KGSSHV Carbon Build Thread

[eggil]

I am planning on building the 450V PSU.

Received the following quote from TOROIDY.

Shipping to the US is 55 EUR.

 

 

Audio grade transformers:

TS 300VA PRI: 2x 115V SEC:

> 2x 360V @350mA

> 16-0-16V @600mA

cost: 76,50 EUR/pc (0% VAT – export price)

 

 

Audio Supreme version:

TS 300VA PRI: 2x 115V SEC:

> 2x 360V @350mA

> 16-0-16V @600mA

cost: 121,60 EUR/pc (0% VAT – export price)

 

Is there a difference between the Audio grade and the Audio Supreme version regarding hum and interference?

The difference in price is significant and I rather purchase the cheaper version if possible.

 

He stated the following:

"In audio grade, noiseless transformer price You'll get transformer wound on high inductive, selected and measured core. Core and all the 

windings will be impregnated. Transformer will also has electric and electromagnetic shields and epoxy filled interior.

Audio SUPREME version is fully epoxy resinged in stainless steel box"

Edited July 18, 2017 by eggil

[gepardcv]

I always bought regular "audio grade" from Toroidy. No hum from any of them on clean AC mains, though I have had hum when I plugged some other devices into the same line. Not sure if the "supreme" would have helped in this case. Keep in mind that the "supreme" ones are quite a bit larger.

[MLA]

^this

[eggil]

Thanks. I'll go for the Audio Grade then.

[P3t4]

What is the correct gerber file in the drive folder for the grhv psu used in the boms?

Edit: Forgot already got an answer for this.

Edited July 26, 2017 by P3t4
Already answered.

[15lyl]

On 10/09/2015 at 3:46 AM, mwl168 said:

 

Would Dr. Gilmore or anyone post the Gerber files of KGSSHV CARBON, KGST and PSU here? I want to etch the PCBs myself,

The site http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/kgsshv cannot be reached.

I still enjoy listening the KGSS with 009, this is the time to upgrade my amp now.

 

[15lyl]

On 10/09/2015 at 3:46 AM, mwl168 said:

I found what I want now: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_iJFfZStuVhSE5nOHBVdTByR1k

Thanks Spritzer.

 

[P3t4]

@gepardcvIs there a significant difference running a separate GRLV?

[gepardcv]

I asked that question on another thread:

I haven't done this upgrade to my Carbon yet, though will likely get around to it eventually. The amp sounds excellent to me as is, so I don't feel any rush to make changes, and about a dozen other projects have higher priority. I kinda wish I just built it with a GRLV up-front to avoid reworking it, but that's almost certainly FOMO-driven nervosa speaking.

[P3t4]

Well, I better get GRLV in my build as well. Anybody got a BOM for it?

EDIT: Found it.

Edited August 8, 2017 by P3t4
Found it.

[15lyl]

I use this schematic for KGSS +-15V

15V.pdf

[johnwmclean]

18 minutes ago, 15lyl said:

 

4’33”

[Whitigir]

I guess I would discover new things everyday....so wet thermal compound that leak through the screw hole can....Arc, just literally a little and it will.  The best thermal compound was ceramic 

Edited August 18, 2017 by Whitigir

[Whitigir]

A noob will be sharing a horror story  after that arc through by thermal compound and the story where it all began.

 

So, my Carbon encountered a problem.  Left channel isn't working correctly and so O+ and O- were measured st 552V across.  Trying to turn offset didn't do anything and shortly afterward the R24 got burned brown and done.  I replaced the R24 together with 10m90S and Dn2540.  Fired up again, and "POP", well something popped...couldn't tell if it was an arc through or something Pop (later on with further investigation, it was an arc through at 10m90s by the usage of thermal compound which was Silver polyesters, even though it was listed as nonconductive,  best is ceramic compound ).  I do see the smoke and traces of it around the same area of 10m90S.  Took off this 10m90S and measured again...it works, but I tossed it anyways.  Replaced it again, and turned on....well...."BAM" a louder pop at R16 and R15 (20 seconds), upon closer inspection, it turned out it was R16 on the same wing of 10m90S.  Took a little more to try and measure stuff on board.  I suspected C2M1000 was probably gone, so replaced it and it really died.  Then measured carefully and ....something else appeared to be dead.

