Douk Audio Tube Amplifier Kit Assembly Advice Needed!

[CitrusCoyote]

Hi bg62!

Your comments are well taken! Also, your pictorial is right on! I've already tested the transformer and wired it the way you said about tying the red and black together. The seller sent me an additional picture of the transformer wiring. It was as a document, so I converted it to a JPG to be able to attach it here.

Concerning the third-wire ground, I was wondering the same thing! The transformer comes with a ground wire as part of the primary winding, yet it doesn't appear to be used! If you look at the picture showing the transformer mounted into the chassis, you can follow the path of this ground wire as it is wound around the high-voltage secondary wires...and appears to go nowhere!

I've also attached a picture of the IAC connector, which has a 2a built-in fuse. I've color coded the connectors...Red for "hot" and Black for "neutral". While the schematic shows that the ground lug isn't used, it would almost appear that the picture shows a neutral black wire connected to it. That doesn't make sense! So, yes, I'd also be interested to hear what the AK community has to say about this!

Forgot to mention this...the blue wire attached to the IAC is the "hot" (the kit comes with a large length of blue wire) and goes back to the power switch. It's interesting how the picture shows the way it's looped around all the other wires back to the switch!

im a little late to ask but i ended up getting the same kit and while this thread has solved like 90% of my problems i am curious what you did with the middle input wire on the transformer-- the yellow/green one
im genuinely clueless where it goes or what to use it for since i cant find any connectivity between it and anything else

 

[mroboto]

Yellow and green wire mean Ground in China, while it's green only here in America.

 

[CitrusCoyote]

Yellow and green wire mean Ground in China, while it's green only here in America.

thanks i kinda had a funny feeling it was a ground but it did seem a little odd how they routed it in the picture i personally would have just attached it to one of the screws holding the transformer to the frame (i have the frame grounded)

 

[mfenberg]

thanks i kinda had a funny feeling it was a ground but it did seem a little odd how they routed it in the picture i personally would have just attached it to one of the screws holding the transformer to the frame (i have the frame grounded)

Glad that someone answered this for you!

 

[CitrusCoyote]

Hi all! I've had the fun pleasure of assembling electronic kits since the P-board offerings from Radio Shack! From there, I've assembled Heathkit and Dynaco kits in the 70's. I was even able to bring an HK A50K back to life, which I had posted on this forum. What they all had in common was that each and every one include pictorials to aid in assembly. While I can read a schematic, what I can't do is translate a schematic into a logical pictorial for kit assembly! So, there in lies my dilemma with my recently acquired Douk Audio "Hi-Fi Class A Single-Ended Tube Integrated Power Amplifier DIY KIT" from eBay.

I just assumed (my first mistake!) that a reasonable pictorial would be included. Nope! Only a cryptic schematic...and showing only one channel at that! I contacted the seller and he quickly said he could send the instructions to my email address. What I received was pretty much what was already included in the "kit". See all the attached pictures.

I don't possess the skill to properly wire the components based solely on schematics! I guess I have a few options. One would be to see if any competent engineers on this forum would be willing to draw up a pictorial for me ( I would definitely pay you for your time) or should I just return the amp and call it a day?

I've even ordered a nice set of NOS Russian tubes for this amplifier! But, if I can't assemble this amp, what's the point?!!

Greatly appreciate any helpful advice from our AK members. Thanks in advance!

obv this is late as hell but i found this diagram which may be incredibly helpful to anyone in the future and i think should have come with the kit

 

[mfenberg]

obv this is late as hell but i found this diagram which may be incredibly helpful to anyone in the future and i think should have come with the kit

That's pretty much the same one I found....after I had already assembled mine with the help of AK! This diagram should have been included with the kit and much hassle would have been avoided. Still, I'm glad the way mine turned out, as I was also able to include voltage dropping resistors to get the proper voltage for the heater filaments. Plus, I was able to properly ground the unit for safety. None of this is included with the assembly directions! So, a big "thank you" to all the AK members that helped me out!

 

[mfenberg]

Here are the final pictures, showing the wiring I did to make it safer, plus eliminate a persistent hum. This little 3-tube amp was fun to build, but I moved onto the 6-tube 12w/channel version, which sounds fantastic with a pair of Klipsch RP-160M that I got, new, for under $200 at Newegg!

 

[poobs]

Great thread ! You guys are awesome !

 

[Davejc6]

I have been eyeing this amp for a few years then found this board and took the drive. Hopefully I'll have it done in the next few weeks without burning the house down. Great info here.