can I offer some vintage safety practices? When the military was teaching me to be an electronics tech, vacuum tubes were still being used. One piece of advice was "always keep one hand in your pocket". This prevented having one hand grounded and then other touching a high voltage, resulting in current flowing through your heart. Another recommended practice was to not wear metal jewelry (including our dogtags). These pieces of metal might contact exposed component terminals, possibly shocking you, or just shorting out the circuit and causing damage. Trust me, there are enough ways to get hurt without exposing yourself to easily preventable risks! :-) Thanks for the video!
While not military trained I was trained to do the same thing back in the 90s as it would lead a charge through one side of your body from your hand, typically, to a foot; when you use two hands a charge can go between both hands through your heart leading to death at her than just a painful shock. Also learned to do things in a manner that would cause a pull away rather than a grip or pull in motion as electricity can tense muscles and lead to you going deeper into the threat or gripping tighter; by planning on your position a shock would actually push you away from the electric.
My dad was military and Bell Labs trained. He has story about a guy losing (and cauterizing) a finger because he didn’t remove his ring. I don’t thing 350 VAC would do just that, but I wouldn’t wanna be the one to find out. For the sake of setting a good example to those new to this, please remove your rings!
Looking at it she is using Cat 3 test leads, I would recommend Cat 4 when working on valve gear. For the most part you should never encounter 1000V but I think the extra cover over the probes really helps. If you have 2 600V DC feeds close together then not so fun things can happen :\.
Colleen, I am glad to see your new shop, and I hope 2023 brings you prosperity, and abundant health. Excellent presentation! It is worthwhile material that everyone has wondered about. I look forward to your next episode with great eagerness.
Nice! You break it down very easy, and no nonsense. I recently got into FENDER amp repair. I own vintage ones. Like 9 of them. This helps tremendous . The video you have on discharging the filter caps was huge for me. I did have healthy fear, so i looked up multiple videos on it. Yours was the best, by far!
HUGE THANK YOU because YOUR demonstration and explanation was soooo useful to ME... and... now I know that THIS MODEL is the one that I have to look for / look after this MULTIMETER is very easy to use and straightforward / straight to the point... once again... CHEERS MATE / THANKS...
Something too many people do not appreciate is that professional quality tools, such as Fluke (my personal favourite) are very robustly built and meet the CAT II ratings. Many cheap multimeters do not have these certifications.. The test leads don't either. They may work properly when used properly but if you make a mistake no one knows how they will fail and how that failure will affect you. Buy once, cry once, use for many years.
You're baaaack! Like your clean workshop. Excellent video. Some tips: I put shink tubing on my probes (exept the tip). Prevents inter-circuit shorts. I always alligator clip frame grounds - better connectivity. Nice your meter reads .635(average); most only show .707 (RMS). Keep making these great vids!!
This was very helpful, and appreciated. As a guitar player (an old noodle) who has WAY too many tube amps, I wanted to learn more about them, so I took a class to build a tweed Princeton type amp recently here in Portland. Matt Dawson sourced the best components available, so its a better amp than Victoria sells, which helped me justify the cost of the class (was well worth it). Matt was helpful with teaching us good wiring techniques - the electronics stuff was difficult to understand though. I've gotten several amp tech books and trying to learn, but now that I'm beginning to learn I realize how much more complex electronics is than I had thought. My dad had a PhD in electronics and physics from the 1950's, wish I could have learned more from him when he was still here. Thank you for the helpful video - liked and sub...cheers!
When you're working on 110 volts or higher you should remove all jewelry from both hands.. just a safety reminder.... But it is refreshing to see a young lady into restoring electronics and knowing so much about the hobby nice job 👏 👍 👌
Great videos! Just found your channel and have been going through them. Documenting your work is invaluable and I really appreciate the time you take to do so.
@@NiHaoMike64 I think that at high voltages this increases the risk of electric shock. And here is another reason: Do not use clothing containing metal zippers, buttons, or other metal fittings. Metal, passing current, can heat up and cause burns.
The old Fluke 114 is a workhorse of a multimeter. I'd say that and the 87V (which I have) are among the most versatile Fluke has produced. A nice feature of the 87V is that it has the ability to test capacitors (though sadly it's unable to measure ESR). Funny thing, I actually grew up right near the old Fluke plant in Everett, WA. Great work!
Just found your channel and i love it! Ive love amps for a long time as a hobby, and learned things as i repaired each amp for friends or myself. A Fluke multimeter is the best and worth the price. There is nothing worst than measuring a cap or transister with a cheap meter and getting a false reading. Some parts are expensive now, and so is a misdiagnosis. Keep up the awesome job. I subbed and cant wait for more tube goodness, as that will be my future project. A 1974 West Avalon reverb ❤️
Yeah! It's pretty amazing what you can do with just a basic, bare bones, VOM. Personally, I prefer to have one that includes the diode test feature, just because it makes life a little easier. 🙂
I like tools that I can trust and I also like nice things, which brings me to the idea of buying a used Fluke. My original 77 purchased 20 years ago for maybe $75 is still working like new and highly recommended if you want to spend very little today. I picked up a 79 Series III to have capacitance and True RMS, but mostly because I like shiny toys. (Metaphorically shiny in this case!) I could actually get by with rubbish but not if it fails to work when I need it.
