6505MH overheating resolved

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6p5p
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6505MH overheating resolved

Post by 6p5p » Sat Apr 30, 2016 4:05 pm

We had a topic here about this that has been locked without any explaination... why, admin? :o

I have resolved the problem of the heat in my 6505 MH with a very simple and a fully reversible modification by simply removing the plywood front panel:
Screenshot_2016-04-30-22-47-09.png
Screenshot_2016-04-30-22-47-09.png (2.2 MiB) Viewed 12702 times
I think my amp looks really cool this way. Especially in the dark, when the tubes are glowing :lol:
I really love my little 6505MH. It's just sounds so great - just the same like its big brother. The size of this little amplifier is really minimized to an absolute minimum, but at the same time it has so many components that are getting warm: five tubes, the transformers, the load etc. Back grid alone simply isn't enough for the cooling, and nearly 1/3 of it is blocked by the "caution" plate.

After modifying this I had no problems yet, if any would occur again in the summer, I think a little USB ventilator fan will totally solve the problem. One can get such on eBay for $4 and connect them to a phone charger.
I will not use the built-in attenuator anymore, as I think it is a major part of the overheating problem. My THD Hot Plate works also here just great, as always.

The only material needed for this mod are 5 black screws á 25mm or little longer and 20 minutes of time. Disclaimer: only for people who know how to discharge high voltage!

ScottMarlowe
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by ScottMarlowe » Sat Apr 30, 2016 5:43 pm

Good news, I hope that's all really takes to fix this. But given the tendency to lock threads that are not inflammatory but mainly helpful, and the slow response on this type of issue, I'm kinda giving up on Peavey now. Sadly, it's just a shadow of the once great customer service oriented company it once was. It's gone and I don't think it's coming back. Oh well I'll keep rocking my old Peavey amps, nothing wrong with them.

6p5p
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by 6p5p » Sun May 01, 2016 2:10 am

I don't really agree, part of the problem is just the fact that the most of people want to buy even cheaper, even smaller size, even lighter, even more features, even more power and also better - but all in one. Best if also made in USA.
At ceirtain point we have arrived to an end of the possibilities.

Customers and the suppliers must work together. I hope that my idea with open front and back panel will inspire Peavey to find the solution.
I also think that another, Lite version of this app, without USB and without XLR connection but with higher-quality attenuator (only 1W output) would be very interesting to have for many people. It probably wouldn't cost more than $299 as these components are quite expensive.

The amp is great and with amazing features, its cooling is the only flaw in its design, it is quite little flaw IMHO- but important to solve.

ScottMarlowe
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by ScottMarlowe » Sun May 01, 2016 12:42 pm

Oh I'm not dissing their amps etc, though there have been some teething problems with the new ones. No, I'm talking about their customer service oriented operations. Peavey used to be quick to fix issues and release information on problems etc, and now they're locking threads about a problem where the thread had information on the solution. Roger went silent right after mentioning the issue with the thermal protectors and I'm guessing he got his ass chewed out for releasing info they didn't want to get out.

So rather than co-operating with the community to come up with a fix and make the parts available, they're playing the silent game and locking threads that are helpful and useful.

THAT's what I'm talking about, not the quality of the amps. The new ones seem like great amps. But I can't support the company Peavey seems to be becoming, that hides its cards under the table and discourages discussion on how to fix problems etc.

6p5p
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by 6p5p » Mon May 02, 2016 8:26 am

ScottMarlowe wrote:Oh I'm not dissing their amps etc, though there have been some teething problems with the new ones. No, I'm talking about their customer service oriented operations. Peavey used to be quick to fix issues and release information on problems etc, and now they're locking threads about a problem where the thread had information on the solution. Roger went silent right after mentioning the issue with the thermal protectors and I'm guessing he got his ass chewed out for releasing info they didn't want to get out.

So rather than co-operating with the community to come up with a fix and make the parts available, they're playing the silent game and locking threads that are helpful and useful.

THAT's what I'm talking about, not the quality of the amps. The new ones seem like great amps. But I can't support the company Peavey seems to be becoming, that hides its cards under the table and discourages discussion on how to fix problems etc.
I've got your point now, @ScottMarlowe :mrgreen:

eclipseall
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by eclipseall » Mon May 02, 2016 1:00 pm

The amps looks pretty cool....but....having to mod a brand new amp to care care of factory flaws is just ridiculous. Not that what you dis is ridiculous is what peavey is doing to their costumers.

