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Had a client bring in a vintage tube amp that nearly started a fire in my shop
This was last Tuesday, and it was a real wake-up call. The amp was a 1960s model, and the owner said it just 'stopped making sound.' I powered it up on my bench with my current limiter, which is standard, but the second I flipped the switch, I saw smoke from the power supply. I killed it fast, but the smell was awful. When I opened it up, the main filter capacitors were completely shot, leaking everywhere, and one of the old carbon resistors had cooked itself black. The owner had no idea it hadn't been serviced in maybe 40 years. It's a solid reminder to never trust old gear, even if it seems fine at first. Has anyone else had a close call with old capacitors that just gave up?
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the_joel14d ago
Yeah, that "never trust old gear" line really hits home. A buddy of mine had an old reel-to-reel from the 50s, like a big Sony, and he plugged it in after it sat in his garage for decades. It started humming real loud for a second, then a puff of smoke came out the back. The main filter cap had just split open, and the electrolyte was all over the chassis. He said it smelled like old fish and burnt electronics for days. It was a total loss on that unit, but at least nothing caught fire.
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richardknight2mo ago
Yeah, that "never trust old gear" line is so true. My buddy had an old radio where the wax capacitors just melted into a puddle on his bench. Total mess.
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