I'm eager to try it for sure.

I have a 1979 Marshall JMP 2204 that was a bit of a basket case when I bought it. Through careful research I've successfully restored it to it's original glory and it sounds fantastic. That was a nerve-wracking but fun project.

User avatar
dubtrub
Administrator
Posts: 3795
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 10:12 am
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby dubtrub » Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:47 pm

Got the board drilled and eyelets installed, populated the board with all the components minus the one capacitor that the supplier missed during shipping. Once I get the remaining cap I will solder everything in place and assemble the board to the chassis and install back in the cabinet. Then it's show time! (hopefully)

Image

Image
Danny Ellison

Mr. Bill
Top Producer
Posts: 678
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 12:15 pm
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby Mr. Bill » Sat Dec 17, 2016 8:23 pm

Dub, you have the 22uF cathode bypass cap on the far right side of the board connected backwards. The negative side of the cap should be grounded.

User avatar
dubtrub
Administrator
Posts: 3795
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 10:12 am
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to 5F1

Postby dubtrub » Sat Dec 17, 2016 9:01 pm

Oops! Thank you! Fortunately it's not soldered in but would have been. :oops:
Danny Ellison

User avatar
dubtrub
Administrator
Posts: 3795
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 10:12 am
Contact:

Re: Champion 600 conversion to Champ 5F1

Postby dubtrub » Mon Dec 19, 2016 8:16 pm

Bummer! Trouble shooting time. I got it fired up but it hums (actually roars) pretty loud and crackles like crazy and only gets louder as the volume is turned up. I checked all the voltages and they are all few volts higher than specs but the problem seems to be from pin 6 of the preamp tube going to the .022uf capacitor. When I touch it with meter probe while checking voltages is makes all kinds of frying & static sounds. The specs call for 150v and this is 175v. I changed the tube but no luck. I have checked and double checked all wiring, value of caps and resistors and cannot find any error. I plugged in the guitar but it would not amplify the sound. Also, the wires from the power tube, output transformer and the wire from pin seven to the volume pot run under the board. All are connected to their proper location.

This the layout I used, it's a Weber 5F1. I scratch built one other and it ran perfect unfortunately a friend bought it right after I built it. https://www.tedweber.com/media/kits/5f1_layout.jpg
Image


The white arrow points to the spot making noise when touched with meter probe while checking voltage.
Image
Danny Ellison


Return to “Amp Tech Q&A and Repair Shop”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 86 guests