Plus its not a permanent fix or solution to and electronic problem. When I had the amp it did ok with putting a fan behind it, but then maybe the amp should come with a fan in the box. It did ok circulating the heat out. But inside the components were frying. Touching the front panel was scorching hot and the grey metal front starting getting a greenish color. I guess from the heat. It was just absurd how badly done this amp was/is. Peavey told me to adjust the bias and it never helped. This was before they even new that their amps were faulty. They kept blaming it on the hot bias from the factory, until more people started having the exact same issue. Then they realized they had a fault in their design.They admitted it and then when silent.

The fact that Peavey is basically putting out faulty gear and they staying silent about it is not right. Who know if they even fixed the issue in production. No one seems to have sent their amp for the fix. At least I haven't seen anyone talking about it, and dealers seem to have no clue if what their selling is faulty or not. Some people don't seem to have the issue, some definitely, some probable haven't realized it that they have it. But it shows that the buying the amp is gamble.

So what are we supposed to do as costumers? Buy garbage and take it? Mod it? Spend hard earned money on something that the manufacture wont clear up it its flawed.

The least they could do Is inform their costumers and dealers if they have resolved the problem.

I don't know whats up with Peavey. But they seems to be going down the gutter. I really don't like the company they have become.

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Roger Crimm
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by Roger Crimm » Mon May 02, 2016 2:19 pm

eclipseall wrote:
The fact that Peavey is basically putting out faulty gear and they staying silent about it is not right. Who know if they even fixed the issue in production. No one seems to have sent their amp for the fix. At least I haven't seen anyone talking about it, and dealers seem to have no clue if what their selling is faulty or not. Some people don't seem to have the issue, some definitely, some probable haven't realized it that they have it. But it shows that the buying the amp is gamble.
Silent? I posted in the other thread that there is a simple solution. For the record it does not involve modifying anything, and no I didn't get anything chewed. There just isn't anything else to share at this point, which is ONE reason the other thread was locked. Message Boards are a place to post questions, suggestions, or comments. It is also a good place for persons of similar interests to interact socially and share ideas, but there are limits to what can (or should) be accomplished via this medium.

Bottom line- IF your amp exhibits a problem with overheating, and relatively few have so far, contact an authorized service center or the factory and we will take care of it through proper channels as we always have. Yes, a change involving the spec on a couple of 40 cent parts was implemented in production. That does not mean that your amp is faulty, or garbage, or flawed.

It certainly isn't a gamble, as Peavey will stand behind it just as we always have. I assure you that we always work hard to insure that our customers get the best possible quality and service. That has been our priority for 51 years now, and will never change.
Roger Crimm
Service Manager
[email protected]

ScottMarlowe
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by ScottMarlowe » Mon May 02, 2016 7:56 pm

Sorry but you don't just lock a thread because a resolution was / might have been reached. It just feels like some CYA maneuver to me. It feels like it's being swept under the rug. I.e. ALL 6505 MH suffer from this, but only if you push them,so let's only fix the ones people complain about. Hence let's lock that thread so people don't find it near the top of the board, crank their amps hard, and have the problem and complain about it as much.

I hope you're right and Peavey is standing behind their products like they have for 50+ years. But locking that thread doesn't give me any reassurance they are. In fact it implies the exact opposite.

eclipseall
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by eclipseall » Tue May 03, 2016 8:03 pm

Roger Crimm wrote:
eclipseall wrote:
The fact that Peavey is basically putting out faulty gear and they staying silent about it is not right. Who know if they even fixed the issue in production. No one seems to have sent their amp for the fix. At least I haven't seen anyone talking about it, and dealers seem to have no clue if what their selling is faulty or not. Some people don't seem to have the issue, some definitely, some probable haven't realized it that they have it. But it shows that the buying the amp is gamble.
Silent? I posted in the other thread that there is a simple solution. For the record it does not involve modifying anything, and no I didn't get anything chewed. There just isn't anything else to share at this point, which is ONE reason the other thread was locked. Message Boards are a place to post questions, suggestions, or comments. It is also a good place for persons of similar interests to interact socially and share ideas, but there are limits to what can (or should) be accomplished via this medium.

Bottom line- IF your amp exhibits a problem with overheating, and relatively few have so far, contact an authorized service center or the factory and we will take care of it through proper channels as we always have. Yes, a change involving the spec on a couple of 40 cent parts was implemented in production. That does not mean that your amp is faulty, or garbage, or flawed.

