I learned the first thing I should look at when i get them is the fuse and fuse amperage some people just stick a bigger fuse in when it blows like that is going to fix it
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Skipper 300
- Thread starter Tweetybird
- Start date
I was thinking about putting a fuse in that's half the rated one after cleaning for initial power up then switch to the right one to key up.
Fuse has to be big enough to withstand the initial turn-on surge current. Got in the habit of testing for overloads by clipping a small circuit breaker in line, like 1 or 2 Amps. Turning up the AC voltage slowly with a variac prevents that surge current. And it prevents further damage to components if there's still a problem in the amplifier. If the fans, lights and tube filaments come up safely with the small breaker, it's probably safe to power it with the normal-size fuse in place. And if the little breaker goes "click" just as you get the line voltage up to about 30 Volts, you just dodged a bullet.
You don't want to push a fuse too near to its limit. Pretty sure the 'normal' load for a typical glass fuse is 80 percent of what it's rated.
And yeah, there's more to it than that. And more than one kind of fuse, each with its own 'average' rating.
You know a fuse is too small when it wears out and trips for that reason alone.
73
You don't want to push a fuse too near to its limit. Pretty sure the 'normal' load for a typical glass fuse is 80 percent of what it's rated.
And yeah, there's more to it than that. And more than one kind of fuse, each with its own 'average' rating.
You know a fuse is too small when it wears out and trips for that reason alone.
73
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You are correct about that 80% load figure.
I have had fuses open without looking blown. When cycled near their limit the fuse element heats up and bends slightly. Repeatedly doing this causes the fuse element to fatigue on one end and will break free from the solder in the end-cap. Had many that looked fine until an ohmmeter said otherwise.
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