Power Switch Replacement (Don't let me die)

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Mongillo19

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If youve followed along with the JT Badlander Saga, you may know the rack shell fell off as I was transporting it back into the rack case, resulting quite the fall but the only damage being a broken standby switch. BUILT MESA TOUGH or some such.

Anyway, it's been a few months now and I have it back in a rack but would love to replace the standby switch. It seems easy and cheap enough but do I need to discharge any power from the amp before touching it? Or should I just take it to a tech lol
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You definitely need to make sure the electrolytic caps are discharged before you go poking around in there. Those are the ones that hold on to the lethal voltages.

It's pretty straight forward to discharge caps, basically touch the capacitor lead with a resistor connected to ground. You can make a discharge tool with a couple of alligator clips. After they're discharged the amp is safe to work on.

If this is really the only time you'd be doing some work inside an amp you'll be better off being safe and taking it to a tech. You can hurt and possibly kill yourself if you go poking around in one all willy-nilly not knowing what you're doing.

That said, I don't want to discourage you if you really want to start learning about the inner working and doing some maintenance/repairs yourself. You just need to make sure to inform yourself on what you're doing, all the potential hazards, and how to stay safe.

Read through Rob-Rob's site. There's a lot of good info on tube amps there. And here's a couple of videos on safety and how to discharge capacitors.

https://robrobinette.com/Amp_Stuff.htm





 
Mongillo19 said:
Hell after the above description I just might 🤣
Click to expand...
Honestly, if done correctly as described and caution used, should be simple. Usually just a spade unthread switch... Install and reconnect...done.

Maybe I am oversimplifying things ...but I used to deal with a lot of high voltage caps and as long as it's done in the right way.... totally safe.
 
MadAsAHatter said:
You definitely need to make sure the electrolytic caps are discharged before you go poking around in there. Those are the ones that hold on to the lethal voltages.

It's pretty straight forward to discharge caps, basically touch the capacitor lead with a resistor connected to ground. You can make a discharge tool with a couple of alligator clips. After they're discharged the amp is safe to work on.

If this is really the only time you'd be doing some work inside an amp you'll be better off being safe and taking it to a tech. You can hurt and possibly kill yourself if you go poking around in one all willy-nilly not knowing what you're doing.

That said, I don't want to discourage you if you really want to start learning about the inner working and doing some maintenance/repairs yourself. You just need to make sure to inform yourself on what you're doing, all the potential hazards, and how to stay safe.

Read through Rob-Rob's site. There's a lot of good info on tube amps there. And here's a couple of videos on safety and how to discharge capacitors.

https://robrobinette.com/Amp_Stuff.htm





Click to expand...

Appreciate the resources! I think I might just take it in. I'd love to give it a go but the risk just outweighs the reward for me. I'm sure id be fine but it's not that big of an issue. I might not even take it in. Standby switches are useless anyway right 🤣
 
Pull the chassis out and see what you are working with. You are NOT going to die pulling out the chassis.

Please, don't try and prove me wrong. :LOL:
 
Lol charveldan's sig something about gladly paying a tech to take the zap for him
 
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