Help from Trevor or anyone with BT MCU5A/125

[admin_exported]

Hi ppl, would really appreciate some help on how to get the best out of this bt mains conditioner from any of you who own one. Maybe you could tell me what you run off it or how - ie. cd player, plug it into the wall or a tacima or a tacima into it etc. Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeh also, can you upgrade the fuses in the unit or do you do the plug ones and do you 'ground' the unit as there is a terminal on the back? thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul

The 1st thing is to make sure you have 13A fuse in the units plug and not a lower rated one.
The 125va unit has too lower current supply to run power/AV amps, and can struggle with the TV.
It's good for CD/DVD/Blue ray players, I use mine to run my Sub which it handles OK and the Bass detail is much better.
I use the 500VA unit for my Amp, Sony 970, PS3.
Run the TV straight off the Tacima with a RA Classic Powerkord, no difference in picture between that and putting it through the BT unit. But if frees up the load for the Amp!

Hope that helps

 

[Anonymous]

Paulthefilmfan:Oh yeh also, can you upgrade the fuses in the unit or do you do the plug ones and do you 'ground' the unit as there is a terminal on the back? thanks

Haven't touched the unit fuses, there is a thermal internal cut out if overloaded that resets itself if you run too many amps!

The grounding tag is for Star Earthing equipment to the unit if you get ground loops. With good mains conditioning it effectively deals with these types of problems if your equipment is fault free.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the speedy reply Trev,
Useful info too. Will it run a PS3 ok, then i can swap between that and my Arcam cd player when I want to use either one? I plugged the bt unit into the wall earlier and did get hum from the unit in operation maybe- grounding is needed, is this normal and should I be able to hear it as audibly? Thanks again

 

[Anonymous]

Splice both into the same plug.

Sorry I need more info on your runing set up to give more detailed advise.

What is plugged into where and what are the before and after effects etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Okie dokie, my tv, ps3, cd player and ra silencer are plugged into the tacima, and the onk 875 into the wall oulet. I plugged the bt conditioner into a spare wall one and it was humming loud enought to be noticable like the old cb radio amps.

 

[Anonymous]

Paulthefilmfan:Okie dokie, my tv, ps3, cd player and ra silencer are plugged into the tacima, and the onk 875 into the wall oulet. I plugged the bt conditioner into a spare wall one and it was humming loud enought to be noticable like the old cb radio amps.

It appears by what you say that you have a lousy 'True Earth' (off the Main Earth into the home via the consumer unit).
Back to basics, check and polish / renew the Earth contacts (turning off the power 1st!) from the meter box to the C Unit. Also do the same on the cross bonding points in the house.

The Tacima / RA silencer has its work cut out, but you can try plugging the BT unit into one of the top slots and see if it improves things.

What else is on the ring main? It could be causing problems as well.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Trevor, I have a feeling you are right. The earth is not great in out house, if it was my house I would do what you have done and got my mains sorted out proper with my hifi's own consumer unit or spur off the main etc but I still live at home so no chance of that. I may be able to clean the connections and sort the contacts. The only other thing I can think to do is to earth my system with an earth rod outside but this is not really solving the mains thing is it? Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

If you have enough slack in the Earth wire at both the Meter end and the CU, snip a bit off and make a fresh connection.
Also check that the plug socket for your Hi Fi is earthed to its base. That is done now in modern houses, but if yours is older it won't have been done.

Will give you a stronger Earth and help lower the noise floor.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks matey, will try to do that when I have a spare moment and others are out. Mine is a older house (70's I think) so this is likely to be the case. Think my dad said the rear box for the wall socket was wood, lol.