Tube driver tube question

[Mike Nichting]

Hey all,
Do I need to keep the tube as far away from the transformer as possible in this pedal?? I was going to let the tube stick up out of the pedal but the only place I can fit it is right in front of the 12.6V transformer. They will be about 1/2 inch apart so will this lead to unwanted noise or hum??

Thanks all~!!!
Mike N.
NUKLHED

[Paul Marossy]

I would try to keep the tube as far away as possible from any AC source. If that is not possible, a tube shield would go a long way towards helping prevent problems with induced hum.

[Mike Nichting]

Thanks Paul~!! I guess I will install a tube shield. The tube I am using has a metal cover on it. Would the tube shield plus a seperate shield in between the tube and the xformer be a benefit?? I guess you can't have too much shielding huh??

I have the tube sticking out the top of the pedal right next to the xformer as I couldn't fit it anywhere else plus it looks cool :-)

Thanks for thew help Paul~!!

Mike N.
NUKLHED

[Paul Marossy]

The shielding between the transformer may or may not help...
One thing you could try if just the tube shield alone doesn't help is to connect the tube shield itself to ground. I have seen this done in at least one tube amplifier.

[Mike Nichting]

OK Paul, heres what I have now. I get signal when the effect is bypassed but none when it is engaged. I am not getting voltage to the PCB.
I am using a 12.6V transformer so here is how I connected it. I have one of the secondaries in next to whrere it says number "4" on the PCB. I then have the other secondary grounded on the PCB. I didn't connect the center tap at all. I am not sure if I was supposed to??!!I then have one of the primaries going to number 5 on the on/off switch. I have the other primary going to a fuse then from the fuse to the opposite lug on the on/off switch(#2). I have the power cord coming into the effect and copnnected to #1 and #4 of the on/off switch. Which is the top 2 lugs and the primaries go to the middle 2 lugs. Do I need a fuse for this project?? I like to use a fuse when I am using power straight from the wall.
Is there anything I need to change?? does anything sound like I connected it wrong??
I will try my best to post some pics asap~!!
I get signal when in bypass mode but nothing otherwise. Do I have the power switch connected wrong?? I have the power cord to the top 2 lugs which are on the opposite end than the "on" marker on the switch.

Thanks for any help you might be able to offer.

Peace,
Mike
NUKLHED

[Paul Marossy]

First, what circuit are we talking about here?
Second, what kind of switch did you use for your power switch? You can always use a continuity checker to double check your connections and make sure that the power switch is wired up correctly.
It sounds like you have a 12-0-12 secondary on your transformer? My guess is that you may not have the transformer secondary connected correctly. It's always a good idea to fuse the primary.

[Mike Nichting]

Hey Paul,
I have a center tap on the secondary as well. Does that get grounded??
The secondary is 6V-0-6V. The circuit is at General guitar gadgets under distortion and then Tube Driver.
I am sure that I don't have the transformer hooked up correctly.
The on/off switch is just that and I got it from Radio Shack. It has 6 lugs on it numbered from 1-6. I have the power cord from the wall hooked up on the Off end of the switch which are numbers 1 and 4 then the primarys connected to 2-5 which are the middle lugs.
I have the 6V secondaries connected to the PCB, one to ground and one next to the #4 that goes to the tube socket.
I have some pics downloading right now and when they are finished I will post them here.

Thanks alot for all the help Paul~!!!!!!!!!!  I really appreciate it~!! Tghis tube Driver has been sitting for 6 months or more and finally I thought I should do something with it. The last time I asked here no one would help me so I figured I would try again~!!

If you need any I will be glad to tell you anything that will help you help me  
Let me know oif there is anything I can do for you Paul~!!

Peace,
Mike
NUKLHED

[Mike Nichting]

Here are some pics I hope they help~!!
If not I can take more.

Thanks again,
Mike N.
NUKLHED

[Paul Marossy]

Cool looking pedal dude.  

Sorry, but I'm a little bit confused. Do you have a 12.6V secondary or a 6-0-6V secondary? You have said both in your posts...
Anyway, if you have a non-CT secondary that is 12.6V, then one end would go to ground and the other end would go to to the circuit power supply. If it's a 6-0-6 CT secondary, then you could connect the two 6V windings together and connect that to the circuit power supply and the CT to ground.

From your description, it sounds like the power switch is connected correctly.

I hope you can get it working, it would probably sound as good as it looks.  

[puretube]

be sure to use a 3 prong power cord, and properly ground the chassis!
:!:

[Mike Nichting]

Thanks Paul. Well the package that the Transformer came in said 12.6 Volts and the Transformer says 6V-0-6V on the secondary side. So we will go by what the secondary says OK?? It has a center tap on ythe secondary side.
The layout at GGG showed the 12V battery with the + going to the PCB next to the #4 tube pin and the - side of the 12V going to the ground. So I connected one side of the 6V to the PCB and the other 6V to ground and didn't use the center tap.
So I should twist both 6V together and solder them in the PCB where the + goes and solder the center tap to the ground on the PCB??

I didn't use a 3 prong cord either but I will now~!! Thanks PureTube~!!

I will let you know how it turns out tomorrow~!!

Thanks alot all~!!

Mike N
NUKLHED

[Paul Marossy]

Yep, that's what you need to do - connect the two ends of the secondary together and the center tap would go to ground. You should measure ~12VAC. And of course, puretube's suggestion is a must, a 3-prong power cord and properly grounded chassis are a very important in terms of safety!

[Mike Nichting]

I have had to abandon the enclosure that I had and go to a bigger enclosure. I am using a 3 prong cord now but It is still not working.
I'm at a loss~!! This project has been doomed from the start.
I don't know what else to do~!! I'll try going over it one more time but thats it for me. I will toss it in the garbage if it doesn't work this time. It shouldn't take 6 months to get an effect to work.
I guess I will have to save some $$ to buy one off of ebay or something, I don't know??

Thanks for all your help anyway~!!

Mike N.
NUKLHED

[Paul Marossy]

Take a break for a day or two. Then come back to it. It might be something really simple that you think you have correct, but you are missing because you have been looking at over and over and can't see it. I've done this before...
Or start over. I had to do that with my Shaka Tube. The second time, it worked great!