I seen their website, in the middle of phasing out 60s.
*Chuckle* Its something, you can buy a brand new vacuum
tube but you wont be able to buy a 60 watt light bulb.
My Dim-Bulb Tester doesn't dim
- Thread starter gazman
- Start date
I seen their website, in the middle of phasing out 60s.
*Chuckle* Its something, you can buy a brand new vacuum
tube but you wont be able to buy a 60 watt light bulb.
The QR-1500 is a nice amp!!! Let me know if you want a scan of the user manual (I was lucky enough to get the original with the QR1500 I got)
The rear of the lamp socket should look like this
The two terminals with an E next to them are for looping in and out Earth connections, and the other two are the actual connections for the lamp. You need to run the active (hot) from the source (Plug) to one of the lamp terminals, and then run the active out to your test socket from the other lamp terminal. You can join the earths together in either of the earth loop terminals.
Also bear in mind that when looking at the front of a power point, the upper left connection is the Active, the upper right is the Neutral, and the bottom one is the earth. In any extension lead, the brown is active, blue is neutral, and gren/yellow is earth.
I'm off to bed too, I will post up pics of my set up in the morning.
Cheers
John
The rear of the lamp socket should look like this
The two terminals with an E next to them are for looping in and out Earth connections, and the other two are the actual connections for the lamp. You need to run the active (hot) from the source (Plug) to one of the lamp terminals, and then run the active out to your test socket from the other lamp terminal. You can join the earths together in either of the earth loop terminals.
Also bear in mind that when looking at the front of a power point, the upper left connection is the Active, the upper right is the Neutral, and the bottom one is the earth. In any extension lead, the brown is active, blue is neutral, and gren/yellow is earth.
I'm off to bed too, I will post up pics of my set up in the morning.
Cheers
John
Good advice re the earth leakage breaker (GFI), good to have (all new houses must have these on all power circuits in Aus), and as you have explained they are only good if you get caught across the active to earth/ground.
I agree with the fact that there is a problem with the way the OP has his DBT wired, and was trying to eliminate an incorrect earth connection at the lamp socket by suggesting that the earth be removed and run straight through.
Cheers
John
I am sure we will get this sorted
Ain't it the truth..... I'll have to get a couple of the 100W bug lights before they ban them as well....
PioneerGuy75
Certified Lurker
Pardon my ignorance, but what is the purpose of this tester?
Thanks!
Thanks!
petehall347
the brandy coffee man
i was going to suggest the earth on neutral terminal but didn't realise you don't have rcd.s fitted in main house supply .i wouldn't work on anything without them fitted its a little dangerous to life if you ask me and a fire risk .
Pardon my ignorance, but what is the purpose of this tester?
Thanks!
It limits the current by having an incandescent light bulb on the hotside for less load on device when checking your work after repairs or on unknown equipment.
So you don't croak it Letting out the magic smoke as they say around here.:tears:
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PioneerGuy75
Certified Lurker
It limits the current by having an incandescent light bulb on the hotside for less load on device when checking your work after repairs or on unknown equipment.
Thank you very much!!
Due to budget cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.
then again
YMMVHi,
As promised some extra info.....
Note that this is for Australian conditions!!
This is a basic diagram of a dim bulb tester
If you have an old bayonet fitting it will have just two terminals, and you should wire the active coming from the plug to one terminal, and the active going out to the socket to the other. The Neutral and eath go stright through from Plug to socket.
If you have a new Bayonet fitting, it should have four terminals, two opposite each other for the lamp connection, and two that can be used to loop in and out. The two looping terminals could both be marked "E" as per the one I have, or one could be marked with a dab of green paint for the earth, and the other "L" for Loop.
Example of the second one
This is how I have wired mine (fitting has two 'E" looping termials)
I used the two looping terminals to connect the incoming and outgoing Neutral and Earth wires.
As stated earlier in this thread, this is mains wiring and due care should be taken. If anything is not clear then seek further clarification (PM me your contact number an I will call to advise)
Hope this helps
Cheers
John
As promised some extra info.....
Note that this is for Australian conditions!!
This is a basic diagram of a dim bulb tester
If you have an old bayonet fitting it will have just two terminals, and you should wire the active coming from the plug to one terminal, and the active going out to the socket to the other. The Neutral and eath go stright through from Plug to socket.
