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Amp shortcircuit

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by SSCBA, Jul 3, 2008.

  1. Jul 3, 2008 #1
    SSCBA

    SSCBA

    Oct 14, 2006
    Sunshine Coast, Australia
    What happens if the cable connecting an amp and a speakers breaks or cuts and the two wires inside (mass and signal) make contact? all this while you are playing at loud volume with a SOLID STATE amp
    Can you damage the amp?
     
  2. Jul 3, 2008 #2
    Bass_Pounder

    Bass_Pounder

    Jan 19, 2002
    Palm Coast, Florida
    Yes...........

    Unless your amp has short circuit protection, you can fry the amp
     
  3. Jul 3, 2008 #3
    Rick Auricchio

    Rick Auricchio Registered Bass Offender Supporting Member

    Nov 27, 2007
    Cambria, CA (Central Coast)
    Most modern amps will shut down or blow a fuse if there is a shorted speaker cable.
     
  4. Jul 3, 2008 #4
    SSCBA

    SSCBA

    Oct 14, 2006
    Sunshine Coast, Australia
    Well.. that happened to me today..
    I was repairing the cable and forgot to isolate the red wire from the mass. I started playing and everything was ok. Then, because of vibrations, both wires made contact inside the jack and I heard a distorted sound, but at very low volume. Then I repaired the jack and now the amp seems to work fine. It could be possible that nothing happened the amp?
    What kind of damage can this type of problem produce appart from frying the amp?
     
  5. Jul 3, 2008 #5
    Jeff Scott

    Jeff Scott Rickenbacker guru..........

    Apr 11, 2006
    Out there!
    What is "the mass"?
     
  6. Jul 3, 2008 #6
    fdeck

    fdeck Supporting Member Commercial User

    Mar 20, 2004
    Madison WI
    HPF Technology LLC
    The amp is probably OK. What kind is it?
     
  7. Jul 3, 2008 #7
    SSCBA

    SSCBA

    Oct 14, 2006
    Sunshine Coast, Australia
    sorry, im not a native english speaker. I don't know how you call the ''neutral'' cable.

    Fdeck, the amp is a solid state Kustom DE200.


    EDIT: MASS = GROUND
     
  8. Jul 4, 2008 #8
    billfitzmaurice

    billfitzmaurice Commercial User

    Sep 15, 2004
    New Hampshire
    Owner, Bill Fitzmaurice Loudspeaker Design
    If the amp doesn't have short circuit protection shorting the output can fry the output transistors, most of the other components in the output stage, the power supply diodes and even the power transformer.
     
  9. Jul 4, 2008 #9
    Rune Bivrin

    Rune Bivrin Supporting Member

    Oct 2, 2006
    Huddinge, Sweden
    If your amp didn't break immediately it should be OK. What you heard was the current limiting kicking in to protect the amp.

    It could have broken if you'd playd like that for exended time, because the amp would have gotten very warm after a while.
     
  10. Jul 4, 2008 #10
    SSCBA

    SSCBA

    Oct 14, 2006
    Sunshine Coast, Australia
    thanks for your help!
     
  11. Jul 4, 2008 #11
    papajune

    papajune

    Jan 5, 2005
    Atlanta
    Endorsing Artist: Schroeder Cabinets, Ashdown Amplifiers
    Here is my recently fried thunderfunk, it took the crossover in my Schroeder with it. YIKES!

    IMG_4624.jpg
     
  12. Jul 4, 2008 #12
    SSCBA

    SSCBA

    Oct 14, 2006
    Sunshine Coast, Australia
    what did you do to fry it like this??