3 prong install, problem now.... please help if possible.

[Scott_F]

I have an old 68 pro reverb. I got a good quality 3 prong chord. I cut out the wires for the extension plug and the ground switch.

I attached the black power cord wire to the power switch, the white wire to the end of the fuse holder, and the green to one of the ground commons.

I"m getting this staticy harsh scratching sound when I hit a chord hard at high volumes. Very strange.

My only guess is that I should check the ground connection, maybe put it under the nut that holds one corner of the power tranny.

What do you think? Am I on the right track for troubleshooting?

Thanks.

 

[Wakarusa]

Welp, the mains ground should have no effect on the tone at all. There's all kinds of funny stuff that can go on with a bad joint on the mains hot or neutral -- may or may not be your problem.

Another thing to check: The solder joints on the power tubes can get old and brittle and go intermittant if you move the wires around. Might wanna touch those up.

And about that power cord... the way Fender wired 'em is not accepted as correct these days. With the neutral to the fuse and the hot to the power switch if you blow a fuse there's still 120VAC on the primary of the power transformer.

Correct method is to take the hot to the fuse, fuse to the power switch, switch to the PT primary. The other side of the PT primary goes unswitched straight to the neutral.

 

[Scott_F]

Thanks Todd, I'll re-solder those connections tonight. And, I'll put the white to the power switch and the black to the fuse. I appreciate the advice.

 

[Wakarusa]

Originally posted by Scott_F
And, I'll put the white to the power switch and the black to the fuse.

Nope. It goes like this:

 

[Scott_F]

Thanks, you must think I'm mental. I meant to write the reply the exact way you told me, but somehow, I'm dyslexic or something.

I understand what you're saying. THe black is themain, the white is the neutral, the ground is .... the ground.

I did understand you and thanks again for your helpful response. I really do appreciate it. Makes me glad, yet again, that I support this forum with my wallet.

 

[Wakarusa]

Nah.. we all suffer a touch of dain bramage now and again