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Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24768] Wed, 16 March 2016 22:11 Go to next message
sleepingtiger is currently offline  sleepingtiger
Messages: 29
Registered: December 2015
Location: Northern Illinois
Junior Member
I have a Challenger & I got a Vox footswitch to use with it, but it needs a new plug & I don't know the color code. I tried Black to sleeve & red & white to tip & ring & only reverb switches, so I figure to switch the black & white next. Anybody have any idea?
Also, the reverb is now nothing but a loud hum...I mean LOUD! Any suggestions as to the possible issues? It worked fine a week ago & the I moved it & now this.I figure to take the back off & hopefully find the reverb tank in with the speakers & start there. Any ideas as to any other possible issues would be appreciated. I'm used to tube amps, so other than the RCA connections(right?), I don't have a clue!

Thanks,
Tony
Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24769 is a reply to message #24768] Thu, 17 March 2016 02:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
Do you have an ohmmeter? That's the way to find out how the foot switch is wired.

According to the schematic, the ring connection is for the reverb. So knowing that, you know that the wire connected to the ring and the wire connected to the sleeve are shorting together when the switch is pressed. But the tip wire is not being grounded when the second switch is being pressed. So logically, swap the two wires that are connected to the sleeve and the ring and both switches should work.

As for the reverb hum, a bad or dirty connection on the reverb tank output line would do that. It could be the RCA cable or it could be a broken wire inside the reverb tank itself.
Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24770 is a reply to message #24769] Thu, 17 March 2016 02:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
sleepingtiger is currently offline  sleepingtiger
Messages: 29
Registered: December 2015
Location: Northern Illinois
Junior Member
Thanks Bill! I'm going to try to look at the tank & connections tomorrow, or if not, soon. I assume the reverb tank is in with the speakers?

Tony
Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24772 is a reply to message #24768] Thu, 17 March 2016 12:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
No Steve, this is a Challenger. The tank is mounted in the speaker part of the cabinet.
Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24773 is a reply to message #24772] Thu, 17 March 2016 14:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
sleepingtiger is currently offline  sleepingtiger
Messages: 29
Registered: December 2015
Location: Northern Illinois
Junior Member
Thanks Bill! Who's Steve?

Tony
Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24774 is a reply to message #24768] Thu, 17 March 2016 16:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
He's a moderator here that I was replying to.
Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24775 is a reply to message #24774] Thu, 17 March 2016 16:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
sleepingtiger is currently offline  sleepingtiger
Messages: 29
Registered: December 2015
Location: Northern Illinois
Junior Member
OK, thanks again, Bill!...Hi Steve!

Tony

[Updated on: Thu, 17 March 2016 16:39]

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Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24779 is a reply to message #24769] Sat, 19 March 2016 02:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
sleepingtiger is currently offline  sleepingtiger
Messages: 29
Registered: December 2015
Location: Northern Illinois
Junior Member
Well, after trying the wire switch & both switches switched the trem on & off, but zero on the reverb. I checked the inside of the Vox footswitch & the black is the common connection..sooo...I wired the plug tip-red, ring-white & ground-black again & it worked perfectly, so I must have had a short somewhere, when I wired it the first time.
As for the reverb, I took the back off & before wrestling with the bag around the tank, which incidentally is what anchors it to the cabinet with 2 little screws!, I decided to re-tension & spray clean the RCA connections(plugs & jacks) on the back panel of the amp chassis & VIOLA! Reverb & NO hum! I was debating taking the tank out & doing the same with the connections on there, assuming there ARE some, but decided, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" So it works fine, so far, so I'll try it again tomorrow & if it's all good, I'll put the back on again & be grateful to be done...whew!
Anyway, thanks to this forum, & especially you, Bill for your guidance, tolerance & patience!

With Fingers Crossed...
Tony

[Updated on: Sat, 19 March 2016 02:16]

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Re: Reverb & footswitch question(s) [message #24780 is a reply to message #24768] Sat, 19 March 2016 06:27 Go to previous message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4728
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
Senior Member
What you should do to the reverb tank is take it out of the bag and on the inside where the very small wires come off the RCA Jack place a good dab of silicone glue / sealer at those 4 points and also where those wires go to on there other end.

Doing this will avoide the failure that befalls 99% of reverb tanks when they quit working.
Ok , maybe not 99% but 90 as sometimes the very small hard metal spring coupler at each end of the spring will snap from fatigue .

Please take note all , if that happens to your vintage tank in ANY amp I can repair them!

[Updated on: Sat, 19 March 2016 06:31]

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