Stereo Amp problem...

wavin

i have a cambridge audio stereo amp at home and over the weekend i was using it (prob too loudly) and it just stopped working.light wont even come on when its turned on or anything.does anyone know anywhere (internet or oherwise) where i could find out what the problem with it is?
cant afford to drop it into a repair shop at the moment...

hefty_langer

check all fuses

robbie1876

hefty_langer wrote:

check all fuses

Yes, including the one accessible from the back of the amp where the power cord goes in. That one usually blows before the 13amp one in the plug. If you can't see where the fuse compartment is, you may have to open the case to locate the input fuse, sometimes they can't be changed externally.

Lump

Yea, probably only the fuse... Assuming the correct fuse was in the plug/amp, the fuse would blow before the amp actually would.

John

wavin

cheers for the feedback
i'll pull it out tonight and have a look

ZENER

The output stages in these amps are usually protected with current sensing so for a fuse to pop it may mean that something else has given up too.

My advice, in order to prevent further serious damage, is to put a lower rating fuse (e.g. 5A instead of 10A or 1A instead of 3A) and without speakers attached switch it on. If the fuse doesn't pop stright away then connect the speakers one at a time, if alls well so far then connect a source and try it at low volume.

If everything still works you are probably OK to put the proper rated fuses back in. If only one channel works then check for other fuses and follow the same procedure as above.

I only suggest this to avoid damaging any other components, experience has taught me to do this in cases where main fuses have failed.

Good luck.

ZEN

wavin

robbie1876 wrote:

Yes, including the one accessible from the back of the amp where the power cord goes in. That one usually blows before the 13amp one in the plug. If you can't see where the fuse compartment is, you may have to open the case to locate the input fuse, sometimes they can't be changed externally.

no fuse by the power cord
changed the fuse in the plug, a 3 amp one, but no joy there.prob will open the case up this weekend and see if i can find the fuse inside.
will the fuse inside look like the usual plug type fuse or should i be looking for something different??thanks

ZENER

wavin wrote:

no fuse by the power cord
changed the fuse in the plug, a 3 amp one, but no joy there.prob will open the case up this weekend and see if i can find the fuse inside.
will the fuse inside look like the usual plug type fuse or should i be looking for something different??thanks

No the internal fuses will be 20mm or 32mm glass or ceramic fuses if there are any at all that is. The glass ones are easy to diagnose, they're . . well . . transparent the ceramic ones will require testing by multimeter or substitution. DON'T be tempted to use a bit of wire or the wrong type of fuse and be careful . . electricity bites !!!

ZEN

wavin

ZENER wrote:

No the internal fuses will be 20mm or 32mm glass or ceramic fuses if there are any at all that is. The glass ones are easy to diagnose, they're . . well . . transparent the ceramic ones will require testing by multimeter or substitution. DON'T be tempted to use a bit of wire or the wrong type of fuse and be careful . . electricity bites !!!

ZEN

opened it up on fri evening and one of the internal glass typr fuses was gone. does anyone know where these can be bought , online or around cork city?
cheers

ZENER

wavin wrote:

opened it up on fri evening and one of the internal glass typr fuses was gone. does anyone know where these can be bought , online or around cork city?
cheers

Any TV repair shop or car accs shop will have them also try B&Q, Woodies, Atlantic in their car or electrical departments.

ZEN