It certainly isn't a gamble, as Peavey will stand behind it just as we always have. I assure you that we always work hard to insure that our customers get the best possible quality and service. That has been our priority for 51 years now, and will never change.
How can I be 100% sure that if I buy this amp again it will have the implemented fix that solves the overheating issues. Is there a serial number from were fix stars? I don't want to buy the amp to find it has a the same problem and go through the the same painful process of loosing money to get it fixed or returned. As a costumer I can tell you that no one wants to buy anything when in doubt that its faulty. So what is Peaveys assurance? If its send it for repair if I get the problem then that means nothing has been fixed and Im staying clear. Peavey could have knocked it out of the park with his amp if they didn't cram so much into it. Made it run cool or cooler. Change tubes with having to not adjust bias (which is a total pain to get to), like the 6505 120. Do deep field testing. Listen to what your costumers want. Maybe you should consider a Mark II of this amp and improve upon the flaws. I can also tell you the casing is cheap. The two screws on the back strip the wood the first time they were removed, when I put them back in they would not hold. Yes i did the toothpick solution on a brand new amp. Although the metal chassis is nicely done a very nicely wired.

Roger: what is the best recommendation you can give for someone like me who does not live in the US and have to order online and pay taxes on the amp. How can I order knowing Im getting a problem free amp? is there a way. Or is it a coin toss in air. Your reply can make or break sale. So if you tell e honestly to not buy the amp because I might encounter the problem I would appreciate it.

I own seven Peavey amps from the 6505 line all problem free and great sounding. But the mini head needs to be refreshed and you should really do a 6505 MH II and address and fix all flaws, may be take some features out like the direct recording which frankly doesn't sound all that great. Fix the overheating, no bias required, to cheap compressed cardboard box. Some people are willing to pay a little more for quality. Less is more when it comes to amps. Keep the simplicity of the 6505/+ on the mini heads. Its what makes the amp so great and reliable.

Being a service peavey rep i can understand your frustration with all these complaints. But maybe its an opportunity for a much better 6505 mini head. Take all these complaints as a way of improving the product.

If all the mini amps were produced the same way then that means that they all have the same components and they all have the flaw. I guess it depends on how you use it that will give you trouble. But it doesn't change the fact that its a flawed new amp. So were does the fix star on the new production batches? Serial number?
Last edited by eclipseall on Tue May 03, 2016 8:27 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Moshcore
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by Moshcore » Tue May 03, 2016 8:21 pm

can you put a guide or video how to you removed the plywood front panel it is hard?

Elric
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by Elric » Thu May 05, 2016 12:05 pm

Roger Crimm wrote:
eclipseall wrote: Yes, a change involving the spec on a couple of 40 cent parts was implemented in production.
Do you happen to have a S/N range when this production update went into effect? As noted in the other thread I am still considering buying one of these brand new but have been holding off; partially out of concern over this as for my use it would be a serious flaw as I am most likely to use it in the attenuated mode for long periods. I would be able to inspect the unit before pickup and an S/N would be super helpful. I don't know how long I can hold out on this store credit. LOL! Thanks.

OP: Thanks for a useful post! I think the amp looks quite cool (so to speak) like that! Would consider doing that...

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Roger Crimm
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by Roger Crimm » Thu May 05, 2016 12:48 pm

Elric wrote:
Do you happen to have a S/N range when this production update went into effect?
No, there is not a range. I am not sure how useful it would be going forward if there were.
Roger Crimm
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Elric
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by Elric » Thu May 05, 2016 1:56 pm

Roger Crimm wrote:
Elric wrote:
Do you happen to have a S/N range when this production update went into effect?
No, there is not a range. I am not sure how useful it would be going forward if there were.
Well, S/N > a certain value would guarantee that the amp will have the production update. Thus, a customer could know whether they definitely had the fix in certain cases. This strikes me, as a customer, as super useful information.

This also strikes me as a pretty obvious point... and others have asked for a S/N based way to verify a correct by construction unit but have been ignored, so far, as well. I love everything about this amp but am just not confident enough to buy one yet. Addressing this directly via an S/N or similar would surely help my gut feel.

eclipseall
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by eclipseall » Fri May 06, 2016 4:46 am

Its interesting that they don't know from S/N when they started implementing the fix.
It would be the best way to know what your buying.
This would also help with their warranty process.

6p5p
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Re: 6505MH overheating resolved

Post by 6p5p » Fri May 13, 2016 3:41 pm

Moshcore wrote:can you put a guide or video how to you removed the plywood front panel it is hard?
I didn't make video recording of it, but it is very easy and fast to remove the ply. I will post tomorrow few more still shots. You just need 5 black ply screws, length 1"

The mod is 100% reversible.

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