If you have a new Bayonet fitting, it should have four terminals, two opposite each other for the lamp connection, and two that can be used to loop in and out. The two looping terminals could both be marked "E" as per the one I have, or one could be marked with a dab of green paint for the earth, and the other "L" for Loop.
Example of the second one
This is how I have wired mine (fitting has two 'E" looping termials)
I used the two looping terminals to connect the incoming and outgoing Neutral and Earth wires.
As stated earlier in this thread, this is mains wiring and due care should be taken. If anything is not clear then seek further clarification (PM me your contact number an I will call to advise)
Hope this helps
Cheers
John
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gazman
Active Member
John, that's absolutely brilliant - thanks so much for all the time you've put into this. This is much, much clearer now, and also a load off my mind to have advice based on Australian wiring. That feels much safer!
From your photos I can see the problem. What I'd done was use the light fitting's earth loop for the earth wire, but run the neutral straight to the power socket - so the second loop plug is empty. I have no idea now why I thought that was the way to do it - I think I had my mind on the bulb sitting across the active wire, and that the second loop was for extra bulbs in series and dimmer switches and things. Essentially - it looks like your diagram, but not like your actual wiring.
I'll go change the wiring around to match your photos now. I'm assuming that's the problem though
Re GFIs and safety - the house has a whole-house GFI, but not the garage - where I work on amps, so I've been using a plug-in one for the workbench power. I realise the limits of a GFI - this is more a layered defence idea, so GFI + rubber mat + hand in back of pants + always check caps are actually discharged rather than assuming before starting each day + not tired + not being a dumbass. And relying on attention and where fingers are above the rest. Just I'd feel like a total tit if I did manage to get a hand in the wrong place and didn't have a GFI in place and the GFI could have saved me. Obviously I wouldn't feel like a tit, I'd feel dead, but you know... I'm very, very paranoid about the electricity dangers in this hobby - both mains and from undischarged caps. I'm coming at this from computer repair, where you can basically do anything you like with the power switched on at the wall except jam a chisel through the transformer's supply side wiring and then lick it (okay, exaggerating) - but yeah - a significant step up in dangerousness with what I'm doing here, and being very cautious.
As an aside, the tester case is insulated plastic, and I haven't actually been touching any part of it, or the connected amp, while it isn't working properly. Plug everything in and flip the power switches and then turn the whole lot on at the wall. Same for new amps and such. Not that I expect the electricity to magically leap through the power switch and get me, but better safe than not, just in case I've done something stupid.
Thanks also for the offer on the manual too! There's a kind of combo QR-1500 manual on HiFi Engine called "Operating Instructions and Service Manual" - is that the one you have, or do you have a service-manual only version? One of the projects I need to get to is messing with its quad sound. (This is still in the pipeline so I might not understand this properly yet, but...) I don't have any quad sources, I was going to find a DVD player with analogue out that can be set for either 4 or 5.1 systems and see what happened - I've seen this setting on a mid-90s Yamaha receiver, so hoped I could hunt it down on a source. Either that or just rip DVDs, and demux them in some way to mash the centre channel back into the two front ones and go from there. And apparently Sansui quad is Dolby version 1 (basically) so there's some degree of compatibility there - that's a rumour I haven't investigated more.
And about the bulbs - how cool is an insect-repelling amp tester. Now that's some hybrid technology, like a hi-fi toaster
From your photos I can see the problem. What I'd done was use the light fitting's earth loop for the earth wire, but run the neutral straight to the power socket - so the second loop plug is empty. I have no idea now why I thought that was the way to do it - I think I had my mind on the bulb sitting across the active wire, and that the second loop was for extra bulbs in series and dimmer switches and things. Essentially - it looks like your diagram, but not like your actual wiring.
