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How do I put my amp back together without getting electrocuted?

Jean Rodriguez

Jean Rodriguez

Guest
Aug 19, 2015
236
186
30
San Juan, Puerto Rico
#1
I have an Ampeg BA-110 amp from 2011 whose speaker rattles like a MOFO whenever the volume goes past three or four but doesn't rattle when I sit on it. I unscrewed the back panel to see if that would give me access to the back of the speaker, but it didn't. The panel where all of the EQ knobs and power button also came off and I can't screw it back into the panel because my hand gets inevitably in the way. Also, while attempting to screw the control panel back into place, I noticed that the little red bulb that turns on when you turn the amp on became lit in a faint way and I freaked out a bit because the amp wasn't plugged into the wall outlet and I am not an electrician so I don't know how to respond to it. Have any of you guys gone through something like this, should I keep trying to screw back into place or should I just give up, open my wallet and take it to a tech?
 
#2
If it's an LED, that's probably just a byproduct of lighting/shade.
If the amp has been unplugged for a while it's nearly undoubtedly safe to work on... Capacitors discharge on their own slowly. But, when in doubt, use a high-power resistor to short capacitors individually, to take any energy they have left away. Alternatively measure with a multimeter. They normally don't keep their charge for an eternity though..
 
#5
BassmanPaul said:
If a person has been electrocuted they are dead! The word is electrocussed.
Click to expand...

This seems to be a difference between British and American English. My OED agrees with your definition. My Oxford Dictionary of American English says it means "to injure or kill someone by electric shock." Neither dictionary has no definition for "electrocussed." is that the right spelling?

In both countries, getting electrocuted is not recommended. This may change after Brexit.
 
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#7
The best access to the speaker chamber is always removing the speaker itself. In your case, you'll have a huge 10" hole to work with. Heck, you can stick both hands in there!

Seriously, take the speaker out. Poke around and see if any bracing has become detached. Screw everything down really tight. If you wanna go the extra mile, go get a cheap tube of caulk and squirt it around everything followed by your index finger running down the bead to push it down into the gaps.

Once done, screw the speaker back in. If it still rattles it's a ghost. Leave the amp where it sits and move out of that house.
 
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#8
Jean Rodriguez said:
I fixed it. ....when I sit on the amp or I put my foot against the speaker. What could it be?
Click to expand...

You're half way there Jean. Do what you are doing, play and have someone apply pressure in different places on the cabinet to help narrow down where it is rattling.

See if this helps: BA-108 rattles.

Not a BA-110 below, maybe a VT-40...


IMG_1129.JPG
 
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#9
Ok, so I removed the speaker. I got a flashlight and started to look on the inside of the cabinet and nothing seems broken or detached. I read something on this forum about cone snag and that I should rotate the speaker to 180 degrees. I put the speaker back on and the rattling is even worse, now. I did notice though that it's the top of the amp and or speaker that rattles. I started to play with the pressure that I applied to the top panel of the amp and I could feel the vibration and control it. What do you guys think this could mean?
 
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#10
Gluing the cabinet seams, as Hodgy (from Loud) described in the post, addressed a rattle issue that some of these cabinets had. This could be what you are experiencing. The glue stabilizes whatever is loose and makes the cabinet more solid. This stops the rattling.

Rattles are difficult to pin down.
 
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#11
paulraphael said:
This seems to be a difference between British and American English. My OED agrees with your definition. My Oxford Dictionary of American English says it means "to injure or kill someone by electric shock." Neither dictionary has no definition for "electrocussed." is that the right spelling?
Click to expand...

You learn things when working in the Power Generating field. :)
 
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#12
I can't help you, but I can tell you from experience that it definitely is NOT a good idea to stick your hand or a screwdriver in the back of an amp if you're not sure what you're doing. I got literally knocked off the side of a stage about 10 years ago jiggling the insides of a Peavey combo with my hand. It scared the crap out of me, but the cool thing was afterwards I felt great. Not sure if it was because; A - I had just gotten shock therapy. B - I was glad to still be alive. Or C - I was happy that the rattling fixed the amp and I was able to play that night.

I was a good learning experience though. With a lucky outcome.
 
#15
Jean Rodriguez said:
Yeah, it rattles with the grille off. My last option would be to spread wood along the insides of the cab and see if that fixes the problem, continue to sit on the cab while playing or take it to a tech
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I know a guy who fixed his rattles by sticking pieces of cardboard between the bottom of the head and box. There's more elegant ways of doing it, though. It's not a common problem with these combos but it does happen from time to time.
 
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#19
Jean Rodriguez said:
That's it? When you say head and box, what do you mean? It's probably a silly question, but I don't know much about amps. I tried stuffing the cab with old t shirts and that did nothing
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The part of the cab that houses the head, not the speaker. If you sit on it and it goes away, that tells me it's a physical rattle in the head touching the part of the cab that houses the head.
 
#20
JimmyM said:
The part of the cab that houses the head, not the speaker. If you sit on it and it goes away, that tells me it's a physical rattle in the head touching the part of the cab that houses the head.
Click to expand...
Before attempting that, I removed the speaker, rotated it a few degrees and put it back on. The rattling has gone down a bit, I will say. I talked to my dad about it, showed him the problem and he said that we'll taje a look at it during the weekend because he has basic knowledge of amp construction
 
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