Moved on toward PZTA42 on that wing and Tada....the sucker has equal 0.63V drop across equally....well, something must have killed the PZTA42 ? Not sure, replaced them and now everything measures just fine...Now, what would kill the PZTA42 all of a sudden ? I went on and also found PZTA06 to be unresponsive ?....what could have killed PZTA06 ? Not too sure...could be linked to STN9360 ? And further PZTA56 ? I have checked and it seems fine....lsk389 is also healthy.

So really, what was the reason ? Anyone have any idea ? Maybe the Balance was turned to Out of whack ? Anyone has any clues ? When trimmer was off, Balanced was measuring 1700-300 and offset was 0-99.0 completely one side.

 

Further investigation also found C2m1k fried, replaced both.  B+ had some arc through, and when I took it off....horror.  Now, I understand why my second power on did pop R16 and R15....this Phoenix connector upon times of screwing in and out...somehow decided to arc from B+ into the trace to O- which in turned fried many others 

well, on the positive side, the PSU is healthy and kicking with +458 and -458 HV, LV is 14.97 and -14.96

It seems the best practice on these Phoenix is to have some layering between the clearances.  As looking back into "insanity problems" this is similar.  Luckily I did not damage any PSU stuff.  Will fix this with a wire for trace and a good clearance for both connectors.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Whitigir

[G600]

Scary indeed !

[mwl168]

If the arcing is between B+ and O- why only one of the terminal block pins is charred? 

[Whitigir]

4 hours ago, mwl168 said:

If the arcing is between B+ and O- why only one of the terminal block pins is charred? 

I think this is the clearance and the screw-in mechanism of the contact itself.  By screwing it over and over the clearances to the traces on the board is smaller and smaller with the contacts bare materials and arcing happened.  That charred pin is B+ into the trace to 0- after the pzta42 by this.  I took off the other board and while it is looking very clean now, this potential issues would happen later down the road if screw-in and unscrewing to move wires in-out stuff.  So I just put some layer of acrylic for insulations on both traces before putting on the Connector again.

here is the link from his previous experiences .  Ultimately, on this version of Carbon .5, to avoid the problem is to whether insulate it for more clearances or mounting the connector from the bottom side.  Insulating can also be done by heat-shrink wrapping the 1/2 bare metal of the connector as shown in the picture to make sure only 1/2 front would be touching the solder pads instead of the whole bare surface.

  

Edited August 22, 2017 by Whitigir

[mypasswordis]

thanks for reminding me to do the same on my boards, btw isn't the 400V version of phoenix connector supposed to be black or did I just happen to get the black version?

[gepardcv]

All the 400V-rated ones I bought from Mouser have been green. Never seen those things in black. A few from another vendor (forgot which one) had part numbers which matched 400V on data sheets came in bags which said 250V, but looked identical to the supposedly 400V parts.

[mypasswordis]

You're freaking me out, man... went back and checked my last mouser order which I know are black, part number here http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Phoenix-Contact/5452258/?qs=iCzJi%2FIZBF77ZcTXZHmYbQ%3D%3D seems I just happened to get the black version without realizing it when ordering

[ang728]

recently blew up some 170D also,

later found maybe my thermal compound may introduce additional conducting path between screw and angle bracket

first killed my 10m90s and have damage on 170D,then when I fired up again after replaced 10m90s

 

you know what's going to happen :{

 

fixed by replacing 10m90s and 170D and check all the other transisitors won't have not too much thermal compound would causing short

 

Edited August 22, 2017 by ang728

[spritzer]

Welcome to the glorious world of high voltage. 

[Whitigir]

11 minutes ago, spritzer said:

Welcome to the glorious world of high voltage. 

It takes some bones to get used to, I guess I should start buying some chain mails and motorcycle helmet

[ang728]

2 hours ago, spritzer said:

Welcome to the glorious world of high voltage. 

no bang,no gain

[kevin gilmore]

the ones I used had the bottoms of the pins covered and were black