I'll go change the wiring around to match your photos now. I'm assuming that's the problem though
Re GFIs and safety - the house has a whole-house GFI, but not the garage - where I work on amps, so I've been using a plug-in one for the workbench power. I realise the limits of a GFI - this is more a layered defence idea, so GFI + rubber mat + hand in back of pants + always check caps are actually discharged rather than assuming before starting each day + not tired + not being a dumbass. And relying on attention and where fingers are above the rest. Just I'd feel like a total tit if I did manage to get a hand in the wrong place and didn't have a GFI in place and the GFI could have saved me. Obviously I wouldn't feel like a tit, I'd feel dead, but you know... I'm very, very paranoid about the electricity dangers in this hobby - both mains and from undischarged caps. I'm coming at this from computer repair, where you can basically do anything you like with the power switched on at the wall except jam a chisel through the transformer's supply side wiring and then lick it (okay, exaggerating) - but yeah - a significant step up in dangerousness with what I'm doing here, and being very cautious.
As an aside, the tester case is insulated plastic, and I haven't actually been touching any part of it, or the connected amp, while it isn't working properly. Plug everything in and flip the power switches and then turn the whole lot on at the wall. Same for new amps and such. Not that I expect the electricity to magically leap through the power switch and get me, but better safe than not, just in case I've done something stupid.
Thanks also for the offer on the manual too! There's a kind of combo QR-1500 manual on HiFi Engine called "Operating Instructions and Service Manual" - is that the one you have, or do you have a service-manual only version? One of the projects I need to get to is messing with its quad sound. (This is still in the pipeline so I might not understand this properly yet, but...) I don't have any quad sources, I was going to find a DVD player with analogue out that can be set for either 4 or 5.1 systems and see what happened - I've seen this setting on a mid-90s Yamaha receiver, so hoped I could hunt it down on a source. Either that or just rip DVDs, and demux them in some way to mash the centre channel back into the two front ones and go from there. And apparently Sansui quad is Dolby version 1 (basically) so there's some degree of compatibility there - that's a rumour I haven't investigated more.
And about the bulbs - how cool is an insect-repelling amp tester. Now that's some hybrid technology, like a hi-fi toaster
VictoriaGuy
Well-Known Member
Interesting....
In Canada, the neutral and ground (aka earth) may only be connected together in the distribution panel/breaker box.
As I understand it those 2 'looping terminals' are not connected together - so there is no connection between Earth and Neutral at the lamp holder. This is despite the fact that they are both apparently labelled 'E' - which does seem a little odd.
VictoriaGuy
Well-Known Member
Thanks - that's makes sense.
I assumed that the two 'E' terminals were connected together.
gazman
Active Member
John - thank you so much for all your help with this. It's done, it works!
I'll get the photos off the camera and post them later - this just in case you checked the boards this evening
I changed the wiring over to what's shown in your picture, and everything seems to be working as expected.
With a 100w bulb:
Good amp, 15wpc - not a flicker from the bulb, amp powers up.
Suspect amp (turns out not), 40wpc - bulb lights at power up, dims quickly (less than 1 sec), stays off. Turning amp off and back on the bulb stays off. Leaving it off for a few minutes, then powering on, the lamp lights briefly, then dims. (This is like the youtube videos I found and what I was expecting).
(the really fun one) - a known bad amp. This is mid-90s BPC, supposedly 280w or so total. When powered on the protection circuit switches on and off rapidly (like twice a second). Putting this on the tester the lamp flicks on and off in time to the amps protection circuit. It's like a disco in my garage, with extra clicking sounds!
At that point I realised that a 100w incandescent bulb was probably a more valuable item than a 1990s receiver, so stopped risking my valuable bulb.
The really dumb thing was that all this time a midge-type bug was hanging around looking at the bulb. So I'm not completely sure it has any repelling effect, but we'll see. Maybe the amp's power lamps were attracting it.
Also - just an aside on Post 20 - it may be an Australia vs US thing, but the wiring I was using earlier actually didn't trip the GFI. Just for what that's worth. I'm not sure if that's significant, but in case anyone else is accidentally replicating this
I'll get the photos off the camera and post them later - this just in case you checked the boards this evening
I changed the wiring over to what's shown in your picture, and everything seems to be working as expected.
With a 100w bulb:
Good amp, 15wpc - not a flicker from the bulb, amp powers up.
Suspect amp (turns out not), 40wpc - bulb lights at power up, dims quickly (less than 1 sec), stays off. Turning amp off and back on the bulb stays off. Leaving it off for a few minutes, then powering on, the lamp lights briefly, then dims. (This is like the youtube videos I found and what I was expecting).
