Hood Amp Bridge

[Strelok]

Hi all!


I am plannng to build the Hood Amp, it is in Tonnes of Tone.

Is it necessary to use the hefty diode bridge or can discrete diodes be used?



Warm regards,

Strelok

[K O'Connor]

Hi Guys

An integrated bridge is always easier to mount than individual diodes. Package types that bolt to the chassis provide secure attachment points for related wiring when mounted, plus, the chassis provides heat sinking. For a given current rating, the leads of modern bridge packages are thinner than for equal-rated single diodes.

For the Hood amp, you would want to use 3A diodes if singles, and these always have fat leads - a lot of terminal space when using solder-lug terminal strips. The integrated bridge is usually smaller.

Have fun

[Strelok]

Thanks for all the info!

So it is the current that does it.

I have that bridge, but not the version with the fancy terminals, just straight leads.
It looks safer to not bend the leads and hope it will hang on, but to use terminal strips hanging over it.
And so I did.








With a bit of luck I can wire the complete amp this way.

I am very curious about the sound. I have a very old transistor combo here and it sounds very nice clean.

Plus I think power tubes are pretty expensive and I guess they will be for a long time.

[Sherlok Ohms]

Hi Mr. Strelok

That is a very nice clean chassis.

I wonder why you would bury the bridge under the turret strips? I believe some would refer to this as a "service nightmare".

I have used that type of bridge in the past and you can solder wires to its lugs. Of course, the intended connection method uses 1/4" fast-on terminals that one crimps to insulated wire. These lugs are very common, widely available and very inexpensive. You can get them at any electronics parts store, or from the usual large distributors, or from places like Aliexpress.

To crimp the lugs onto wires, you can use pliers, or those cheapo wire cutter-crimper tools, or a dedicated crimper. All of these are again super affordable - a few Euros - what regular folk like us can afford

Such a clean chassis demands not starting on the wrong foot.

Cheerio

[Strelok]

No it is a stupid chassis.
It is just for testing.

Under because the heatsink is then bolted.
It is easy to service. If anything should be done with the bridge you can just unscrew the whole thing.
All the rest is reachable from above like it should be.

Never ask why something is done. People have different views.
How big is the chance other folk would approach it just the way you would?

This is the most stable solution.
Leads can always bend or break if they are hanging in the air.

I don't like your judgement "starting off at the wrong foot".
Everybody has their own way of doing things, let's celebrate that.

[makinrose]

No it is a stupid chassis.
It is just for testing.

Under because the heatsink is then bolted.
It is easy to service. If anything should be done with the bridge you can just unscrew the whole thing.
All the rest is reachable from above like it should be.

Never ask why something is done. People have different views.
How big is the chance other folk would approach it just the way you would?

This is the most stable solution.
Leads can always bend or break if they are hanging in the air.

I don't like your judgement "starting off at the wrong foot".
Everybody has their own way of doing things, let's celebrate that.

I know the reply that criticized the placement of the bridge could be read as untactful, but I think the point is that placing a component under a turret board that presumably will have more parts and leads running it may make it hard to access in the future.  I'm not sure it is important because solid-state rectifiers so rarely fail.  I will however say that having flying leads when done well is not problematic.  I have 1941 Gibson amp in my shop right now that was built entirely point to point. It's a pain to service but the build is very robust.

[nauta]

Hey Dudes

Can you describe how the bridge is attached tro the turret board, or show a different pic? It looks like there is bare wire coming up through the turret and this must be soldered to the bridge first.
I'm probably wrong thinking that soldering the turret could heat the bridge solder joint ??

I agree with sherlok that the chassis looks cool 8)
I don't think its stupid at all.