Great content + straight-forward awesome presentation as always. My Fluke 26 is probably my most used piece of diagnostic gear (aside from my brain and maybe a metered Variac), and being completely comfortable with it and understanding what it's telling me is critical to nearly everything else that gets done. Testing known-good components outside the amp is helpful in this regard. The only time I've gotten questionable readings is when the battery was low. Ha! Thanks for the safety demo and tips, too. (:
1. 1000V probes are useful, you can get aftermarket 4mm probe sets that will give you 1kV with clips. 2. AC probing, careful of the capacitor in the multimeter storing charge from HV and then going to low voltage without discharging can be an issue (tube-solid state hybrid this can be an issue!) I got myself a Brymen 869s for tube amps (a bit cheaper than the Flukes) but for DIY tube amps it handles 1000V and has some good features for testing solid state too. (can detect frequency which is useful for a tone input and then trace the signal, it's TrueRMS and does capacitance). I have two from the store, one 300V, one 600V but not sure on the insulation at HV from those.
Yessss thank you been waiting for this one! U rock! It’s nice to have most of this sorted on my own but this video is the best reassurance in bettering my relationship w circuits and amps!
Great seeing you back!!!! I own a clone of your Fluke (which for someone that only uses a multimeter maybe once every 3 months at most and doesn't use a multimeter on a daily basis the way a professional like you does) that suits my purposes just fine. Thank you for making the time to make this video for your loyal followers! Please make more when you have the opportunity. We miss you! Your videos are always informative. Please keep them coming!!!
Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I was a regional warehouse supervisor for a huge HVAC wholesale distributor. As such, I'd occasionally get promotional swag/marketing junk. One year, Fluke had a contest for people to suggest a new company tagline/motto. The winner would get weeklong vacation somewhere tropical. I submitted "If it works, it's a Fluke." Not only did I not win, my name was pulled from their marketing database and I never got another thing from them.... 😆 I still have a couple of their meters in my toolbox, though. Great products.
Love the vid! I often use my ohms setting for continuity testing in amps with pcb traces as I've been led astray by the continuity setting . If a trace is broken but has even a tiny stray wire or solder bit it will beep , but when checked with the ohms reading it's all over the place (bad) or like .2 (good)
Congrats on your new Shop and location. Hope every move has been a step up and better situation. Thanks for the clear explanations of how to test gear. Unless someone is working regularly with electricity and electronics, even simple tips and strategies can prove very useful. 👍
Great and very concise video. Congratulations! I only wish I could be that succint... :) Just one remark that I suspect you already know by working on high voltage amplifiers for so long: when using the ohmeter, power down the amplifier and make sure the capacitors are fully discharged. Although the Fluke wouldn't be destroyed by this, cheaper models would be close to a death sentence to the equipment.
Where did you get that clock that’s on the wall? I have one just like it! It was on the wall in my grandparent’s kitchen in Kansas. I’m 61 and the clock is older than me.
I love my fluke meters. I have a 115 on my bench at all times and a 117 for my tool bag. Love my fluke clamp meters too. Rugged and reliable. My daily drivers.
Glad to see you back!! Happy New Year. Have you ever done a tutorial on checking for noisey components such as resistors or caps with a signal tracer?? Also usint a an ESR for caps?? A lot of times values may not be bad but a cap component can be very noisy too. Also testing Electrolytics with an ESR meter to check to see whether caps are actually bad too. I usually replace all parts but don't restore (Amps) very often.
It's really nice to see you back. I've missed you. I love the plain and simple way you explain things like the use of your meter. Love from Tennessee.😊
Diagnosing a tube amp is one of the greatest things in the world. So calming... I can just let my mind go and relax and dig through the amp and look for issues. Very meditative.
Good to see a new video. Brings back my early days as an electronics engineer at Megacorp, working test and evaluation. We had a mix of Fluke digital meters and Simpson analog ones. My boss didn't trust the digital ones and preferred the analog type.
Hard-learned Fluke lesson from me and several others ever since these first existed: if ya think you'll use amps, buy that specific amp fuse ( the little one) so you have a spare ready. Yeh, sooner or later, you will get distracted.
I don’t understand where it turns from AC to DC?(LOL) I guess I could search the web. Also, when you’re connected to ground on the chassis will the paint affect the reading going to it? I’m a complete novice but it’s interesting and I’d like to learn. I find amp repair videos very interesting. Thank you.
Life for DC begins out of the rectifier. AC goes into the rectifier and DC comes out. You got tube rectifiers, diode rectifiers, Selenium rectifiers, etc. Paint only affects the reading when its so thick you cant get to bare metal for a proper ground. And then it's no reading.
