OMG I want to cry!

[gregvet]

I have just had the most heart stopping downright scary experience of my life. And its all my fault!

The cat knocked one speaker cable out of the back of my centre speaker, and stupidly I thought I would put it back by feel. Plugged it in, turned the system on, and then burning smell and smoke coming out of my Arcam P7. Four of the channels now dont work and all I can smell is burning amp.

I put the -ve cable back in the second +ve speaker terminal.

I want to cry!

I suppose I should be greatful the speaker doesnt seem to be damaged (just moved it to a working channel just to check). I guess it will have to go back to Arcam to be repaired, assuming its that simple.

Anyone know what is likely to have happened, and how serious it is?

 

[MattSPL]

Oh, thats not good.

Sounds strange that you affected 4 channels though. Is there any replacable speaker output fuses on the rear panel?
And is it under warrenty?

 

[chebby]

I am amazed that Arcam don't have the requisite protection circuitry to avoid this happening.*

Naim don't but then they and and their dealers give ample warning of the fact (or should) which tends to make us ultra careful (actually paranoid) about making your mistake.

With Naim amp connectors - and single-wiring - it is possible (and I have done it) to get them out of phase or even get L going through R and vica versa, but these are not 'fatal'.

When you have your Arcam repaired I would strongly suggest taping over any bi-wire terminals you are not using (on amp and speakers) so the worst you can do by mistake is get the phase wrong.

*Arcam's web literature says about the protection...

12 volt trigger input
Comprehensive protection circuitry
DC offset protection
VI limiting on each output stage
Software controlled thermostatic fan
Over temperature protection

...I am suprised none of that kicked in.

 

[Anonymous]

smoke was coming from the amp, so don't think it's a fuse ...

don't think insurance or the warranty will pay for negligence (unless you just say it packed up by itself .... but morally, that would be the wrong thing to do)

so may cost you a few pounds to sort, .... suppose life sucks sometimes, but good luck

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:

I am amazed that Arcam don't have the requisite protection circuitry to avoid this happening.*

my old pioneer has a protection feature that automatically shuts the amp down when there is a prob .... not sure how it works or what it does, as have not had a prob yet, but briefly read about it the manual

 

[floyd droid]

dim_span:

don't think insurance or the warranty will pay for negligence (unless you just say it packed up by itself .... but morally, that would be the wrong thing to do)

Insurance claim or morals. Oooh tough call.

Claim, i would and to hell with morals. Name me a poor insurance company. Say the cat wet up it or something.

 

[chebby]

gregvet:I have just had the most heart stopping downright scary experience of my life. And its all my fault!

Be thankful that - in your whole lifetime - the scariest thing that has ever happened to you is accidently trashing an AV amp.

 

[Anonymous]

floyd droid:dim_span:

don't think insurance or the warranty will pay for negligence (unless you just say it packed up by itself .... but morally, that would be the wrong thing to do)

Insurance claim or morals. Oooh tough call.

Claim, i would and to hell with morals. Name me a poor insurance company. Say the cat wet up it or something.

 

[floyd droid]

Lol

 

[matengawhat]

do not mention the cat - insurance companies do not cover damage caused by animals - that includes pets and birds/squirrals coming down the chimney and trashing your stuff

i think its an accidental damage insurance claim if you have it! you didn't mean to break it

 

[crusaderlord]

depends what home insurance cover you have as well - if you have added accidental cover (we have the option in the UK at least) then it doesnt actually matter how stupid you were you can still claim a new amplifier

a friend of mine climbed a ladder with a paint tin tried to balance it and you can guess what happened - dropped and pretty much covered the whole room and it was all replaced

 

[gregvet]

chebby:
gregvet:I have just had the most heart stopping downright scary experience of my life. And its all my fault!

Be thankful that - in your whole lifetime - the scariest thing that has ever happened to you is accidently trashing an AV amp.

Fair point, i may have exaggerated a little chebby!

I know that the Arcam has effectively two power supplies, each supplying three channels individually and one shared between the two, so the fact that the four channels corresponding to one power supply are affected makes some sense, dont know if that helps anyone to suggest what may have gone though!

It is under warranty, although I am too honest to try and pretend it happened spontaneously. As for the insurance, all that is handled by my other half, so will have to root through the paperwork and see exactly what we are covered for. Have a feeling I may have to pay for any repair, I am just hoping that that is financially realistic at the moment.

I have calmed down a little now. At least being a power amp only, I can continue to use the headphone out from the AV9 if I am without it for any length of time. Small things, eh? Could make movie/TV watching interesting when we are both in though!

Probably sounds weird, but even though the centre speaker would have been a cheaper replacement, I am kind of just happy that it is the amp and not the speaker. Not sure why I should be emotionally more attached to the speakers than the amp, but there you go.

Moral to this story, no cats/dogs/other people in the listening room, and never ever cut corners when setting up equipment that costs thousands of pounds!

 

[Anonymous]

wouldn't have happened with pre terminated banana plugs either, they are stuck fast once they are in

 

[gregvet]

hi fi newbie:wouldn't have happened with pre terminated banana plugs either, they are stuck fast once they are in

I have banana plugs, god knows how it came loose in the first place.

 

[Boca]

Be careful with insurance claims...

your forgetting what is your deductible on your insurance it might be the cost of the repair. or even more.... plus now you used up your free "gimme" so the next time your insurance might go up.

I suggest calling up Arcam and asking how much is the repair, do they do flat rate repair costs.

Just me.

 

[chebby]

gregvet:I have banana plugs, god knows how it came loose in the first place.

Depends on how big the cat was.

 

[matthewpiano]

gregvet:It is under warranty, although I am too honest to try and pretend it happened spontaneously.

Nice to see some honesty. I am exactly the same. I don't believe in scamming warranties or insurance. I think honesty is an under-rated commodity these days. Good on you.

 

[Craig M.]

you still might have a warranty claim, unless the manual states it has none, it sounds like the protection circuitry didn't do it's job.

my old moon amp had a warning in the manual, that it didn't have protection circuits, and shorting the amp would occur if the speaker wires touched.

 

[MattSPL]

I had a Krell Kav 300iL a few years ago driving a pair of B&W N803's.

It kept blowing the speaker output fuses only a week or 2 after i bought it ex dem from the shop.
After replacing the 2 fuses three times, when cranking it up one day, as i was increasing the volume up past say midway, the fuses blew again but this time the Ac inlet fuse blew too and also melted the innards of the amp.

It was repaired under warrenty and nobody could explain how or why it happened.

 

[Anonymous]