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i think i just bricked a 29gtl

Uncle Ronnie 336

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2020
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ffffff. so i just put a new choke, power connector etc on my 29, extensive work incl a rfx has already been done. goofed up and there was a solder bridge, from the pad that recieves the power from the harness to the positive pin of the PA jack. now the modulation transformer gets hot and smokes. probably took some other parts with it idk. im so mad at myself
 
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ffffff. so i just put a new choke, power connector etc on my 29, extensive work incl a rfx has already been done. goofed up and there was a solder bridge, from the pad that recieves the power from the harness to the positive pin of the PA jack. now the modulation transformer gets hot and smokes. probably took some other parts with it idk. im so mad at myself
That is for sure rough. Sorry to hear. I remember when I somehow hooked up 12v to my old Roadtalker SSB base radio, and forgot to unhook the 120v from the wall of its internal power supply. it shorted out... With my little knowledge of electronics several years ago, I was unable to resurrect it. I ended up using it for spare parts to fix my other one...

As of today, I am sure a diode shorted out.... Oh well. But now I won't let that one get passed me again. :)

Is your RFX board ok? It might be better to just snag another 29 and transfer your RFX board.
 
yea, the rfx is fine. not really looking forward to that labor or for the recap, mods, etc i already did to go into the trash. such a waste of time. im not looking to throw the rfx on a junker either, the rig really looks good, and its an older sidemic. also, the serial number tag on this got riveted onto the rfx. basically every option is a bad, time consuming option
 
looking at the schematic, i got more questions now. theoretically if i was in PA mode i wouldve shot that voltage throught the transformer on the primary, but i dont think i was in pa mode. so maybe the secondary sh1t the bed just because....idk it felt like it?
 
looking at the schematic, i got more questions now. theoretically if i was in PA mode i wouldve shot that voltage throught the transformer on the primary, but i dont think i was in pa mode. so maybe the secondary sh1t the bed just because....idk it felt like it?
Hmmm.. That is a good question.. Doesn't have to be today, but maybe take a picture of the areas and the spot it was accidentally shorted out. Just hoping maybe something can be done to try and resurrect it...
 
Those transformers are not hard to come by. Got a donor 25 right here if you need one. Edit: found a 29ltd in the junk box
 
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ok i got tied up with other things like shoveling snow. SO ANYWAYS:

ALWAYS use mica insulators on TO-220 transistors. i threw a cheap rubber insulator behind the NPC-RC darlington bolted to the case, jabberjawed for hours, and it apparently failed so im just gonna swap the 4003 diode to be safe, mica is in and we are back to normal

ANOTHER LESSON FOR 100 WATT RFX BUILDS:

i have a thick guage power harness and aftermarket jack with reall thick contacts. the 20 amp fuse on the wire did not protect the radio board or modj transformer from the short, so its time to walk the aisles of the local chain autoparts store looking for a slick automotive fuse harness to stick a 3a fuse between the big honkin power jack and harness and the inductor going into the PCB. protect the heart of the build. I was lucky to have not bricked this rig but the fear was there. post-recap, post-mods, post-bolting the RFX on just before wiring it in.....it wouldve been a huge waste to unbolt the amp and toss the rig in the trash.
 

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