@@lifelongfan07 I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I replied. I know you would rather have Colleen reply. I would too. And good luck learning this stuff. Everything you need is to know is easy to find. I only knew basic electricity 7 yrs ago myself, now I build and repair amps and guitars. You can check out a few of my guits on my channel. Kinda crappy video, sounds samples coming, still pretty cool IMO. But anyway, you're very welcome.
Flukes are more expensive but not necessarily because they are better, it's more to do with them being consistent and serviceable. So professionals that have to use certified test equipment will usually use Fluke, but the home gamer can get by with a decent quality meter that's not nearly as expensive. I bought a Bryman that was rebranded as an EEVlog multimeter. I wanted to support Dave Jone's channel and I appreciate his opinion on spec'ing out a decent meter. You can get by with a cheap one but if you're using high voltage you want a good quality that's made for that. It's a safety issue.
If a cheap meter blows up what do you think is going to happen? You think the cheapies are filled with explosives of something? The spark isn't even going to get out of the case. There's a channel here where a guy blows multimeters up. It's what he does. When he blows them up he has them open so you can see it though. His name is Joe Smith.
You use the mV set to DC to test speaker outputs. You don't want any of that, as it throws the T.H.D. (total harmonic distortion) into race, which means it gets massively crazier and worse the higher the DC voltage gets. If it is high enough, it can and will fry speakers which is why it is always recommended to test this out when receiving or buying a new "used" amp. Last I did my vintage 1970s Sony STR-7045, family original owner and daily beater since its inception, I got it down to about 1 or 2 mV which is excellent. 20 is not much to worry about. 30 the same, more or less. You get the idea. Higher than that, it should be brought down. Rock on!
That ground probe thing is actually a good idea, it annoys me having to balance my black pin onto things to keep a connection. I was using a crocadile clip sometimes to just keep it in place but I think your method is better because it uses less force than a crocodile clip.
You are very good with describing what you are doing and how to do the measurements! A couple things I would recommend is to not wear jewelry while working or measuring voltages or amps, or really any measurement. Plus, I know it’s not easy, but it is safer if someone else is around just in case you need help. This means they need to be able to see you. Also, keep one hand in your pocket so you don’t accidentally complete the circuit and get shocked or worse, electrocuted. If no one else is around, it is critical to be vigilant and stay safe.
Hey Fazio long time no see, can't wait for you to take us thru some great repairs again in 2023, hope you had a good holiday season and happy new year,your looking beautiful as always,keep those tubes a glowin, and your channel a growing, we want more more !!🤣👍
If the other components in the circuit are resistors and there is no cap that makes reading wonky, I tend to measure in circuit and then calculate the correct value from schematics :) However I have never fixed an old amp and if resistors are old carbon composites, I would propably desolder for testing :)
I don't believe I've seen any of your videos before, but I'm already impressed!!! Why, you may ask? Well, it's NOT because you're a pretty lady! I mean, you are, but at my age all that stuff is just so much flotsam and jetsam. It's not even that I'm a technocrat (coz I'm not - yes, I am an Amateur (Ham) and have been for a bit over 4 decades, but even if I wanted to be messing about with building and repairing, because my occupation is as (what we call) an Interstate Truckie (OTR Truck driver to you lot) I am always extremely time poor. Nah! What I liked about this, right from the start is that as a general rule, electronics as often as dry as the Kalahari Desert and boring as watching grass grow, but you have such a personable demeanour that it actually makes the viewer not want to just skip the hell ahead! I know this is hardly rocket science... simple stuff, but I am conscious that many new hams are largely in need is from the ground up deliveries. Thank you for presenting as you do! I've subscribed and I will watch as I can and when I can in the future! Kindest regards Indy VKXB
Thanks so much! I’m about to breadboard my first circuit and it’s inspiring having knowledgeable passionate people explain things so practically. I hope to build an amp one day.
As someone fairly new to electronics and having recently set up a lab for stereo receiver and power supply tinkering, I was instantly drawn to this video by the thumbnail. I didn't think mega good looking women were into electronics.
isn't LA and CA like wickidley st00pid expensive? i bet the weather is nice though! A FLUKE!? That's a really nice DMM. Mine costed $9 and is not as nice.
Can I test the power output of my amp with a volt meter? I trying to figure out the RMS power output so I can determine what speakers are safe to swap with the combo amp. Thanks!
Hello I have a request for a video if you would please consider An overview and reasoning/philosophy of the components you replace and also why the brands/types for decide to use. For example I notice you routinely replace all the high voltage stuff capacitors and resistors. You also seem to leave in a lot of the old carbon film resistors why? Do you use new carbon film to replace the old ones? Or metal film? How about capacitors the skies the limit on those where do you draw the line? Why no oil and paper caps? They seem to be popular with the guitar crowd. I'm in the process of restoring a vintage tube audio amp and after watching your videos I'm rethinking my plan to replace all the capacitors and carbon resistors. Love your videos I find them very informative Thank you, Bob from Sarasota, FL
Hi, from England, UK. What a refreshing change to see such a lovely young lass doing a job that's normally so male dominated. And I've done lots of old vintage electronic repairs including old American amplifiers like you've got there. But in this video you missed a VITAL safety procedure, with any mains powered electronic gear, especially with valve, or tube circuits and that is you must always safely discharge the main HT smoothing capacitors first before using your meter to read ohms, as once the valves, or tubes start cooling down then there's soon little or no discharge path for the deadly stored HT voltage which can seriously damage your meter and it is of course also a serious safety hazard for you too! So I would recommend you put together a simple discharge tool with a resistor of about 1 watt rating and about 470k ohms value and connect a length of insulated wire to each end and fit an insulated croc clip to each other end of the wire and then connect one end to chassis ground first after switching off the power to the amp and then connect the other end to the HT feed and then connect your meter to the HT and wait a moment to or two while it safely discharges which will show on the meter. I thought I'd better mention this just in case any total novices are watching this.
Hey Coleen I just purchased a quartet of EL34 tubes as spares. I’d like to test them just to make sure they are in new working order. I don’t want to install them yet as my amps don’t need them yet and I’m not sure if the amp would require rebiasing in order to test these tubes. What is the best way to test them? Thank you and keep the videos coming! TC!!
I am NOT a technician, but I frequently try to fix things myself. I used to install mobile electronics, and often used multimeters to check continuity. I have several, some known names, others no-name. One thing that has happened is, after not being used for a while, the continuity feature no longer produces an audible tone. I always remove the batteries when I store them, so I am mystified why none of them have a tone when I need them? Have you ever encountered this? Can you recommend a way to revive them? Thanks,love your videos.
As an old tube amp repair guy myself, what a wonderful explanation for the laymen. I'm not good at teaching, but you certainly are. I used to love the smell of fried resistors in the morning. Cheers and subscribed.
Hello Beautiful, It was a pleasant surprise to see a beatiful lady make videos like this, love the content, and most of all, loved your Voice...and your looks.
Great videos keep them coming. May I suggest you try your skills at repairing gaming consoles. The market could use someone like you to provide a much needed service. Good luck and thank you for what you do.
Nice. A Fluke will never let you down. I personally use Klein tools, but even ones from Harbor Freight are great for beginners. Flukes are top notch. 👍🏽
I have a Fluke 75 which I bought new. A year or so after I got it for use occasionally at home, I turned it on and when I turned it to off position, it stayed on. I checked the manual and it was warranted for 3 years, so I sent it to Fluke and they repaired it, calibrated it and sent it back. I've used Fluke meters at work for decades and up until mine went bad, I believed as you do, that ""a Fluke will never let you down."" Well, I don't believe that any more. I have 4 or 5 five dollar DMMs from Harbor Freight and they're just as reliable as the Fluke meters.
![OsamaSon - ik what you did last summer [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4DIQDnu3mr4/mqdefault.jpg)
can I offer some vintage safety practices? When the military was teaching me to be an electronics tech, vacuum tubes were still being used. One piece of advice was "always keep one hand in your pocket". This prevented having one hand grounded and then other touching a high voltage, resulting in current flowing through your heart. Another recommended practice was to not wear metal jewelry (including our dogtags). These pieces of metal might contact exposed component terminals, possibly shocking you, or just shorting out the circuit and causing damage. Trust me, there are enough ways to get hurt without exposing yourself to easily preventable risks! :-) Thanks for the video!
I just added something similar to your comment! Sounds like we both had military training in electronic components 👍
While not military trained I was trained to do the same thing back in the 90s as it would lead a charge through one side of your body from your hand, typically, to a foot; when you use two hands a charge can go between both hands through your heart leading to death at her than just a painful shock. Also learned to do things in a manner that would cause a pull away rather than a grip or pull in motion as electricity can tense muscles and lead to you going deeper into the threat or gripping tighter; by planning on your position a shock would actually push you away from the electric.
My dad was military and Bell Labs trained. He has story about a guy losing (and cauterizing) a finger because he didn’t remove his ring. I don’t thing 350 VAC would do just that, but I wouldn’t wanna be the one to find out. For the sake of setting a good example to those new to this, please remove your rings!
She shows and explain this hand in the pocket safety technique in her previous discharging caps video. It’s a good tip, thanks.
Looking at it she is using Cat 3 test leads, I would recommend Cat 4 when working on valve gear. For the most part you should never encounter 1000V but I think the extra cover over the probes really helps. If you have 2 600V DC feeds close together then not so fun things can happen :\.
Colleen, I am glad to see your new shop, and I hope 2023 brings you prosperity, and abundant health. Excellent presentation! It is worthwhile material that everyone has wondered about. I look forward to your next episode with great eagerness.
Nice to see you again Colleen. Thanks for the info.
Nice! You break it down very easy, and no nonsense. I recently got into FENDER amp repair. I own vintage ones. Like 9 of them. This helps tremendous . The video you have on discharging the filter caps was huge for me. I did have healthy fear, so i looked up multiple videos on it. Yours was the best, by far!
I would not wear jewellery especially metal rings on your fingers when probing around exposed high voltages.
HUGE THANK YOU because YOUR demonstration and explanation was soooo useful to ME... and... now I know that THIS MODEL is the one that I have to look for / look after this MULTIMETER is very easy to use and straightforward / straight to the point... once again... CHEERS MATE / THANKS...
Something too many people do not appreciate is that professional quality tools, such as Fluke (my personal favourite) are very robustly built and meet the CAT II ratings. Many cheap multimeters do not have these certifications.. The test leads don't either. They may work properly when used properly but if you make a mistake no one knows how they will fail and how that failure will affect you. Buy once, cry once, use for many years.
You're baaaack! Like your clean workshop. Excellent video. Some tips: I put shink tubing on my probes (exept the tip). Prevents inter-circuit shorts. I always alligator clip frame grounds - better connectivity. Nice your meter reads .635(average); most only show .707 (RMS). Keep making these great vids!!
Very nice way to explain the multimeter functions and very beautiful personality as well bless you.
HOTTIE. Music-related technical knowledge too? Never thought possible. 😮
This was very helpful, and appreciated. As a guitar player (an old noodle) who has WAY too many tube amps, I wanted to learn more about them, so I took a class to build a tweed Princeton type amp recently here in Portland. Matt Dawson sourced the best components available, so its a better amp than Victoria sells, which helped me justify the cost of the class (was well worth it). Matt was helpful with teaching us good wiring techniques - the electronics stuff was difficult to understand though. I've gotten several amp tech books and trying to learn, but now that I'm beginning to learn I realize how much more complex electronics is than I had thought. My dad had a PhD in electronics and physics from the 1950's, wish I could have learned more from him when he was still here. Thank you for the helpful video - liked and sub...cheers!
I used to sell Fluke meters for years for a major international electronics distributor. They make great stuff!
When you're working on 110 volts or higher you should remove all jewelry from both hands.. just a safety reminder.... But it is refreshing to see a young lady into restoring electronics and knowing so much about the hobby nice job 👏 👍 👌
Great videos! Just found your channel and have been going through them. Documenting your work is invaluable and I really appreciate the time you take to do so.
Safety precautions:
Remove all rings, wristwatches, bracelets, chains, and similar metal items.
Best regards from Odessa, Ukarina
That's an official rule in Intel labs when I worked there in 2012. Came about after someone broke a prototype board by shorting it with a ring.
@@NiHaoMike64
I think that at high voltages this increases the risk of electric shock.
And here is another reason:
Do not use clothing containing metal zippers, buttons, or other metal fittings. Metal, passing current, can heat up and cause burns.
The old Fluke 114 is a workhorse of a multimeter. I'd say that and the 87V (which I have) are among the most versatile Fluke has produced. A nice feature of the 87V is that it has the ability to test capacitors (though sadly it's unable to measure ESR). Funny thing, I actually grew up right near the old Fluke plant in Everett, WA.
Great work!
Just found your channel and i love it! Ive love amps for a long time as a hobby, and learned things as i repaired each amp for friends or myself. A Fluke multimeter is the best and worth the price. There is nothing worst than measuring a cap or transister with a cheap meter and getting a false reading. Some parts are expensive now, and so is a misdiagnosis. Keep up the awesome job. I subbed and cant wait for more tube goodness, as that will be my future project. A 1974 West Avalon reverb ❤️
Sooo good to see ya!!!!!!!!!!😀😀
I would advise against using a metallic bracelet while testing live.
Yeah! It's pretty amazing what you can do with just a basic, bare bones, VOM. Personally, I prefer to have one that includes the diode test feature, just because it makes life a little easier. 🙂
Ms Fazio is back!!! We missed you!
🥰😍🤪She's back! I needed this lesson tbh, I suck at remembering stuff like this.
I like tools that I can trust and I also like nice things, which brings me to the idea of buying a used Fluke. My original 77 purchased 20 years ago for maybe $75 is still working like new and highly recommended if you want to spend very little today. I picked up a 79 Series III to have capacitance and True RMS, but mostly because I like shiny toys. (Metaphorically shiny in this case!) I could actually get by with rubbish but not if it fails to work when I need it.
Great content + straight-forward awesome presentation as always. My Fluke 26 is probably my most used piece of diagnostic gear (aside from my brain and maybe a metered Variac), and being completely comfortable with it and understanding what it's telling me is critical to nearly everything else that gets done. Testing known-good components outside the amp is helpful in this regard. The only time I've gotten questionable readings is when the battery was low. Ha! Thanks for the safety demo and tips, too. (:
Glad to see you're back.
The good side of RUclips ✨
1. 1000V probes are useful, you can get aftermarket 4mm probe sets that will give you 1kV with clips.
2. AC probing, careful of the capacitor in the multimeter storing charge from HV and then going to low voltage without discharging can be an issue (tube-solid state hybrid this can be an issue!)
I got myself a Brymen 869s for tube amps (a bit cheaper than the Flukes) but for DIY tube amps it handles 1000V and has some good features for testing solid state too. (can detect frequency which is useful for a tone input and then trace the signal, it's TrueRMS and does capacitance). I have two from the store, one 300V, one 600V but not sure on the insulation at HV from those.
Yessss thank you been waiting for this one! U rock!
It’s nice to have most of this sorted on my own but this video is the best reassurance in bettering my relationship w circuits and amps!
Glad you found a new/better/good spot for the shop... Looking forward to Great amp repair content in Your likable easygoing Way..
Great seeing you back!!!! I own a clone of your Fluke (which for someone that only uses a multimeter maybe once every 3 months at most and doesn't use a multimeter on a daily basis the way a professional like you does) that suits my purposes just fine. Thank you for making the time to make this video for your loyal followers! Please make more when you have the opportunity. We miss you! Your videos are always informative. Please keep them coming!!!
Great to see you back,,, Hi from Syd Australiaxx
Ola , muito bom seus vídeos, gosto muito da maneira que trabalha, adoro amps, e que 2023 , venha com grandes realizações. Congratulations fron Brasil.
Fluke is great stuff, i have a Fluke 87 and a Fluke 16 and they are great, i bought them 8-9 years ago and i think they will last for ever.
Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I was a regional warehouse supervisor for a huge HVAC wholesale distributor. As such, I'd occasionally get promotional swag/marketing junk.
One year, Fluke had a contest for people to suggest a new company tagline/motto. The winner would get weeklong vacation somewhere tropical.
I submitted "If it works, it's a Fluke."
Not only did I not win, my name was pulled from their marketing database and I never got another thing from them.... 😆
I still have a couple of their meters in my toolbox, though. Great products.
Love the vid! I often use my ohms setting for continuity testing in amps with pcb traces as I've been led astray by the continuity setting . If a trace is broken but has even a tiny stray wire or solder bit it will beep , but when checked with the ohms reading it's all over the place (bad) or like .2 (good)
YAY!!!! Glad to see you back!
Congrats on your new Shop and location. Hope every move has been a step up and better situation. Thanks for the clear explanations of how to test gear. Unless someone is working regularly with electricity and electronics, even simple tips and strategies can prove very useful. 👍
Great and very concise video. Congratulations! I only wish I could be that succint... :)
Just one remark that I suspect you already know by working on high voltage amplifiers for so long: when using the ohmeter, power down the amplifier and make sure the capacitors are fully discharged. Although the Fluke wouldn't be destroyed by this, cheaper models would be close to a death sentence to the equipment.
Where did you get that clock that’s on the wall? I have one just like it! It was on the wall in my grandparent’s kitchen in Kansas. I’m 61 and the clock is older than me.
I'm still using my Fluke 75. 30 years old but it's still going strong.
I love my fluke meters. I have a 115 on my bench at all times and a 117 for my tool bag. Love my fluke clamp meters too. Rugged and reliable. My daily drivers.
this is amazing!
Lit! learned so much in short time.
Glad to see you back!! Happy New Year. Have you ever done a tutorial on checking for noisey components such as resistors or caps with a signal tracer?? Also usint a an ESR for caps?? A lot of times values may not be bad but a cap component can be very noisy too. Also testing Electrolytics with an ESR meter to check to see whether caps are actually bad too. I usually replace all parts but don't restore (Amps) very often.
how wonderfully.......technical!!!!!!!!!
Welcome back!
I hope you can receive this in the spirit in which it's offered. Please remove all that metal jewelry before working on a live circuit.
Absolutely, yes. Even the best of the best remove watches and the like.
It's really nice to see you back. I've missed you. I love the plain and simple way you explain things like the use of your meter. Love from Tennessee.😊
Excellent video, thank you for your helpful knowledge. God bless. Peace
" Things connected together act differently when things are in isolation ". An old adage from one of my EE professors.
Happy New Year Colleen and thanks for the information. Always appreciated
Happy New Year!
Great to see you back ! (From Korean tube amplifier DIY hobbyist)
Diagnosing a tube amp is one of the greatest things in the world. So calming... I can just let my mind go and relax and dig through the amp and look for issues. Very meditative.
Happy new year! Looking forward to more amps this year
I found this channel by a Fluke.
Good video. Having not watched your other vids, but I hope the jewery comes off when working with live circuits
I think it's actually the components *in parallel* that influence the in-line resistance measurement. Not the in series ones.
Good to see a new video. Brings back my early days as an electronics engineer at Megacorp, working test and evaluation. We had a mix of Fluke digital meters and Simpson analog ones. My boss didn't trust the digital ones and preferred the analog type.
Hard-learned Fluke lesson from me and several others ever since these first existed: if ya think you'll use amps, buy that specific amp fuse ( the little one) so you have a spare ready.
Yeh, sooner or later, you will get distracted.
Can you do a video on how you use the oscilloscope?
I don’t understand where it turns from AC to DC?(LOL) I guess I could search the web. Also, when you’re connected to ground on the chassis will the paint affect the reading going to it?
I’m a complete novice but it’s interesting and I’d like to learn.
I find amp repair videos very interesting.
Thank you.
Life for DC begins out of the rectifier. AC goes into the rectifier and DC comes out. You got tube rectifiers, diode rectifiers, Selenium rectifiers, etc.
Paint only affects the reading when its so thick you cant get to bare metal for a proper ground. And then it's no reading.
@@michaelmoore7975 thank you for replying!
@@lifelongfan07 I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I replied. I know you would rather have Colleen reply. I would too.
And good luck learning this stuff. Everything you need is to know is easy to find. I only knew basic electricity 7 yrs ago myself, now I build and repair amps and guitars. You can check out a few of my guits on my channel. Kinda crappy video, sounds samples coming, still pretty cool IMO.
But anyway, you're very welcome.
@@michaelmoore7975 no worries man. learning is fun and hopefully rewarding in one way or another.
Oh damn- I missed you beautiful- where you been all my life? ❤
Flukes are more expensive but not necessarily because they are better, it's more to do with them being consistent and serviceable. So professionals that have to use certified test equipment will usually use Fluke, but the home gamer can get by with a decent quality meter that's not nearly as expensive. I bought a Bryman that was rebranded as an EEVlog multimeter. I wanted to support Dave Jone's channel and I appreciate his opinion on spec'ing out a decent meter. You can get by with a cheap one but if you're using high voltage you want a good quality that's made for that. It's a safety issue.
If a cheap meter blows up what do you think is going to happen? You think the cheapies are filled with explosives of something? The spark isn't even going to get out of the case. There's a channel here where a guy blows multimeters up. It's what he does. When he blows them up he has them open so you can see it though. His name is Joe Smith.
@@1pcfred I'm a big fan of people being free to do what they like. So enjoy!
You use the mV set to DC to test speaker outputs. You don't want any of that, as it throws the T.H.D. (total harmonic distortion) into race, which means it gets massively crazier and worse the higher the DC voltage gets. If it is high enough, it can and will fry speakers which is why it is always recommended to test this out when receiving or buying a new "used" amp. Last I did my vintage 1970s Sony STR-7045, family original owner and daily beater since its inception, I got it down to about 1 or 2 mV which is excellent. 20 is not much to worry about. 30 the same, more or less. You get the idea. Higher than that, it should be brought down. Rock on!
That ground probe thing is actually a good idea, it annoys me having to balance my black pin onto things to keep a connection. I was using a crocadile clip sometimes to just keep it in place but I think your method is better because it uses less force than a crocodile clip.
You are very good with describing what you are doing and how to do the measurements! A couple things I would recommend is to not wear jewelry while working or measuring voltages or amps, or really any measurement. Plus, I know it’s not easy, but it is safer if someone else is around just in case you need help. This means they need to be able to see you. Also, keep one hand in your pocket so you don’t accidentally complete the circuit and get shocked or worse, electrocuted. If no one else is around, it is critical to be vigilant and stay safe.
Hey Fazio long time no see, can't wait for you to take us thru some great repairs again in 2023, hope you had a good holiday season and happy new year,your looking beautiful as always,keep those tubes a glowin, and your channel a growing, we want more more !!🤣👍
Leave cali unless you are a democrat....
If the other components in the circuit are resistors and there is no cap that makes reading wonky, I tend to measure in circuit and then calculate the correct value from schematics :)
However I have never fixed an old amp and if resistors are old carbon composites, I would propably desolder for testing :)
Get out of LA #1 . Do you use LCR for caps ?
I don't believe I've seen any of your videos before, but I'm already impressed!!! Why, you may ask?
Well, it's NOT because you're a pretty lady! I mean, you are, but at my age all that stuff is just so much flotsam and jetsam. It's not even that I'm a technocrat (coz I'm not - yes, I am an Amateur (Ham) and have been for a bit over 4 decades, but even if I wanted to be messing about with building and repairing, because my occupation is as (what we call) an Interstate Truckie (OTR Truck driver to you lot) I am always extremely time poor.
Nah! What I liked about this, right from the start is that as a general rule, electronics as often as dry as the Kalahari Desert and boring as watching grass grow, but you have such a personable demeanour that it actually makes the viewer not want to just skip the hell ahead! I know this is hardly rocket science... simple stuff, but I am conscious that many new hams are largely in need is from the ground up deliveries.
Thank you for presenting as you do! I've subscribed and I will watch as I can and when I can in the future!
Kindest regards
Indy VKXB
Jewelry is dangerous..😯
Thanks so much! I’m about to breadboard my first circuit and it’s inspiring having knowledgeable passionate people explain things so practically. I hope to build an amp one day.
Good stuff. Thanks for posting
Interesting voltage from the PT, which amp are you testing? I can see that it's a Fender, but not sure which model. Thanks Colleen!!
OH...this is actually "How I Use My (FLUKE) Multimeter" Not really for Cheap.O's..
Gotch'Ya...L8tr.
Do you work with alot of stuff with capacitors? Curious if you work on newer stuff ?
i have a box of a few Humbucker Pickups. Do you know what type of meter and setting would be used to test their output ? thank you :)
As someone fairly new to electronics and having recently set up a lab for stereo receiver and power supply tinkering, I was instantly drawn to this video by the thumbnail. I didn't think mega good looking women were into electronics.
isn't LA and CA like wickidley st00pid expensive? i bet the weather is nice though! A FLUKE!? That's a really nice DMM. Mine costed $9 and is not as nice.
Can I test the power output of my amp with a volt meter? I trying to figure out the RMS power output so I can determine what speakers are safe to swap with the combo amp. Thanks!
Hello
I have a request for a video if you would please consider
An overview and reasoning/philosophy of the components you replace and also why the brands/types for decide to use.
For example I notice you routinely replace all the high voltage stuff capacitors and resistors. You also seem to leave in a lot of the old carbon film resistors why? Do you use new carbon film to replace the old ones? Or metal film? How about capacitors the skies the limit on those where do you draw the line? Why no oil and paper caps? They seem to be popular with the guitar crowd. I'm in the process of restoring a vintage tube audio amp and after watching your videos I'm rethinking my plan to replace all the capacitors and carbon resistors. Love your videos I find them very informative
Thank you, Bob from Sarasota, FL
Really helpful video! Thank you so much for your time! Much appreciated!
Hi, from England, UK. What a refreshing change to see such a lovely young lass doing a job that's normally so male dominated. And I've done lots of old vintage electronic repairs including old American amplifiers like you've got there. But in this video you missed a VITAL safety procedure, with any mains powered electronic gear, especially with valve, or tube circuits and that is you must always safely discharge the main HT smoothing capacitors first before using your meter to read ohms, as once the valves, or tubes start cooling down then there's soon little or no discharge path for the deadly stored HT voltage which can seriously damage your meter and it is of course also a serious safety hazard for you too! So I would recommend you put together a simple discharge tool with a resistor of about 1 watt rating and about 470k ohms value and connect a length of insulated wire to each end and fit an insulated croc clip to each other end of the wire and then connect one end to chassis ground first after switching off the power to the amp and then connect the other end to the HT feed and then connect your meter to the HT and wait a moment to or two while it safely discharges which will show on the meter. I thought I'd better mention this just in case any total novices are watching this.
Hey Coleen I just purchased a quartet of EL34 tubes as spares. I’d like to test them just to make sure they are in new working order. I don’t want to install them yet as my amps don’t need them yet and I’m not sure if the amp would require rebiasing in order to test these tubes. What is the best way to test them? Thank you and keep the videos coming! TC!!
Always a nice ☺vídeo, thanks and take care!
@text-5911 Now i am curious 🙃
I really like your basic meter video BUT seems like a lot of metal on your fingers and wrist to be probing around high voltage. Just Sayin.
Where did you learn electronics? And how many years did you study?
Very informative and entertaining.
Thank you
Great video. I remove jewelry when working with electricity. Metal jewelry is conductive and can result in shock or burns.
I am NOT a technician, but I frequently try to fix things myself. I used to install mobile electronics, and often used multimeters to check continuity. I have several, some known names, others no-name. One thing that has happened is, after not being used for a while, the continuity feature no longer produces an audible tone. I always remove the batteries when I store them, so I am mystified why none of them have a tone when I need them? Have you ever encountered this? Can you recommend a way to revive them? Thanks,love your videos.
@text-5911 Hi, I'm responding to your feedback
As an old tube amp repair guy myself, what a wonderful explanation for the laymen. I'm not good at teaching, but you certainly are. I used to love the smell of fried resistors in the morning. Cheers and subscribed.
haha fried resistors for breakfast
Hello Beautiful, It was a pleasant surprise to see a beatiful lady make videos like this, love the content, and most of all, loved your Voice...and your looks.
Damn wish you, I was closer
Have a 80s Hiwatt that I would like to have tuned up
Cool videos ✨👍🙂
Great videos keep them coming. May I suggest you try your skills at repairing gaming consoles. The market could use someone like you to provide a much needed service. Good luck and thank you for what you do.
the perfect combination: beautifull eyes and handy with multimeter😍😍😍
Nice. Would you benefit from baking able to measure capacitance too?
Heads up: I just got msg'd by a bot telling me to text some weird number because you have something special for me.
Very cool. I should get a nicer multimeter. The free ones (Harbor Freight) are ok for many uses, but would be nice to have a better one on occasion.
Nice. A Fluke will never let you down. I personally use Klein tools, but even ones from Harbor Freight are great for beginners. Flukes are top notch. 👍🏽
I have a Fluke 75 which I bought new. A year or so after I got it for use occasionally at home, I turned it on and when I turned it to off position, it stayed on. I checked the manual and it was warranted for 3 years, so I sent it to Fluke and they repaired it, calibrated it and sent it back. I've used Fluke meters at work for decades and up until mine went bad, I believed as you do, that ""a Fluke will never let you down."" Well, I don't believe that any more. I have 4 or 5 five dollar DMMs from Harbor Freight and they're just as reliable as the Fluke meters.
Sad we don't have a chance to get along as coworkers. Sharing experience would be useful in every term