ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Those of you who know this tuner/amplifier will be aware that it uses a massive toroidal transformer which is switched on softly by a couple of relays and resistors in the primary of the transformer.The problem is that when you bring it out of standby it trips the circuit breaker in the owners home.It doesn't trip in my home or in the workshop. This receiver is not earthed and trips when brought out of standby whether connected to the turntable, or cassette deck.Does anyone know what causes this and what can be done to stop it tripping the breaker?
I'm not familiar with the innards of that particular unit, but as an Electrical Engineer who often installs equipment at customer sites, I'd try the following:
- Make sure their breaker has the same rating as yours.
- Unplug other loads on that same breaker (anything else that turns off when it breaks) and see if the same problem occurs
- Consider breaker fatigue if it is a very old breaker; consider "infant mortality" if new construction. Regardless, consider replacing the breaker. (Thermal imaging cameras sometimes detect bad breakers, if you happen to have access to one.)
- On power supply start-up there is often a surge of current as capacitors charge. The soft-start circuitry for those caps may have failed. If you have access to schematics I can probably find the parts in question.
Sources: 2x Beosound Moment • 4x Beosound Essence Mk II Speakers: 3x Beolab 8000 • 2x Beolab 6000 • 2x Beolab 3 • 3x Beolab 2 Integrated: 1x Beosound 2 • 1x Beosound Level • 4x BeoPlay M5 • 1x BeoPlay A6 Control: 16x* Essence Remote • 1x Beoremote Halo
* Yes, really! 🤦♂️
Thanks Alex, the soft start circuit is working properly, I will tell the owner to get the breaker checked.