Humidity.....

[Mynameisfritz]

Hi guys, I had my Dual Showman stored at somebodys cellar, it was in perfect condition - now I got it back and it crackles and hisses like crazy. Even worse when turning both volume pots. My first guess is humidity - carbon comps, etc. There are other amps in this room, but they have been played every week - without a problem. Mine just had been stored there.

F***! Together with that car crash this afternoon I definitely have enough for today.

Please help me out.

[Mynameisfritz]

Bump...

[mathd]

Check the cap, voltage, bias.
Maby they have played your amp (or moved it around alot) and the tubes are shot?.

[neikeel]

Suggest you take the chassis out and put it somewhere warm and dry for a few days.

if it has been stored for a while the filter caps might have dried out (usually a hum) although the symptoms you descibe sound a lot like damp in the carbon comps and pots which will mean a full check over and maybe some new parts.

Do the dry out first, maybe use a very sparing amount of contact cleaning spray around the tube sockets and into the pots afterwards (not straight away).

[Mynameisfritz]

Thanks guys, I'll try that.

[CAlbs_Plexi50]

I hate to revive an old thread Mynameisfritz, but just wondering if you had any luck with your Amp and its Humidity situation?

I have had my Darling Plexi 50 stored in a basement for a few years with what I believe to be relativity high humidity and the first play of it in a couple years left me head scratching, lots of hiss, crackling and even some popping with turning up/down guitar volume knob.

I should mention that prior to putting this amp in storage it was used pretty regularly with no issues.