Question about Ampeg V-4B: Too Hot?

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I have an old Fender Studio Bass amp section I’ve used through the years. I was using a clip-on fan on the “towel bar” of my old 2x15 cabinet to keep it cool, which helped a lot. The guitarist in the band told me to turn it off and let the amp get hot so it would sound better…..a totally guitarist thing to think / say….

Word. Like a single 15 inch speaker produces more low end than 810s, because they're 10s. "It's simple physics!"

"There's 8 of them."

 

[pbass2]

I'm not worried it will burst into flames (although that would be an awesome rock moment)....

One might think that, but I once had a vintage Ampeg Jet guitar amp go up in flames. In a small club we would get booked in regularly, great venue. Cleared the place out for the rest of the night with the electrical fire stench. Was a long time before we got booked in there again!

 

[beans-on-toast]

One might think that, but I once had a vintage Ampeg Jet guitar amp go up in flames. In a small club we would get booked in regularly, great venue. Cleared the place out for the rest of the night with the electrical fire stench. Was a long time before we got booked in there again!

That wasn’t so unusual with some vintage amps. Some 50W Marshalls would smoke when pushed. They sounded so good that nobody wanted to change a thing.

 

[pbass2]

That wasn’t so unusual with some vintage amps. Some 50W Marshalls would smoke when pushed. They sounded so good that nobody wanted to change a thing.

Wow, never encountered that - kinda cool actually. But in my case we're talkin' fire extinguisher time!

 

[rodl2005]

Yes, I think if the power cord is getting sort of hot, it'd probably be near where it's meeting the amp and heat is being transferred to it from the hot amp.
Mine does this. I've used many all tube amps that do it

 

[agedhorse]

Yes, I think if the power cord is getting sort of hot, it'd probably be near where it's meeting the amp and heat is being transferred to it from the hot amp.
Mine does this. I've used many all tube amps that do it

Correct, in fact there’s a test for this in the safety agency regulations, it’s one of the many heating tests.

I can guarantee that it’s just conduction of chassis temperature into everything the chassis touches. Changing the power cable won’t change this.

 

[agedhorse]

Exactly.

It just makes me feel better having high quality, cables. It would do the same for him.

Who said his power cable wasn’t high quality?

 

[mike buzzetti]

Correct, in fact there’s a test for this in the safety agency regulations, it’s one of the many heating tests.

I can guarantee that it’s just conduction of chassis temperature into everything the chassis touches. Changing the power cable won’t change this.

IF it was hot at one end YES ! if it is hot at the opposite end, to small of a conductor IMO

 

[agedhorse]

IF it was hot at one end YES ! if it is hot at the opposite end, to small of a conductor IMO

The current draw is far too low for ANY IEC power cable to have an issue like this. It’s a non-possibility.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I haven’t met a household electric kettle or vacuum cleaner whose power cord didn’t get hot. Oddly enough, they are certified to work that way.

 

[agedhorse]

I haven’t met a household electric kettle or vacuum cleaner whose power cord didn’t get hot. Oddly enough, they are certified to work that way.

They are also entirely different loads certified to different standards, and the power cord is actually constructed differently.

 

[rzero]

So, between sets I always place the amp in standby.

Old thread, but turning it OFF between sets would cool it down more.

 

[BassAdder27]

Mine runs hot but they are designed to handle it. I wouldn’t worry