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Author Topic: Valve tuition  (Read 2634 times)

Fubar

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Valve tuition
« on: September 30, 2006, 11:06:36 AM »
Does anyone know of anywhere that does training on working with valve equipment. I'd really love to learn how to safely modify/repair/build amps etc. but am having difficulty finding any courses on the subject. I've always really enjoyed electronics but was born in the solid-state era and so it didn't get covered in my electronics GCSE! I'd normally just dive in and try and figure things out for myself but am more than slightly worried about the prospect of inadvertantly leaving myself as a frazzled lump.  :)
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HTH AMPS

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Valve tuition
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2006, 02:14:39 PM »
my advise when people ask this is always that you should play around with pedals for a year or two (or until you feel comfortable with this stuff).

pedals only run on 9vdc so it's not like you're gonna electrocute yourself if you miswire it - worst case scenario is the pedal doesn't work.

learn how to read schematics - it really does make a difference when you understand this stuff rather than following some internet directions like 'change C1 to 0.022uF then clip out R5'.

 :twisted:
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Ratrod

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Valve tuition
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2006, 02:34:13 PM »
Don't experiment with valve pedals, though. My Tube Factor has more than 300 Volts running through it.
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Fubar

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Valve tuition
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2006, 03:47:54 PM »
Quote from: HEAVIER THAN HELL
my advise when people ask this is always that you should play around with pedals for a year or two (or until you feel comfortable with this stuff).

pedals only run on 9vdc so it's not like you're gonna electrocute yourself if you miswire it - worst case scenario is the pedal doesn't work.

learn how to read schematics - it really does make a difference when you understand this stuff rather than following some internet directions like 'change C1 to 0.022uF then clip out R5'.

 :twisted:


I got a B in GCSE electronics (albeit a decade ago now, :o ) and am quite happy with circuit diagrams, schematics, building and soldering and understanding what the components actually do. I'm just really rather worried about getting some of the safety precautions involved in valve circuitry and blasting myself to kingdom come!  :lol: Also, would like to learn more about circuit design with valves as the symbols in circuit diagrams for valves were obsolete when I did all my GCSE's and therefore not covered.
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HTH AMPS

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Valve tuition
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2006, 05:52:57 PM »
there is plenty of info on the net - familiarise yourself with circuit symbols for triodes (9-pin, e.g ECC83) and pentodes (8-pin, e.g EL34) then relate that to an actual valve socket.

this diagram here shows the circuit symbol relationship to the physical valve base for an EL34... http://www.triodeel.com/6ca7ap5.gif

same here but for an ECC83... http://www.pentalaboratories.com/pdfs/ECC83.pdf

 :twisted:
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