Ampeg SVT-CL overheating

Travis Harms · #1 08-30-2010, 04:16 PM

I just picked up a used SVT-CL and it shut down on me during my first band practice using it. I assumed it was overheating so I used a fan to blow at the back of the amp and it stayed on for the rest of practice without any problems.

The previous owner had the bias set slightly off so I changed it to what I believe is the proper setting so I don't think it should be an issue. I was using the proper impedance settings as well.

Anyone have any experience with this? Is it a problem with my tubes?

ajunea3 · #2 08-30-2010, 04:17 PM

Did you get the alternating red and green blinky light?

JimmyM · #3 08-30-2010, 04:26 PM

is the fan working in the head?

Travis Harms · #4 08-30-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajunea3

Did you get the alternating red and green blinky light?

Are you referring to the bias lights or the front panel light? I don't remember exactly what the front panel light did, but I think it just turned off completely. I had to leave the amp off for a few seconds to get the light to turn back on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

is the fan working in the head?

Yes the fan is working, I can hear it.

ajunea3 · #5 08-30-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis Harms

Are you referring to the bias lights or the front panel light? I don't remember exactly what the front panel light did, but I think it just turned off completely. I had to leave the amp off for a few seconds to get the light to turn back on.

Yes the fan is working, I can hear it.

I am referring to the LED on the front, near the power switch. If the light is alternating between red and green, you may have a bad tube.

For the bias lights in the back, both should be lit green with no signal from your bass. The red LEDs should light up once you start playing.

Travis Harms · #6 08-30-2010, 05:05 PM

I have the bias set just as you described, but the previous owner had it set incorrectly. Could this have damaged the amp?

As I said, I worked around the issue by putting a fan on amp. If it was an issue with a tube then it probably wouldn't be helped with a fan.

JimmyM · #7 08-30-2010, 05:14 PM

next time you use it, try it without a fan and see what happens now that you reset the bias.

Travis Harms · #8 08-30-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

next time you use it, try it without a fan and see what happens now that you reset the bias.

Sorry I wasn't clear, I had already set the bias before I played it.

Jerrold Tiers · #9 08-30-2010, 08:05 PM

There isn't any temperature sensor on a CL, so there is no "overheating". Tubes get pretty hot normally.

If there is a loose connection somewhere, it might shut down when hot, and might even stop doing it with a fan, but whatever the problem is will still be in there.... waiting to finish failing.

Travis Harms · #10 08-30-2010, 08:19 PM

Thanks for that info.

What would be the best course of action to try to figure out the problem? Would taking the tubes out and putting them back in possibly help anything? Or changing the tubes?

JimmyM · #11 08-30-2010, 08:55 PM

taking it to a tech is the best course of action. from what jerrold said it doesn't sound like a tube. could very well be, but you can spend a fortune on tubes and not get it fixed.

Jerrold Tiers · #12 08-31-2010, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

taking it to a tech is the best course of action. from what jerrold said it doesn't sound like a tube. could very well be, but you can spend a fortune on tubes and not get it fixed.

Ay-yup....... No idea exactly what it is.... could be nearly any component, bad solder, whatever. Even a tube, maybe.

If it does this again, then you probably have a problem. If not, plug into each of the jacks a couple times to dislodge corrosion, and keep using it.