UPDATE!!: Dual Terror woes...

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4lejandro
Tiny Terror
Posts: 59
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:25 pm

UPDATE!!: Dual Terror woes...

Post by 4lejandro » Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:16 pm

Hi

If you are in the Southern California area you already know what happened yesterday, a big earthquake hit us (I'm in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico) around 4 pm (Pacific), it was a 7.2 in Richter's scale, it also lasted for like a minute (it felt much longer than that), it was the biggest earthquake I've felt in my 27 years of age, we were already outside when it hit as we were having a family reunion so it was a bit better to endure it with my loved ones, thankfully no one was hurt, we were left with no water and no electricity for a good 14 hours.

Shitty thing (for me) was that my sweet Dual Terror fell face first to the ground along with it's 2x12 cab, I have a few things in my room that should've fell but didn't (my laptop that's sitting on a flimsy service table, a 40" lcd, my guitars, a 2x12 combo), so I'm left with an amp that has it's full/standby/half power switch broken and every pot but the tone ones (the little ones) kinda smashed in and not moving, I don't know if the tubes are shot and I will attempt to pry the knobs out (maybe the pots themselves are fine).

So... I guess it'll be off for repairs, where can I send it? I guess the broken switch can be easily replaced, and I really hope the tubes are in working condition.

I'm very grateful that this is the worst that happened in my home, I hope everyone's ok.

P.S. I don't want to sound materialistic, I posted this here because it has to do with orange amps. May our brothers from Chile and Haiti receive all kinds of blessings.
Last edited by 4lejandro on Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

Randy Bass
Lord of Orange
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Re: Dual Terror woes...

Post by Randy Bass » Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:00 pm

Glad to hear you only have minor damage to deal with. Hopefully, there is no damage to the PCB, as that could get expensive. I don't think the Orange Warranty covers earthquakes, but they could still help you to troubleshoot or find a Service Center/Technician. If you don't have a local Orange Retailer that can help, you might call Orange USA Tech Support as a starting point:

http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30527" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good Luck.
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thenetsux
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Re: Dual Terror woes...

Post by thenetsux » Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:25 pm

If you have home owners/renters insurance that covers earthquakes you might be able to get some $$$, but I have no idea if that is somehing standard in Cali as I live on the east coast and only have to worry about theft and fires, forthright most part. Good luck.
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4lejandro
Tiny Terror
Posts: 59
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:25 pm

UPDATE: Re: Dual Terror woes...

Post by 4lejandro » Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:57 pm

Thanks, I guess I'll have to call tech support.

Sucks to be home with no work and not being able to play my DT.

Edit:
I have pulled the knobs out, they broke and now come off very easily, it looks like the pots are ok, the standby is screwed though.

I keep thinking this wouldn't have happened if the DT had a head case and D handles in the front to protect the control panel from shock. I also wouldn't have happened if I had tucked it away on it's case :-S

Also, do you guys know if this is the correct replacement for my standby switch?

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Toggle-Swit ... B000LFVFA8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UPDATE:

Being the dumbass that I am, I decided to open my chassis to see what was going on, with the utmost respect I checked out both the Channel and the Output/Standby switches and noticed that they where a little f*cked up, I decided to take them out to see if any store here had something similar (they didn't), seeing as is was a mechanical problem I decided to repair said switches.

The Half/Standby/Full switch was the one that had broken parts (plastic parts I must say) so I started with the Tiny Terror/Fat switch, that was just a little loose, with a pair of pliers and some patience I tightened the switch box back to normal, the other switch was repaired using a bit of super glue on the offending part (the one that lets the toggle pivot up and down) and a lot of patience to get it "right"(I wish I had taken pictures but those big blue caps were scaring the pile of poop out of me) , I have big hands so this was a little awkward.

When I finally finished the broken switch and was trying to re install it I noticed I had assembled it backwards (pain in the arse to open and close it again) so I just inverted the cables and let the one on the middle the same, that should do it right? Right?

