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I've just got a '74 Hiwatt that is in really good original condition, except for where someone has "bypassed" the Bulgin mains socket inside the chassis with a fixed cable. A worse, unsafe mess you couldn't imagine, with taped off wires, connector bocks and all covered in electrical tape ... and it all sitting on the output valve sockets / wiring.
It can't be left as it is, so ........
I could get a 3 pin Bulgin connector (plenty on eBay ... though £30 odd quid for NOS (Lol!)) and make a mains lead for it and re-instate the Bulgin socket (I've got a Bulgin Cable in my old Marshall and it seems perfectly safe to me!).
Or should I just have the Bulgin out and replace with a TAD Bulgin / IEC replacement socket? Don't imagine it will hurt the value as it's a PA head.
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Comments
I am sure ICBM has said that if an amp has no intrinsic collector value, make it legal. So fit an IEC socket and you really should then have it PAT'ed.
BTW! Don't anyone pay 30 quid for a Bulgin I am sure I have at least one in a box somewhere plus the mating (and even more lethal!) cable plug. (I might even have one of the rocking horse---t rare bi-pin speaker connectors. They at least are safe)
Free but since it would only be going on an valuable "vintage" amp I would expect a bob or two sent to a charity.
Dave.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Many thanks both and thanks for the offer of the Bulgin connector @ecc83.
However, think I'll go the TAD replacement route. Only pain is that the Bulgin in the Hiwatt is riveted to the chassis (factory) so drilling required.
Did that Park 45 leave the factory like that @ICBM ?
Anyhoos chaps! I do indeed have a mains plug and socket in my hot little.
Museum keepers please PM.
Dave.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
It is a "museum piece" without the value unfortunately, it's a DR112 and both cosmetically and electrically it's in fantastic nick. These amps really are a work of art, the wiring is so neat, bundles of wires all tidily "laced", soldering perfect.
As far as I can see, other than the messing with the Mains wiring, it is completely original. Everything, including the Plessey mains caps and RS preamp cathode caps. Even has 6 x same date code Mullard ECC83's ... 1st week August 1973, sure they are original. I tested them last night and they are all over 100% gm. B+ voltages across the amp are good also.
It had a little bit of "idle" hum and I suspected the mains caps. It came with output valves 3 x RFT EL34's and one Chinese. One RFT was very tired as was the Chinese, so one side of the output was biasing at under 20mA and the other over 40mA. Have a few RFT's in the spares box and managed to put together a quad all sitting at 40mA. (no bias adjustment on this amp) Amp sounds fantastic now the output section matches, no hum etc. in spite of the ancient caps.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein