How to fix Radio tube amp Transformer Hum Buzz Vibration D-lab Electronics 

I've always loved the sound of transformers and ballast

Dang Terry, you're a real buzz killer! 😃

My stereo buzzing has driven me insane, and I'm considering this repair... I'll report back if I work up the courage to dismantle it 😂

Just saved me buying a new transformer for my vocal processing unit. Thanks a million!

That's how I work on my electronics at home, with a suoer-full glass of red wine!

Awesome!!! Maybe you could use the vibrations to help flow the lacquer further down. Much like the vibrating tool concrete workers use to get concrete into hard to reach places.

I've done pretty much the same thing but used shellac instead. Worked really well. The transformer is completely quiet now. I was really happy. I hate noisy transformers.

I'm jealous of your lifestyle. You get to fix tube electronics and drink wine all day.

Terry, Terry, he’s our man. If he can’t fix it, nobody can. :-)

Terry, over a half century ago as a 13 year old I soldered my first shortwave receiver together. The next year I built an even better box and would stay up until dawn listening to the world and getting my DSL cards. I was inspired by your videos and thought if a 13 year old kid could build it then a 68 year old geezer could do it. I found a filthy 1939 Philco 180-40 at the local flea. I stripped out the chassis and installed a hybrid Champ/Princeton amp kit. I now have a rockin' 15 watt amp in a completely refinished cab that looks and sound great. Thanks for the inspiration and as always fruit of the vine is mighty, mighty fine. Best regards, Giovanni

Thanks, man. I just tightened up this old RCA Victor radio transformer based on your work. No vibrating, lower noise.

Thanks Terry! I've been wondering how I can get past this issue on a huge bass amplifier power transformer I've got. The buzz makes me not want to use the amp, but now there's hope. You're the best!

Oil-based poly only. If you use the water-based type, it can aggravate any rust that's starting between the laminations.

I like that you added a fuse to make it safe too.

Great Video Terry! I had never seen that done. Well worth the time, then replacing with a new/non original transformer.

Terry you are a crack up thanks for the laugh!!! I have to say that's one of the coolest repairs that I've ever seen done buddy you are the man!!!!! Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge brother and God bless you....

Great fix, love it when we actually repair and not replace stuff...except that empty bottle of Modo red

good video, I look forward to seeing it every time you post one on RU-vid

Just watched your video on buzzing transformers! GREAT video, I have the exact same problem going on with a 1956 Telefunken Gavotte 7 Export Radio. I don't know if it will be as easy to resolve as yours. Love your motto, "drink wine with every video".

Hi Terry! A few years ago I had a very good National Radio NC-88 for Dexism.

Great, U Rock :) Your methode works good. I found that puting very soft absorbers like EVA mousse under the transformer works better with this methode. Not too tight the bolt on base fixer on chassis and the vibration's quite well disappearing.

Yes great job.. Sometimes old television vertical output transformers and yokes buzzz as well.

Thanks ,you just helped solve an issue I've been having with a tube type record player.

Good job Terry! Thanks for this video

I have the same problem, going to try this fix. Hopefully, that will work for me. THANKYOU

Great repair Terry!!!

Always makes my day when I see a video up from Terry. I have an NC-88 and would like to add a fuse to it as well. Would you be able to show that process and to figure out how to determine what size fuseramous to use?

Thank you, brother, for sharing the video, and I wish you would completely submerge the transformer inside the insulation varnish

So this is one of the few times it's ok to be a buzz killer. Love D-Lab! Never miss an episode. Waiting for some Tube Amp Thee-ater!

I love videos like this. Thanks.

I've got two vintage amps with hum I've never been able to fix. Got a hunch this vid may help me

Thanks for sharing, I never had to do this, but is worth knowing.

Nice video! Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge!

Interesting. I have ben struggling with some Allen 90 Organ amps that have a similar problem. Thank you

Great Video Terry

Would it be advantageous to brush in the glue while the transformer is on? This would vibrate the glue into the finest cracks,then turn off transformer and clamp

Great job!!! Very impressed...

Nice Naional, Great video!

THX TERRY great video. hope you have a great day!!

Beautiful old radio.

Could a xformer be epoxy potted like a guitar pickup?

I got a Recordio Reel to Reel amp but I am unable to identify the only transformer which I assume is the output transformer. Evidently the actual power transformer was mounted off board since the 5Y3 and primary filter cap was on the chassis and there was a large multi-wire octal plug and socket coming into the chassis at that point. great video

Another adhesive you might use is a bottle of 'Thin CA" from Hobby Lobby or equivalent. The thin adhesive wicks itself into very tiny cracks. I've had it run twelve inches up a crack in a wood guitar body on its own. Then clamp up for a while (I usually let it sit longer than the label says it needs).

Nice one, Terry! I've used fingernail polish with similar results.

Now I think know where this sound come from ! At first I was thinking it was capacitors but they look good and thé sound don't come from the speaker but the board of the sub amp itself !

Great tip. Thanks.

Great video!

Dear Mr. D-lab, thanks for another amazing video. This transformer is not defective. It is ill constructed and probably ill designed. On a well-constructed transformer* the laminations should be held in place by interference fitting, requiring no glue, bolts or brackets. The tight hug of the coil is what holds them. We can see that the core is falling apart and that's not a good sign. The bolts that attach the mounting frames should not touch the laminations otherwise they will short them out and produce eddy currents, another source of humming and buzzing. That's why their shafts must be wrapped with paper or heat shrink tubing. Humming and buzzing can also be caused by an improper design, especially when the core is undersized and/or the number of turns on the primary is not very well calculated. This will cause the core to saturate, dramatically increasing the primary's idle (magnetizing) current. That's why people recommend replacement instead of repair: because there's nothing to be repaired. Of course, you managed to tame that beast and so you deserve your glass of wine. Please keep on releasing these always enjoyable videos. Yours truly. *Edit: for this kind of application.

Nice job 👍

Well done

Nice!! Getting buzzed while fixing the buzz...LOL

Done this to mesa-boogie (guitar amp) power trafo, but (thank god) in my case laminations were fine it was that copper ribbon trembling loudly, like really loudly. i had it resoldered and cover everything with pcb varnish. now its silent as it can be.

Always Genius!

How would you suggest I cover the transformer wires inside ( under the bell covers) after changing them. The sticky shellac like paper was covering the wires which I had to remove to change the wires. I'm not sure what to do. Thanks

"Clampity doo-dahs"? It's Ned Flanders folks.

hi i have a question could a weak or a going bad audio output transformer give you a distortion sound on a vintage 1954 admiral record player, i did replace all the capacitors and even the main electrolytic capacitor and it is still there, please let me know what you think i really would appreciate it. thanks ted

Can u change a fender 160 stage amp to a tubey one ?? Please ted ?

I have a guitar amp buzzing like hell just like this.. but the transformer is in a metal casing with no way to get to the plates without breaking it open.. how can I tell what type to get as a replacement is it based on the volts? Thanks!

Hi Terry, thanks for the video. I have one question for you. I have built AX84 guitar amp and I am getting big hum. When I use one transformer there is no hum but with another one tgere is huge hum. Difference between these two transformers is tgat the one that makes hum has secondary for rectifier heaters which are not in use as the amp has solid diode rectifier. I have grounded toth center taps and there is still hum. Do you have any idea what can cause such hum,?

Iv'e got a black and white tv, with the same problem. starts buzzing as soon as tv is turned on and gets hot...not sure if its supposed to get that hot. TV works fine just the transformer issue. is it safe to use like that or i need to replace it?

Terry !!!!! Any solution for removing rust from the laminated layers on an old power transformer ? , I want to use it in a tube amp build ,I will paint it as well

Hmm I wouldn't try using Deft on a guitar amplifier transformer hehe. I imagine it would heat up, smoke, make a hell of a mess. Struggling to find a product that would be suitable tbh.. all the high temp laquer I find is in spray cans.

Terry, I think that you got a BUZZ from the Motto wine.

Hello Terry, I put superglue on the top plates to remove the buzzing. Now there is absolutely no buzzing, but the whole radio chassis vibrates when I touch it. Doesn't make a rattling or buzzing sound, of course. What to do?

what is the liquid you applied to the transformer? and where can I find it? thanks. ☺ ☺☺

Nice video! Does it works for vintage guitar valve amp?

I didn't know that Clear Wood Finish would stick or be a good adhesive for the loose Iron core Laminations. I thought that Laminations was made out of Iron Core or not wood. I'm guessing the Laminates are some type of wood?

Can this be done with Boombox Transformers as well

Hi sir, what is the liquid that you are used to fix it?!?

Is DEFT the same as clear yacht varnish? I don't know if we can get it here in the UK?

dont they use a type of vanish on the transformer plates when its made? Because Ive seen people using varnish to stop this buzzing. Ive also seen someone throw it in water and rusted it quiet. lol Great video !

What kind of adhesive is that? 2 component epoxy? They don't sell DEFT in my country and even if they did, that brand has a lot of different stuff. Hope you can give me an answer so i can silence my Dynaco trafos.

Sir, How can I GET Vintage Solid Tinned Wire for Repairing 40s Tube Radio ??

Is DEFT just and poly lacquer?

Since this video is nearly 4 years old, I don't expect a timely response or any possibly. Anyway, own a Roland Keyboard circa 1993. I refurbished recently as Roland used this "red epoxy" that over time leaked and caused the keys to stick. Fortunately none of the seeping glue found its way to any of the electronic components in the keyboard. When I powered it on everything worked but about 30-40 mins later there was a very significant hum coming from, what I later identified, as the area where the internal power supply is. I went onto on of the posting boards specifically for keyboards and was told that the most likely culprit were the capacitors. Upon further examination, there is no visible deformation but I do see what appears to be leakage at the base of the caps. Might this be the cause of the noise?

Thank you Terry, this was really informative. At first I was thinking this was a mistake, that the lacquer wouldn’t hold and it would probably be best to use some epoxy but you really quashed that. I never would have thought the transformer would have gotten that quiet. No way no how but you did it! Do you feel that it was just the heat and vibration over the years that caused the separation of the plates or was it poorly built in the first place? Would epoxy have worked in this instance? Also, someone mentioned thin CA glue, do you have any thoughts on that? If you are busy or don’t feel like answering any of this don’t worry about it, I was just curious. Thanks again, Buddy

Yeah first... Get it Terry...

What causes the buzz? I thought the transformer worked by induction, so what would cause mechanical vibration? Alternating magnetic field acting on the loose plates?

Great!

Will this work in a guitar amp?

Thank you for this video! I have heard of doing this but never saw it done. I want to try this on a 27 year old power transformer in a guitar amp that is vibrating the whole chassis. Is that Deft just lacquer?

Were you still able to hear radio channels before fixing transformer or like my radio just vibrationg clanking sound from the chassis area and no sound from speaker at all

What product from DEFT are you using? Great video! Thanks

Hi, thanks for the video. How do you make the same thing when you can't open the transformer ? Like the one at 9:00 ? thanks for the answer.

Is it possible to do the same thing if the coil part of the transformer is "singing?"

Great, im from argentina and i want to know if DEFT is RESIN? when i traduced its appear like some adjetive...thanks

What exactly is that adhesive? Is it only Deft or did you mix it with something else?

Is not any risk of fire with that "glue"?

what are your thoughts about immersing the whole transformer, then placing it, immersed, in a vacuum chamber to pull as much product between the plates as possible?

So you're able to touch the outside of the transformer while it's on because it's grounded?

I don't understand the doubt that it would work when lacquering the plates like this has been done for years?

Please answer me my amp head does this to will it cause damage?

Why not just buy a new one at this point? When is the right time to discard these transformers?

Useful tips there, but "flow" is not a transitive verb !

I need to ask you as I don't know who eals to ask about Peavey backstage 110 NEW! 198? On eBay Hermies delivery. Opened it speaker baffle pushed in wood fixing broken transformer pushed back bent chassis up to sercuit board and cracked it .got full refund and told keeping it as they were sorry. NOW CAN IT BE FIXED .and buy what type of tech . I'm in London England 😭😭😭😭😭😭 it's NEW...

Just curious to know if your power transformer still does not buzz

Put it in the vacuum in varnish, that's how they make them these days

MOTTO= Good Vibrations. OK!

Could of put 2 more bolts on transformer

Laminations, laminations!