Amplifier Repair, good sites or books?

[stevef22]

I was wondering if you know any good sites for basic amplifier repair? I say basic because I do not know much about audio or what to touch. I do not want to get zapped or killed. Has anyone recorded a basic amplifier clean up job or basic servicing? Links or book names would be awesome.

Thanks,

Steve

[markw]

Nothing beats experince. What experience do you have? The techs get paid what they do because of their training, experience and equipment.

First comes the training to know their way around all different types of electrical circuits and how to usethe equiment needed to troubleshot them.

Then they accumulate the personal equipment needed to do the job.

As they go through these stages they gain experience and the more experience they get, the better they become.

Have you ever fixed an old all-Amreican 5 AM tube radio? These are cake compared to modern stereo stuff and a good first step in the learning process. For these, ther ARE books available..

While we're at it, do you know any books on how to do root canals at home? I've got a 3/8" Black & Decker drill and some pointy objects. How hard could it be?

[GMichael]

While we're at it, do you know any books on how to do root canals at home? I've got a 3/8" Black & Decker drill and some pointy objects. How hard could it be?

I once saw a chain saw that came with instructions on how to make your own home castration kit.

[basite]

why? did you blew one of yer amps?

you could go to AudioKarma.org they are really in to refurbishing things...
otherwise, try, and if you get zapped, well yeah, you get zapped

[stevef22]

Getting a little zap is no problemO for me. Its those darn big capatizer looking thingines that worry me. Dont those carry like 10,000 volts or something. I have amps that are in need of a good cleaning and I dont know what to touch.

I dont have any experience with fixing amps or electronics for that matter. I barely have an understanding of electricity so I guess I am in need of some learning.


Steve

[basite]

you mean the big (black) battery looking things?
those are inharmful, and when your amp is powered off, and unplugged, most of the things (unless you go poking around with metal things, like ripping apart your power supply or tranny or so) and why touch prints inside? all you do is leaving fingerprints behind, and that's as bad as dust.

open the amp up (unplug it first, of course) take it to a place where you'll be cleaning it, and clean it with compressed air or so.

and btw, a volt alone is not harmfull at all. You know those electrical shocks you get during the dry seasons, that's static energy, them shocks can be like 10000 volts or so, but there is no power behind them (Ampere).

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[stevef22]

Oh cool, so those black things cant hurt me when unplugged. Good to know. So an amp is not like a CRT TV that can zap you 10 years after its unplugged? What makes a tv do that?

[basite]

most likely the black things can't even hurt you when the amp is on, unless there is something wrong with them .

the easiest way to avoid getting zapped, is by using one hand only when touching electrically loaded things, but you shouldn't touch anything that conducts metal and isn't shielded (like an unshielded cable, but if you want to clean it, I'd recommend compressed air, or Deoxit. deoxit works to remove dust from the open moving things (like a potentiomete, or a tuner etc, not for large areas covered in dust (it will work, but it's not it's real meaning), it's a contact cleaner.

[nadfreak]

Cool Amplifier Repair, good sites or books?
I was wondering if you know any good sites for basic amplifier repair? I say basic because I do not know much about audio or what to touch. I do not want to get zapped or killed. Has anyone recorded a basic amplifier clean up job or basic servicing?

www.miguelovitch.dk repair notes pdf free, dvd's video klips and more tech stuff

[Glen B]

Try diyAudio Forums for help with amplifier repairs: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/