• 03-23-2004, 10:41 AM
    nielsvanm
    Why did my receiver blow up?
    Hi everybody; I am very much new to home audio, and don't pretend to know a thing about it, but hopefully you guys can help me out......... I just got a receiver (Technics) and 6 disc CD changer (Pioneer, which uses the cartridge) (I can find the exact model, if you need it) from my (deceased ) grandfather in Delaware. They were driven here (Ontario, Canada) just the other day, after, I believe, a year or two of no use at all (not entirely sure though). I set them up, just plugged them into the wall and each other (but no speakers), and as I was preparing the speakers, I smelled a bad smell (you know the one, of electronics melting!) and I saw a very little bit of smoke coming from the receiver, so I promptly unplugged them. Now, after hooking up some speakers, I turned both units on again, and not surprisingly, the receiver doesn't work. (neither does the cd player, but we'll get to that).

    When the receiver is turned on, the display is VERY faint, then it fades to nothing, except some faint red background lighting. So it does turn on. It doesn't seem to make any sound on radio. Any idea why it broke, and if it would be fixable???

    Also, the cd player/changer is being stupid. When I put a full cartridge in, it just pulls out each disc in turn, and puts it back, and the when I hit play or anything, it flashes "disc". Any ideas?

    Thanks a lot for any help.

    Niels
  • 03-23-2004, 10:52 AM
    92135011
    Woah...thats a scary sight.
    The smell was likely caused by the transformer taking on too much current. and in essence burning up. Why? I dont know. Maybe you have a short inside the receiver. Have you looked inside?

    Back when I took electronics courses, many people always accidentally soldered thier capacitor with the wrong polarity. When they turned it on to try it out. Poof! capacitor blew up. It's quite a sight for those of you who havent seen it before.

    However, your display still faintly works, which means that its not ALL broken. I can only offer you what I know here. It might be the problem, but I'm not sure...Both of these causes usually disable all functioning.
  • 03-23-2004, 11:37 AM
    nielsvanm
    Thanks; I'll take a look in a bit. It just happened. I imagine I could find those parts in the machine. I doubt it is the capacitor, as the unit would have never been taken apart, and it did work at one time..... Transformer would be replaceable...........????

    Thanks for the quick response!
  • 03-23-2004, 01:15 PM
    nielsvanm
    hmmm, nothing looks all that melted or charred. Any other ideas, or is this something that I wouldn't really be able to see? Also, is there anywhere I can post photos? Maybe I'm overlooking something........
  • 03-25-2004, 06:57 AM
    markw
    Some older receivers didn't take too kindly to being played with no speakers.

    In any case, aside from a fuse, they are not user servicable by non-technical, non-trained, non-experienced persons. Attempting to do so is akin to doing dental work on family members with a Black and Decker variable speed drill and some epoxy from Home Depot.

    Several choices remain.

    1) take it to a tech and get an estimate.

    2) if the cost is reasonable, go for it.

    3) if the cost is too high, look for a new or used receiver to replace it. This is most likely scenario.
  • 03-25-2004, 02:05 PM
    nielsvanm
    Hmm, well I have done a bit of dentistry, but that was with a Dremel rotary tool; so I think I'll pass on the receiver repair! The unit itself is only probaby 10 years old at most; it does have a CD input, and it looks pretty new. I guess I'll have to bring it to a shop, as the fuse is good. That should be cheap!!!! :rolleyes:

    Do you really think not having the speakers plugged in would have done it? I mean it was only turned on for, maybe 30 seconds or so.

    Anyway, thanks for the responses!
  • 03-25-2004, 06:07 PM
    markw
    No speakers is a possibility, but the reality is that something smoked it. Aside from the obviously bad parts, there's a very good possibility that something else caused these to blow and is potentially laying (lying?) in wait for new parts to smoke.

    That's where a skilled tech come s in. They know where to look for these problems and correct them. Unfortuantely, expertise comes at a price. when you go to a doctor's office and talk it doesn't look like he's doing much work. He's paid for what he knows as wel las for what he does. That, and to pay his insurance premiums..
  • 03-26-2004, 11:49 AM
    nielsvanm
    Well, now I know; wish I hadn't found out the hard way!! It pays to know stuff! I guess I'll bring it to a shop one of these days then.