Dark Terror Down

Orange Amps Technical Q&A's

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adkguy07
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Dark Terror Down

Post by adkguy07 » Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 pm

Love this amp, but after10 months of ocassional use and never cranked, it would get power from the outlet, but no sound. Vendor's tech walked me through some tube testing and prelim tests, but nothing. It's been shipped back for diagnosis to the vendor.

My guess is a tube or two took out an HT fuse to start, but who knows for sure right now. My question is that, at home, I mostly use the 7 watt setting, and would that necessarily stress power tubes or any other tube rather than using the 15 watt setting? This is a known problem with HT fuses and power tubes in different amp makes and not peculiar to Orange.....at least that's what I've been reading. I think that EL84 tubes usually work very hard all of the time; no matter what power level they operate at and some users believe they don't really last long in high gain amps.


adkguy07

bclaire
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by bclaire » Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:57 am

There's no rhyme or reason to when a vacuum tube decides to quit. You could have had a power surge from the wall, too, that could cause it. Either way, your fuse did its job and blew protecting the rest of the electronics. If new tubes and fuses don't fix it, have someone look at it.

adkguy07
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by adkguy07 » Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:12 pm

Thanks for that info., Billy. Yes, that is what I've been reading too; on the this forum and another one. The vendor will receive the amp back sometime tomorrow (Wed.8/8/18). On the phone last week, he went through a few tube tests with new power and new Pre-amp tube.....which produced no result other than still, no sound. Current flows, pilot light lights up and a/c hum at low level is heard through the V30.

If it can't be fixed, a new one will be forth-coming, I'm told. The vendor has a 2-year warranty which does not apply for every case. After reading the forums, I have learned a fair bit from others' experiences with something similar. Such are the viscisicisitudes of tube amp ownership in the era of hard working high gain amps.

adkguy07

adkguy07
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by adkguy07 » Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:52 am

I will update the status on a repair by the outfit I bought my Dark Terror from.

They claim it was power tubes after all. I'm a bit perplexed as they had sent me a pair of EL84 Mesa tubes to test with; when they were not the fix to the “dead silent” but power to amp was OK....situation they wanted it sent back.

I will be receiving the repaired amp back later this week and hope for the best. The Original tubes were JJ branded but the amp will be returned to me with a pair Groove Tube EL84s. Hope the repair people know what they are talking about. They do service every amp brand they sell.


adkguy07

adkguy07
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by adkguy07 » Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:49 am

I received my Dark Terror back from repair. Yes, it was a an output section problem. Not sure what caused it, but solution was 2 new Groove Tubes EL-84 Tubes and a replaced fuse. It seems to be working fine now. I never had a power tube, or tubes, fail before....let alone a fuse. There's always the first time!


adkguy07

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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by Les Paul Lover » Mon Sep 03, 2018 2:14 pm

adkguy07 wrote:
Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:49 am
I received my Dark Terror back from repair. Yes, it was a an output section problem. Not sure what caused it, but solution was 2 new Groove Tubes EL-84 Tubes and a replaced fuse. It seems to be working fine now. I never had a power tube, or tubes, fail before....let alone a fuse. There's always the first time!


adkguy07

The fuse did its job and protected the circuit when the valve failed.

Glad you have it back and it was a simple issue.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

adkguy07
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by adkguy07 » Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:06 am

No. No house visits. I am kind of angry with myself for just not ordering a set of power tubes and putting them in as I used to do. Very easy, no? I was taken back by the fact that new tubes did not help. It was still dead and it was a fuse. Next time it happens in the same manner, it goes to local shop and one that I trust to find the true cause. It would cost me less time and less money.

It may have been a power surge and not the tube, but I'd rather be talking with the tech by phone or in person for an explanation!


adkguy07

Les Paul Lover
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by Les Paul Lover » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:02 pm

Well, it doesnt hurt to have a few spare fuses.

It doesn't help that a fuse can look absolutely fine and still be dead.... like it happened in my AD15. I'm glad I have a digital multimeter, otherwise I'd still be trying to understand what was wrong!!!! :lol:
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

adkguy07
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Re: Dark Terror Down

Post by adkguy07 » Thu Sep 06, 2018 1:10 pm

I find it a good policy to not go pokin' around inside my amps unless I know and truly “get” electronics; lest the amp starts in to pokin' me back.


adkguy07

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