The strangest thing happened the other night when using my Ameritron AL-1500 amplifier.
While tuning the amp for one of the HF bands, I happened to be glancing at the top of the cabinet. I heard a light sizzling sound at the same time I saw some dim lighting come from the outlet vent on top of the cabinet.
It was very brief, and did not happen again. The amplifier tuned up just fine and operated just fine for the rest of the evening. I initially thought that maybe some dust had accumulated and just "burned off".....
Yesterday morning, I unplugged the amp, made sure all power was discharged, and removed the cabinet cover. Needless to say, there was some dust, but not much.
But what I did find surprised me.
The Plate tuning capacitor, C19 I think it is, had a cracked, broken ceramic insulator on the far end that connects to the two doorknob caps, which connects to the top of the 3CX1500A7 Eimac tube.
Everything was still in it's place except there were small pieces of the broken insulator sitting in the bottom of the chassis.
This amp has not been bumped around, or moved at all. AND it was still operating normally.
I can't even figure what the heck ........
I have had this amplifier for 3 1/2 years. I bought it used in August 2018 from an estate sale. It was still packaged in the original packaging and had never been used. The manufacturing date was in April 2013.
The operator who had originally purchased it had never unboxed and used it. An older gentleman who became ill shortly after delivery to him.
Well, the short version is that I was fortunate to have found it and bought it from the estate for $3500 .....
The amplifier now lists for $5,000, more or less, depending on where you look.
Bottom line is that I contacted MFJ/Ameritron, and they are sending me a new plate tuning capacitor and the two doorknob capacitors. They did have the parts listed in their catalog. And I am paying for the parts.
While tuning the amp for one of the HF bands, I happened to be glancing at the top of the cabinet. I heard a light sizzling sound at the same time I saw some dim lighting come from the outlet vent on top of the cabinet.
It was very brief, and did not happen again. The amplifier tuned up just fine and operated just fine for the rest of the evening. I initially thought that maybe some dust had accumulated and just "burned off".....
Yesterday morning, I unplugged the amp, made sure all power was discharged, and removed the cabinet cover. Needless to say, there was some dust, but not much.
But what I did find surprised me.
The Plate tuning capacitor, C19 I think it is, had a cracked, broken ceramic insulator on the far end that connects to the two doorknob caps, which connects to the top of the 3CX1500A7 Eimac tube.
Everything was still in it's place except there were small pieces of the broken insulator sitting in the bottom of the chassis.
This amp has not been bumped around, or moved at all. AND it was still operating normally.
I can't even figure what the heck ........
I have had this amplifier for 3 1/2 years. I bought it used in August 2018 from an estate sale. It was still packaged in the original packaging and had never been used. The manufacturing date was in April 2013.
The operator who had originally purchased it had never unboxed and used it. An older gentleman who became ill shortly after delivery to him.
Well, the short version is that I was fortunate to have found it and bought it from the estate for $3500 .....
The amplifier now lists for $5,000, more or less, depending on where you look.
Bottom line is that I contacted MFJ/Ameritron, and they are sending me a new plate tuning capacitor and the two doorknob capacitors. They did have the parts listed in their catalog. And I am paying for the parts.
