Got my 18Watt Kit from Nik back in May. Got it put together, no problem...I thought.
Did not have the funds to purchase tubes at the time ( tight budget at home )... Until last week. Got my tubes from TubeDepot.com... Downloaded a copy of there manual and read it. Wanted to see how there process of putting a 18Watt kit together, from start to finish. Followed their instruction in Chapter 8 on powering up the Amp, made a Dim Bulb Tester, and proceeded.

Their instruction is pretty much common sense...just going 1 step at a time. Adding tubes with each step, to see if you have voltage at certain spots.

As I started, with no tubes in the Amp and had a 40 watt bulb in the DimBuld tester. My bulb never powered up.... but my Indicator Light on the Amp did... knew that's not right... Went back and checked my DimBulb tester. It checked good.

So I went on and added the EZ81 power tube. Same thing... but my Power tube glowed very low as though it were at 1/2 or 1/3 power... no light on the dimbulb.

I checked the voltage at the "B" terminal of the can capacitor... 429 VDC... hmmm.  That seemed to be correct.

So with all that said... question is... Is it just simply a "Cold Solder" or would this indicate a incorrect connection of my GDS power transformer?

Should I use a lower wattage bulb for the dimbuld tester?

I Followed the Ceriatone 18 Watt TMB Layout March 2010... double checked and triple checked my connections per the drawing.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks, Mule3

Thanks Chris for your response....

Pictures... I'll try...we'll  see how it works.

No... the GDS Power Amp came to me with no instructions.

Thanks, mule

Thanks Todd for your input... Yeah the indicator light comes on...not  very bright.

I connected all the tubes just to see what I'd get... plugged in the speaker and guitar........ nothing..... The Power Transformer does not get hot or warm to the touch. So I've got a wrong connection or defective connection or my power transformer is defective.

I don't think the transformer is bad.... I think it's something I did...

If and when I figure it out... I'll let you guys know...

Sorry to be such a "newbe" .... still is fun ... how else can one learn?

Thanks, mule

Here is link to voltage chart
http://www.ceriatone.com/tlbrBorderSub/link.htm

Click on voltage chart at bottom then in Excel file at bottom arrow over to tab that says TMB. Your voltage readings should be reasonably close to the voltages posted. All reading are measured in DC to ground. Once again only proceed if you know how to do this safely as there are voltages inside the amp that can kill you.

Todd

I see the PT has the voltages marked so as long as you got those correct then your good. But did you happen to check the PT to be providing the proper supply before wiring?

The pics are good, but more with a bit more light would be better. Have the camera facing straight on for the components on the bottom of the chassis and then angled as best you can to get straight on for the stuff on the walls of the chassis. I know taking photos is a pain, but can be really helpful.

Check out what Todd noticed and then from there a methodical voltage check from mains on through would be in order. I notice many times when you start tracing the circuit to take voltages you will find any mistakes in wiring.

Don't worry about us pointing out errors or being a "newb". It's the only way to learn. 

Having said that, like Todd mentioned, some of your connections are a little on the questionable side of things. I hate having to do this, but sometimes just cutting the connection and redoing it is what is best. Sometime I will try to rework a connection that didn't quite go the way I intended and end up making it even worse. So out come the snips and strippers. And I don't mean the kind that dance with poles.

Thats great man

Yeah, try to post more pics of the full amp guts and we will try to help get this thing working the way it should be.
Do you have a solder sucker? If so I would suggest desoldering about 5 points at a time, crimp the wire into a loop on the terminal and then resolder. Sounds like a lot of work but I bet you could get them all done in about an hours work and it will make the amp more reliable/gig worthy for a much longer time. Like Chris said some of the wires may be worth restripping if they turn out to be too much of a PITA. On the wires you restrip tin the stripped end of the wire before sticking through terminal hole and crimping, it will keep the wire from fraying when you bend it.
Let us know if all the voltages are checking out, if so the problem will be in the signal path most likely and will narrow down the problem

Todd

More Pic's

Thought I'd show V1 thru V5.

It's pretty ugly..... Like I said before...I left plenty of slack from the board feeding the tubes and the pots.

Hi

  Just use something like a 1K 5W resistor, from + of cap to ground, held for a few seconds. Check with meter to see any voltage left.

  As for this, did you check the voltages?

  I am not sure if the GDS PT is same color codes as ours, so do check on that. For all we know, the OT center tap could be the blue wire instead.

  But voltages do tell a lot.  If your EL84 glows brighter on 1 side, it could be the OT wiring. or perhaps the cathode pin wiring - I see how your soldering is forming a blob on one of em. This could, possibly, mean that the other wire is not making good connection.

And, I guess, PI section can also contribute to this, check there too.

Usually, when soldering, you make good connection first. Ie, affix the wire to the lug well. You can insert and then form 1/2 a loop with the post, for eg. Do for both wires, in this case, and only then solder.

It'd also make good looking solder, done this way.

Thanks!

nik