[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks for the information David; please see the following.

I checked before first power up for the mains cap but could not find one so assume it has already been removed; I'll not bother adding a replacement.

I've just had a workshop session and added an earthing lead between the CRT coating (Aquadag; thanks for the name David) and the chassis as you kindly suggested Dom.

Reading the information from both Dom and Jeffrey I wondered if it would be possible to re-form the electrolytics and also run the heater chain after first removing the connecting lead to the pair of 35R resistors? With this in mind I went into the workshop.

I do have a lot of gear Dom but unfortunately not a cap re-former but I do have a good Hunts component tester and one of David's (Yorkie) excellent ESR meters so thought the first job would be to test the electrolytics. I de-soldered all the leads from the two positive tags on the can leaving the chassis connection in place; both electrolytics tested OK on the Hunts and for good measure whilst I was at it and having never used the ESR meter before hooked it up and again both tested OK; the ESR meter can be seen testing in the picture below; the "led" is just a power on reminder. I then re-soldered the leads and located the connecting wire to the pair of 35R's and de-soldered it at the chassis post.

Next I pulled a lot of the valves one at a time to give them a wipe with a meths wetted rag as they were dirty and I wanted to be able to see the heaters.

I put the PY32 back in its holder and switched on only to blow another 3A fuse? I didn't expect this but out of curiosity I pulled the PY32 and blew yet another 3A fuse so I am still unable to apply power even to run the heater chain.

Yesterday the chassis wasn't complaining when connected to the test lamp and Variac with the Variac at 240V so this fuse blowing appears to be something regarding applying full 240V and the obvious answer would be a short as the test lamp was doing its job yesterday (limiting).

In a way this has cheered me up because it is now possible that the PY32 might be OK once this fuse blowing has been resolved. I don't know if it would make any difference but with the pair of 35R's isolated the PY32 still flashed blowing the fuse?

I'm trying to learn as I go along; am I on the right track in thinking the problem to be associated with the heater chain as I believe the HT is now isolated? Please keep the advice and information coming and I'm certainly trying to follow it.

Kind regards, Col.