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06-02-2023, 11:59 AM
Hi Guys
TUT3 has diagrams showing the correct way to twist wires together.
In the case of heater wires, do you want the same side of each tube socket to tie to the same side of the power source? If so, then it is best to use two colours of wire.
Most people attach the two wires to the first socket where power comes in. If you orient the amp so you are facing the rear, then you will be working from left-to-right assuming the PT and AC are on the usual end of the chassis (opposite for Marshall since they did a flipped layout copying Fender).
Twist the heater wires from the PT making sure that the free ends are both corkscrewing and you are not simply winding one lead around the other. Leave a little excess so the wires can be dressed in properly and not be under tension from the PT to the first socket. Trim the wire ends and twist the strands, then insert them into the socket pins.
Trim the ends of the hookup wires to be used to link to the next socket.Twist their strands, too. You might want to twist a length of the two wires longer than what is needed for the first link. Insert the wire ends into the socket pins and then solder the socket pins. Now the hookup wire is secure at one end.
Roughly measure off the length needed to link to the 2nd socket. Decide how the wires will be dressed in: will they be up in the air? or laying flat looping beside the row of sockets on the chassis floor?
Cut the wires a bit long so there will be no tension once dressed and soldered. Trim the new ends and twist the strands, then insert into the socket.
Suppose you have simple loose wires from this point. Take the two wires in hand and roughly drape them around how you wish them to go to the next socket, running them through your fingers to make sure they are the same length. Leave some excess and cut both wires. Now twist them together so both ends corkscrew until the entire length is twisted. Loop the twisted pair how you want it be over to the 2nd socket, trim the ends, strip the ends and twist the strands, then insert into the next socket.
Repeat the steps to get to the 3rd socket, the 4th, etc. ALWAYS make sure that the free ends of the wires are corkscrewing as you twist the pair. This assures that both wires are taking part in the twisting action.
Sometimes when you have a lot of twisted wiring to install, it is easiest to twist a long length of wire first. It is easiest to do this by cutting equal lengths of the different colours to be twisted together, then line up one end of all the wires and hold this firmly. Now twirl the loose wires into a tight twist, moving your secure grip along so that you are always holding the twisted set at the twisting point. if the loose wires are very long, you will occasionally have to stop and untangle the free ends
Now, you can trim one end and attach it where it should be, then drape the twisted set to where it needs to go to, trim a little long, strip the ends, twist the strands, and so on. This makes repetitive wiring go quicker and the end result is very neat.
In my amps I only use Teflon-insulated wire and have the proper wire stripper. You can use a utility knife or possibly less expensive stripper s but you risk nicking the strands.
In many cases - if not most or all - after trimming the end and twisting the strands, you might want to tin the stripped end. Hang the wire end over a support of any kind - roll of tape, etc, or the edge of the bench - and set something on the wire to hold it, such as another tool. Then both hands are free to hold the solder and the soldering iron.
Note that it is easiest to unroll a length of solder and have this loose solder "strand" in hand rather than holding the roll (unless you have a very small roll). Thinner solder is easier to work with and melts faster.
TUT3 has diagrams showing the correct way to twist wires together.
In the case of heater wires, do you want the same side of each tube socket to tie to the same side of the power source? If so, then it is best to use two colours of wire.
Most people attach the two wires to the first socket where power comes in. If you orient the amp so you are facing the rear, then you will be working from left-to-right assuming the PT and AC are on the usual end of the chassis (opposite for Marshall since they did a flipped layout copying Fender).
Twist the heater wires from the PT making sure that the free ends are both corkscrewing and you are not simply winding one lead around the other. Leave a little excess so the wires can be dressed in properly and not be under tension from the PT to the first socket. Trim the wire ends and twist the strands, then insert them into the socket pins.
Trim the ends of the hookup wires to be used to link to the next socket.Twist their strands, too. You might want to twist a length of the two wires longer than what is needed for the first link. Insert the wire ends into the socket pins and then solder the socket pins. Now the hookup wire is secure at one end.
Roughly measure off the length needed to link to the 2nd socket. Decide how the wires will be dressed in: will they be up in the air? or laying flat looping beside the row of sockets on the chassis floor?
Cut the wires a bit long so there will be no tension once dressed and soldered. Trim the new ends and twist the strands, then insert into the socket.
Suppose you have simple loose wires from this point. Take the two wires in hand and roughly drape them around how you wish them to go to the next socket, running them through your fingers to make sure they are the same length. Leave some excess and cut both wires. Now twist them together so both ends corkscrew until the entire length is twisted. Loop the twisted pair how you want it be over to the 2nd socket, trim the ends, strip the ends and twist the strands, then insert into the next socket.
Repeat the steps to get to the 3rd socket, the 4th, etc. ALWAYS make sure that the free ends of the wires are corkscrewing as you twist the pair. This assures that both wires are taking part in the twisting action.
Sometimes when you have a lot of twisted wiring to install, it is easiest to twist a long length of wire first. It is easiest to do this by cutting equal lengths of the different colours to be twisted together, then line up one end of all the wires and hold this firmly. Now twirl the loose wires into a tight twist, moving your secure grip along so that you are always holding the twisted set at the twisting point. if the loose wires are very long, you will occasionally have to stop and untangle the free ends
Now, you can trim one end and attach it where it should be, then drape the twisted set to where it needs to go to, trim a little long, strip the ends, twist the strands, and so on. This makes repetitive wiring go quicker and the end result is very neat.
In my amps I only use Teflon-insulated wire and have the proper wire stripper. You can use a utility knife or possibly less expensive stripper s but you risk nicking the strands.
In many cases - if not most or all - after trimming the end and twisting the strands, you might want to tin the stripped end. Hang the wire end over a support of any kind - roll of tape, etc, or the edge of the bench - and set something on the wire to hold it, such as another tool. Then both hands are free to hold the solder and the soldering iron.
Note that it is easiest to unroll a length of solder and have this loose solder "strand" in hand rather than holding the roll (unless you have a very small roll). Thinner solder is easier to work with and melts faster.