(the really fun one) - a known bad amp. This is mid-90s BPC, supposedly 280w or so total. When powered on the protection circuit switches on and off rapidly (like twice a second). Putting this on the tester the lamp flicks on and off in time to the amps protection circuit. It's like a disco in my garage, with extra clicking sounds!
At that point I realised that a 100w incandescent bulb was probably a more valuable item than a 1990s receiver, so stopped risking my valuable bulb
.The really dumb thing was that all this time a midge-type bug was hanging around looking at the bulb. So I'm not completely sure it has any repelling effect, but we'll see. Maybe the amp's power lamps were attracting it.
Also - just an aside on Post 20 - it may be an Australia vs US thing, but the wiring I was using earlier actually didn't trip the GFI. Just for what that's worth. I'm not sure if that's significant, but in case anyone else is accidentally replicating this
Connecting the neutral as shown in the picture shouldn't make ANY difference except maybe a code violation (since you use a terminal marked "earth" for something else, which is a capital felony in most countries )
To the others: if those two terminals were connected (which I initially suspected too) connecting the setup as shown in the picture would trip the GFI/RCD immediately.
As a side note... I'm really surprised your garage isn't on an RCD! In most European countries bathrooms, exterior outlets and unheated rooms were among the first to be required RCD protection.
)To the others: if those two terminals were connected (which I initially suspected too) connecting the setup as shown in the picture would trip the GFI/RCD immediately.
As a side note... I'm really surprised your garage isn't on an RCD! In most European countries bathrooms, exterior outlets and unheated rooms were among the first to be required RCD protection.
Sorry for the confusion, I should have made it clear that the two looping terminals are isolated terminals with no connection to each other. The bayonet holder with the two looping terminals marked E is not marked correctly in my opinion, it should be marked E and L.
Connecting the neutral as shown in the picture shouldn't make ANY difference except maybe a code violation (since you use a terminal marked "earth" for something else, which is a capital felony in most countries
I'll have to do a little bit of scraping and change the E to an L on the terminal where the neutrals are connected
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John - thank you so much for all your help with this. It's done, it works!
I'll get the photos off the camera and post them later - this just in case you checked the boards this evening
I changed the wiring over to what's shown in your picture, and everything seems to be working as expected.
With a 100w bulb:
Good amp, 15wpc - not a flicker from the bulb, amp powers up.
Suspect amp (turns out not), 40wpc - bulb lights at power up, dims quickly (less than 1 sec), stays off. Turning amp off and back on the bulb stays off. Leaving it off for a few minutes, then powering on, the lamp lights briefly, then dims. (This is like the youtube videos I found and what I was expecting).
(the really fun one) - a known bad amp. This is mid-90s BPC, supposedly 280w or so total. When powered on the protection circuit switches on and off rapidly (like twice a second). Putting this on the tester the lamp flicks on and off in time to the amps protection circuit. It's like a disco in my garage, with extra clicking sounds!
At that point I realised that a 100w incandescent bulb was probably a more valuable item than a 1990s receiver, so stopped risking my valuable bulb
The really dumb thing was that all this time a midge-type bug was hanging around looking at the bulb. So I'm not completely sure it has any repelling effect, but we'll see. Maybe the amp's power lamps were attracting it.
Also - just an aside on Post 20 - it may be an Australia vs US thing, but the wiring I was using earlier actually didn't trip the GFI. Just for what that's worth. I'm not sure if that's significant, but in case anyone else is accidentally replicating this
Glad to hear you have it sorted!!
The results you got with the three amps are as expected. The 15W/C amp won't have enough inrush current (small power supply caps) to blip the 100W lamp, if you try a lower wattage you will see the blip on turn on.
The original manual I have for the QR1500 is the same as the Hifiengine PDF, and I think I have the operating instructions fold out card, I'll have a look in my files later today ( I think it is an A3 size, but I can get it scanned if if would be of interest).
I'll definately get a couple of the insect lamps, I have a limited selection of lamps here for future testing. There is also the option of going with a couple of the 120/150W flood lamps before they ban them as well (just needs an Edison Screw base)
Cheers
John
Cheers
John
