suspicious smoke stain around mag 175 transformer

[brendandoher]

I'm not exactly sure how to check the transformer here-but it looks as if it got smoky?

it's a Magnavox 175. I have a mm. halp. also, if it's cooked, does anyone happen to know substitutes and how those might go? I have a wide variety of replacement transformers- Conn, Hammond, Mag 148, Mag 185, Mag 8802, 9306-

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

Looks like typical tube amp nastiness to me. I work on old Fender amps and they are always belching out fumes, gas and smoke.
Well, I exaggerate....but you get the idea.

 

[brendandoher]

well, the belching is one of the reasons to like them. all the solventy smell, etc. I may wire it up and give it a shot. what's the worst thing that could happen?

 

[EastPoint]

That's normal as far as I know. Nothing to fear.

 

[gadget73]

Ohm out the windings to make sure they show continuity end to end, and no connection to other windings or to the chassis.

If that comes out good, remove all of the tubes and power it up. If the transformer gets hot with no load, its done for. If that comes out OK, add tubes and power up like a normal old amp that may have dead parts inside.

All that said, none of that looks scary. When they have tar and goo dripping out of the holes where the wires are, and it has that distinct smell of death, then you have to worry.

 

[cademan]

For some reason my AMP175-67 amp has the same kind of stains and it is working flawlessly. It still has the original power transformer and it only gets warm after a couple of hours.

As Gadget stated, ohm out the transformer first. This will tell you heaps of information.

If need be, your MAG 185 power transformer will make a great replacement.

 

[knockbill]

+1 on the procedures given,,, I usually plug anything unknown into a DBT, if it stays bright, you know there's a problem,,, you can then look for it...

Regards,
John

 

[battradio]

That looks fairly normal , at some time one of the output tube may have bitght the dust and put a load on it . the only magnavox power transformers I have seen bad had the hum balance pot go bad and take out the transformer

 

[jaymanaa]

Ohm out the windings to make sure they show continuity end to end, and no connection to other windings or to the chassis.

If that comes out good, remove all of the tubes and power it up. If the transformer gets hot with no load, its done for. If that comes out OK, add tubes and power up like a normal old amp that may have dead parts inside.

All that said, none of that looks scary. When they have tar and goo dripping out of the holes where the wires are, and it has that distinct smell of death, then you have to worry.

This.:yes: