Kettle Lead Socket broken: specialist job?

[lanark]

Or can it just go to a high street electrical repair shop?

Don't know how this happend on my little Laney practice amp - but went to plug in this morning and the plastic around the socket has broken and the socket's floating free inside.

Just want to know if I'd have to schedule a visit to an amp specialist.

[endorka]

I would have thought anyone competent with a soldering iron could fix this. If you yourself are such a person, you could buy a replacement socket from, say, Maplin, and do so.

Jennifer

[lanark]

[quote name='endorka' post='936046' date='Aug 25 2010, 02:59 PM']I would have thought anyone competent with a soldering iron could fix this. If you yourself are such a person, you could buy a replacement socket from, say, Maplin, and do so.

Jennifer[/quote]

Unfortunately, me and soldering irons have never really got on. But I'm glad to hear it's an easy fix.

[flyfisher]

Yep, Jennifer is right, it's a general electrical repair, nothing particularly specialist about it, assuming it's easy enough to get inside the amp.

Local TV repair shop, or similar, should be able to do it. Otherwise, I'm sure your local music shop will know of someone.

Soldering is a handy skill though and can save a fair bit in terms of basic repairs and making up leads.

[Ou7shined]

It may be worth checking that it is not just spade connectors on the back of your socket.

[lanark]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='936331' date='Aug 25 2010, 07:54 PM']It may be worth checking that it is not just spade connectors on the back of your socket.[/quote]

Is this the sort of thing that I'd be wanting to install? Someone else has told me it might just attach with screws on the wires, like fitting a plug.

[url="http://uk.farnell.com/apsa/1049-ws/socket-iec-16a-panel/dp/1216334"]http://uk.farnell.com/apsa/1049-ws/socket-...anel/dp/1216334[/url]


Okay - my next question is .... how the hell do I get into the thing?

I appreciate that it has to be secure, but there seems to be no obvious way in. There are four screw about an inch in from each corner on the top and I presume that they hold the amp section in place. But there's a wire from the amp going down to the speaker, so if I slide the amp out, won't I be unable to get that wire back in place?

Ther alternative is to unscrew the corner plates and take then entire wooden top off the box, but that would entail damaging the plastic / paper covering of the amp which goes over the join between the sides.

Here are some pictures that might help (not mine I'm afraid - camera's up the spout.)

Front and top


Back - showing the type of socket I need to replace.


Any advice before I tear it to pieces would be gratefully received.

Edited August 26, 2010 by lanark

[neepheid]

[quote name='lanark' post='936758' date='Aug 26 2010, 08:54 AM']I appreciate that it has to be secure, but there seems to be no obvious way in. There are four screw about an inch in from each corner on the top and I presume that they hold the amp section in place. But there's a wire from the amp going down to the speaker, so if I slide the amp out, won't I be unable to get that wire back in place?[/quote]

There's probably enough slack in the wire to get the amp circuitry out - how did they get it in there in the first place? Just try it - if it pulls taut before you get the amp section out then I'm wrong, but as long as you don't yank it then it won't do any harm, just put it back and try something else.

If you can wait until tonight, I have one of these amps, so I'll try to remove the amp section and let you know how I get on.

Edited August 26, 2010 by neepheid

[lanark]

[quote name='neepheid' post='936793' date='Aug 26 2010, 09:32 AM']There's probably enough slack in the wire to get the amp circuitry out - how did they get it in there in the first place? Just try it - if it pulls taut before you get the amp section out then I'm wrong, but as long as you don't yank it then it won't do any harm, just put it back and try something else.

If you can wait until tonight, I have one of these amps, so I'll try to remove the amp section and let you know how I get on.[/quote]

That would be pertty damn good of you, sir.

If you could also take a quick peek as to whether the kettle socket attaches with solder, screws or spade connections then I'd be even more beholden (and if it has a hidden part number too, so I know I'm getting the correct bit first time).

Ahhhhh everyone on Bass Chat is so helpful.

As an aside - if I do take the amp out myself, is there any easy maintenance / spring cleaning jobs that I can do to help the amp without a degree in electrical engineering?

[Ou7shined]

If it's the same as my Laney linebacker then you may have a job getting it out at it has rivets not screws holing it in.



All you have to do is drill them out and fit something like the one you linked to above. But be sure it has the same rear connections as this... (you may need a Laney part)

[lanark]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='936819' date='Aug 26 2010, 09:53 AM']If it's the same as my Laney linebacker then you may have a job getting it out at it has rivets not screws holing it in.[/quote]

Luckily, this is much smaller and it's definitely screws holding it in on the outside (well, it was, before the plastic smashed around it).

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='lanark' post='936830' date='Aug 26 2010, 09:58 AM']Luckily, this is much smaller and it's definitely screws holding it in on the outside (well, it was, before the plastic smashed around it).[/quote]
Cool.

[flyfisher]

You might well find that the wire to the internal speaker connects to the main board with a connector of some sort. If so, you can slide out the amp for access, unclip the connector and then fully remove the amp.

The farnell part is sort of the sort of thing you need, but your amp part has an integral fuse so get a similar replacement.

I'd be wary of spade connectors because there's a lot of vibration in a bass combo - which is no doubt why the Laney photo shows soldered wires to spade connectors.

Screw-terminals are less common but even then I would use crimp-eyelets on the end of each wire and shakeproof washers. Perhaps even some threadlock as well. Again, think of vibration.

Good luck!

[BigRedX]

Can one of the Mods please merge this thread with the one posted in the Amps section.

I just spent some time replying to your post there only to find that it's already been answered here.

[lanark]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='936935' date='Aug 26 2010, 11:06 AM']Can one of the Mods please merge this thread with the one posted in the Amps section.

I just spent some time replying to your post there only to find that it's already been answered here.[/quote]

Sorry BigRedX, I've placed a VISIT THIS THREAD INSTEAD message on the other one.

Thanks for the advice anyway - and apologies for putting you to any trouble.

On the amp front. I've opened it up and the socket is soldered on with just three wires.

As I'm rubbish with a soldering iron, our keyboardist (who has a degree in electrical engineering before anyone gets too concerned) has offered to replace the socket. I just need to make sure I get the right part.

[neepheid]

[quote name='lanark' post='937102' date='Aug 26 2010, 01:15 PM']Sorry BigRedX, I've placed a VISIT THIS THREAD INSTEAD message on the other one.

Thanks for the advice anyway - and apologies for putting you to any trouble.

On the amp front. I've opened it up and the socket is soldered on with just three wires.

As I'm rubbish with a soldering iron, our keyboardist (who has a degree in electrical engineering before anyone gets too concerned) has offered to replace the socket. I just need to make sure I get the right part.[/quote]

Am I to take it from that statement that you no longer require me to open up my amp this evening?

[lanark]

[quote name='neepheid' post='937206' date='Aug 26 2010, 02:53 PM']Am I to take it from that statement that you no longer require me to open up my amp this evening?[/quote]

Yeah, I've got it open now and had a peer inside.

This is the part I need, I think

[url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1503"]http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1503[/url]

But thank you so much for the offer of help, it was very very generous of you. As it's soldered, I'll leave it to someone else to fix, but as he's in the band, he's very cheap.