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Crown XLS Series; Cooling Fan Cycling

EdwardofHuncote

EdwardofHuncote

I Still Dream of Jeannie
Aug 21, 2013
6,667
2
16,453
Disclosures
I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
#1
No emergency here...

I've just never noticed it running before... the cooling fan comes on and runs for about 30-45 seconds, as you would expect it to if the amp were hitting a thermal setpoint. But it seems to be cycling whether the amp is 'working' or not. By that I mean- the amp is powered-up, but not amplifying anything... just in the ON mode. Idling so-to-speak.

My issue isn't about the fan noise... (which seems to be what every other thread on the entire planet is about) it's so quiet in fact, that I can't actually hear it, but by chance I happened to feel the breeze and upon investigation, found it was turning.

Guess I'm concerned because it doesn't seem to be hot. There are no issues with operation either. I'm only running it at half it's capacity (channels 1 & 2 volume set at noon each) and not underloading it at 4 ohms each side. (should handle 2 ohm just fine)

Just wondering if this is actually normal behavior and I've just never noticed before, or is it a sign the amp's cooling system is about to fritz.

Anybody else had a similar experience?

Thanks in advance...

If you come up with something, I'll have Jeannie grant you a wish - just be VERY careful what you wish for. :p
 
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#5
Zooberwerx said:
Same here. I own 3 and they never break a sweat.

Riis
Click to expand...

Have you ever seen the fans run?

FWIW, mine is an XLS 2000. I use it as a bi-amp rig with an Alembic F-1X and some Avatar cabs. I don't haul all that stuff around to gigs (well... I have... but very rarely) but it sounds absolutely amazing in my music room. Like I said, at half-throttle.
 

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#6
EdwardofHuncote said:
Have you ever seen the fans run?

FWIW, mine is an XLS 2000. I use it as a bi-amp rig with an Alembic F-1X and some Avatar cabs. I don't haul all that stuff around to gigs (well... I have... but very rarely) but it sounds absolutely amazing in my music room. Like I said, at half-throttle.
Click to expand...

No, but I've run my hands around the chassis and felt the breeze.

Riis
 
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#8
I leave mine on in my house as I rehearse an play throughout the day. My fan cycles on an off. I've never timed the intervals, but my rig sits in front of the window in the AM sun shows thru the amp. I can see the fan kick occasionally. It's never worried me. It's very quiet. Doesn't affect my signal. No noise on turn-on or off. I'm thinking it's supposed to.
 
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#9
EdwardofHuncote said:
No emergency here...

I've just never noticed it running before... the cooling fan comes on and runs for about 30-45 seconds, as you would expect it to if the amp were hitting a thermal setpoint. But it seems to be cycling whether the amp is 'working' or not. By that I mean- the amp is powered-up, but not amplifying anything... just in the ON mode. Idling so-to-speak.

My issue isn't about the fan noise... (which seems to be what every other thread on the entire planet is about) it's so quiet in fact, that I can't actually hear it, but by chance I happened to feel the breeze and upon investigation, found it was turning.

Guess I'm concerned because it doesn't seem to be hot. There are no issues with operation either. I'm only running it at half it's capacity (channels 1 & 2 volume set at noon each) and not underloading it at 4 ohms each side. (should handle 2 ohm just fine)

Just wondering if this is actually normal behavior and I've just never noticed before, or is it a sign the amp's cooling system is about to fritz.

Anybody else had a similar experience?

Thanks in advance...

If you come up with something, I'll have Jeannie grant you a wish - just be VERY careful what you wish for. :p
Click to expand...

I wish I could help you...

... wait a second. THAT'S not the wish I was hoping for...
 
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#11
Spidey2112 said:
Ed, do you have the manual?
Click to expand...
Si. ;)

It isn't very helpful... just says the fan may run sometimes. I'm thinking it's been like this all along, and I just noticed today. Definitely I'm not pushing it, or even nudging against what this thing has in reserve. I guess if I ever did, the fan would run more. The neighbors would probably just as soon I didn't find out. :bassist:

I told you to be careful about those wishes Spidey. She destroyed a astronaut's career one time thataway... or rather, turned him into a ruthless Texas oilman. :roflmao:
 
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#12
EdwardofHuncote said:
Si. ;)

It isn't very helpful... just says the fan may run sometimes. I'm thinking it's been like this all along, and I just noticed today. Definitely I'm not pushing it, or even nudging against what this thing has in reserve. I guess if I ever did, the fan would run more. The neighbors would probably just as soon I didn't find out. :bassist:

I told you to be careful about those wishes Spidey. She destroyed a astronaut's career one time thataway... or rather, turned him into a ruthless Texas oilman. :roflmao:
Click to expand...

I'll take my chances, Ed! :D I'm thinking it's fine... time the occurrences... If they're dead on, frequency wise, it may be something that's built into the unit's firmware/electronics... sometimes we'll induce heat/cold onto a circuit in question, to see if the symptom(s) change... I bet the fan ramps up if it gets too toasty in there...

... now, where do you keep the lamp?
 
#13
Spidey2112 said:
I'll take my chances, Ed! :D ... now, where do you keep the lamp?
Click to expand...

On this shelf In the practice room. (it's actually a Beam's Choice liquor decanter, from Christmas, 1964) Hard to say where Jeannie is though... I leave the stopper out in case she gets in late. :rolleyes: :smug:

Yeah, I'll keep an eye on it, but I think the Crown is fine. :thumbsup:

Thanks All!
 

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#14
I use an XLS1000 to run my home theater system's subwoofer. Some days I leave it on for up to 16 hours. I've had it for 2 years and last week when the weather got warm, the fan kicked on for a couple of minutes. This is the first time it's ever happened.

Something else occurred last summer, which was pretty hot for around here. I had been running the amp in bridged mode, and one day it completely shut down and refused to turn back on. My guitar tech said that in light of how long I leave it on, I probably shouldn't be running it that way. I took it down to the basement, let it cool, turned it on, and took it out of bridged mode. It's worked flawlessly since then.

I also have an XLS1500 for my PA. I don't think its fan has ever turned on.
 
#16
How old is it and when was the last time you blew out the inside? Dust settles everywhere and acts as an insulator, keeping heat in. It's more than likely just fine given its duty cycle, but a little preventative maintenance goes a long way in keeping your amp happy.
 
#20
trevcda said:
How old is it and when was the last time you blew out the inside? Dust settles everywhere and acts as an insulator, keeping heat in. It's more than likely just fine given its duty cycle, but a little preventative maintenance goes a long way in keeping your amp happy.
Click to expand...

It's a few months shy of 2 years old. I haven't really thought it being dusty, as it's been racked in a 3U Gator zip bag with my F-1X since day one, and only left the music room maybe 3 or 4 times... I reckon it's worth a look though. :thumbsup:
 

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