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Post subject: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertubes??
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:40 pm
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Any harm in running My Fender Hotrod Deluxe without powertubes?????

What I want to do is Im recording a song. But being in a family enviornment the noise can get to be a problem so I was recording direct using the preamp output. But when doing that the amp still plays out loud too. So would it hurt to pull the powertubes since Im just using the preamp. Iv never heard of any damage being done by running a tube amp without the tubes installed but just wanted to dubble check. Thanks everyone!!!!


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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:43 pm
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brad166 wrote:
Any harm in running My Fender Hotrod Deluxe without powertubes?????

What I want to do is Im recording a song. But being in a family enviornment the noise can get to be a problem so I was recording direct using the preamp output. But when doing that the amp still plays out loud too. So would it hurt to pull the powertubes since Im just using the preamp. Iv never heard of any damage being done by running a tube amp without the tubes installed but just wanted to dubble check. Thanks everyone!!!!


Wouldn't the preamp out still work with the master volume turned down to zero?

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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:50 pm
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It would if the amps master volume was set up to feed the powertubes. But the Master volume isnt set up that way on the Hotrod deluxe. Its only used when the overdrive channel is on. And I wasnt using the overdrive channel, just clean tones.


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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:57 pm
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Without the power tube the amp will run at higher voltage. On schematic there is 431 volt DC and filter caps are 500 volts .
If you remove power tube voltage could go close to 500 volts or mabey more ?

I don't know how many hours you could use it without damage it. Probably many hour but i'm not sure .


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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 3:39 pm
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Good thinking stratele52,

The B+ and the Z voltages both rise to about 470 volts with the output tubes removed (only a 40 volt increase). This also results in an increase in the Y and X supplies, meaning a higher Plate voltage at the preamp tubes of only about 10 to 15 volts more (240 to 245 VDC), which is still below 250 volts for the preamp Plates. Overall, I would say that there is no harm using the amp without the output tubes installed, even though the preamp tubes will be driven a just a little bit harder than normal.


Hi brad166,

It would be a good idea to mark the tubes before removing to get them back in the same positions when ready (V4, V5). The output transformer primary halves are imbalanced in the HRDlx, so the tubes will "wear" to a particular position. If you put them back in the "wrong" position, the tubes can be more imbalanced at idle than they would be if in the original positions. :idea:

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Last edited by shimmilou on Mon Aug 29, 2011 3:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 3:50 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
It would be a good idea to mark the tubes before removing to get them back in the same positions when ready (V4, V5). The output transformer primary halves are imbalanced in the HRDlx, so the tubes will "wear" to a particular position. If you put them back on the "wrong" position, the tubes can be more imbalanced at idle than they would be if in the original positions.


+1!

This is good procedure whenever you remove the power tubes from any amp.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 4:01 pm
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Glad someone agrees, I thought that I was just OCD about this. :lol:

I actually have CDO. It is the same as OCD, I just put the letters in alphabetical order, as they should be. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 5:54 pm
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I thought it was because you were dyslexic, lou.

Five out of three people have it, you know.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:07 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
I thought it was because you were dyslexic, lou.

Five out of three people have it, you know.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

and 2 out of everyone 1 people are schizophrenic! :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:04 pm
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hold on , maybe we should just tell this guy that the amp won't work in the normal way, but it will work to a mixing board.the amp won't have any sound used as a normal guitar amplifier. he said it is still too loud. am i just confused?


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Post subject: Re: Any harm in running a Fender Hotrod Dlx without powertub
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:52 pm
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There may be another way that is much easier than pulling tubes. If you insert a "dummy" instrument or speaker phone plug into the "Power Amp In", it will separate the output section of the amp from the preamp section. This should allow use of the "Preamp Out" while preventing the signal from going to the output section of the amp, so no sound comes out of the speaker. Then removing the dummy plug will allow normal operation of the amp. If this dummy plug introduces noise or hum on the output of the amp, then simply remove the plug from the jack, solder the two terminals of the plug together, then reinsert the plug into the jack and the amp should then be quiet. :idea:

P.S.
Make sure to keep the screw-on cover on the dummy plug so nothing touches the terminals to cause noise (the cover may also work as a shield against noise).

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