I don't want to mess this up so I'm asking for your advice. I live in Mexico and the closest orange dealer is more than 60 miles away (crossing the border obviously), I'm looking at this as a temporal solution, eventually I'll order replacement switches from Orange or something, what do you guys think?

a.hun
Duke of Orange
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Re: UPDATE: Re: Dual Terror woes...

Post by a.hun » Fri Apr 09, 2010 8:50 am

4lejandro wrote:Thanks, I guess I'll have to call tech support.

Sucks to be home with no work and not being able to play my DT.

Edit:
I have pulled the knobs out, they broke and now come off very easily, it looks like the pots are ok, the standby is screwed though.

I keep thinking this wouldn't have happened if the DT had a head case and D handles in the front to protect the control panel from shock. I also wouldn't have happened if I had tucked it away on it's case :-S

Also, do you guys know if this is the correct replacement for my standby switch?

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Toggle-Swit ... B000LFVFA8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UPDATE:

Being the dumbass that I am, I decided to open my chassis to see what was going on, with the utmost respect I checked out both the Channel and the Output/Standby switches and noticed that they where a little f*cked up, I decided to take them out to see if any store here had something similar (they didn't), seeing as is was a mechanical problem I decided to repair said switches.

The Half/Standby/Full switch was the one that had broken parts (plastic parts I must say) so I started with the Tiny Terror/Fat switch, that was just a little loose, with a pair of pliers and some patience I tightened the switch box back to normal, the other switch was repaired using a bit of super glue on the offending part (the one that lets the toggle pivot up and down) and a lot of patience to get it "right"(I wish I had taken pictures but those big blue caps were scaring the **** out of me) , I have big hands so this was a little awkward.

When I finally finished the broken switch and was trying to re install it I noticed I had assembled it backwards (pain in the arse to open and close it again) so I just inverted the cables and let the one on the middle the same, that should do it right? Right?

I don't want to mess this up so I'm asking for your advice. I live in Mexico and the closest orange dealer is more than 60 miles away (crossing the border obviously), I'm looking at this as a temporal solution, eventually I'll order replacement switches from Orange or something, what do you guys think?
Er, um, want me to be honest? :?

Could be more damage than you can see or know about. (Broken valves are likely though not quite certain.) I wouldn't try repairing it myself further if I were you, and I certainly wouldn't power it up until a tech has given it a good check over. The HT voltages in valve amps as you know are very high and if you were unlucky enough to have a HT problem somewhere you or the amp could die (and I don't mean temporally!) when you plug it in. Not worth the risk IMO. You and most of your stuff survived the earthquake. I'd just be patient until a tech has seen the amp and keep it that way!!! :o

Thats my opinion anyway...


Andy.
aNDyH. :wink:

Ever tried to outstare a mirror?

In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!

Randy Bass
Lord of Orange
Posts: 10149
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:44 am

Re: UPDATE!!: Dual Terror woes...

Post by Randy Bass » Fri Apr 09, 2010 5:21 pm

I'd second the idea of taking it to a tech, especially one who has a very cerebral approach to fixing amps :D . It is possible that the amp needs a frontal lobotomy before it is safe to use again.
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OrangePaul
Orange Master
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Re: UPDATE!!: Dual Terror woes...

Post by OrangePaul » Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:53 pm

It's difficult for anyone else to judge to be honest without seeing the extent of the damage for themselves. Cracked pcb/tracks would probably render it beyond any safe repair anyway. If in doubt always air on the side of caution is probably the best advice i can give.
Paul.

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4lejandro
Tiny Terror
Posts: 59
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:25 pm

Re: UPDATE!!: Dual Terror woes...

Post by 4lejandro » Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:23 pm

Thanks for the kind thoughts, the amp fell together with it's 2x12 cab to a carpet floor (not much of a distance, the knobs and switches took all the shock it seems), the pcb, connections and tubes look fine, I decided to power it up after I repaired the switches and it seems perfectly normal (I screwed up on the output switch so it's now backwards, I don't worry about it too much as it is just a mechanical thing), sounds good too. I'm going to send it for modification soon so I'll tell the tech about the fall for a through inspection and repairs if needed.

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