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TRACE-ELLIOT ELF SCHEMATIC

#21
BioWeapon said:
It's worth stating regardless.
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Agreed, just because you are knowledgeable in one area doesn't automatically make you knowledgeable or effective in other areas within the electronics field.

For example, I might be an expert in this field but I would not attempt to repair avionics because it's so entirely different that I would spend hours reinventing the wheel. Also, I do not have the necessary certifications and credentials with the FCC and FAA to work on avionics, though my partner does (he worked for NASA and then Motorola).

Besides, the cost of replacement is so low that it would be a labor of love to be able to cost effectively repair such a device without the factory test fixtures and ATE (which is how they are tested during production and post-production).
 
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#23
If you don't want to pay a qualified tech to repair it, you should instead replace this part:

download.jpg


at $299, I can't see how it would be cost effective to do anything else.
 
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#24
Yeah guess you're right, just get another. I just like fixing things, but time would be better spent just playing my bass. BioWeapon, not sure why you are inputting to this thread...you,re just talking shite. Al;l I a\sked for was some info. I have 43 years experience fixing aircraft and aviation electronics, it's just some info I'm after to save some time. It WILL get fixed, just after some info to save time. Probably just buy another and fix this one whem I'm bored... can always put one on ebay I guess. Anyway guys, keep playing and have fun, it's beer o'clock here in the UK. Would appreciate some constructive info if anyone has got it, otherwise, why comment??
 
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#25
steve pearce said:
Yeah guess you're right, just get another. I just like fixing things, but time would be better spent just playing my bass. BioWeapon, not sure why you are inputting to this thread...you,re just talking poopiee. Al;l I a\sked for was some info. I have 43 years experience fixing aircraft and aviation electronics, it's just some info I'm after to save some time. It WILL get fixed, just after some info to save time. Probably just buy another and fix this one whem I'm bored... can always put one on ebay I guess. Anyway guys, keep playing and have fun, it's beer o'clock here in the UK. Would appreciate some constructive info if anyone has got it, otherwise, why comment??
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I like fixing things too. I totally get it. I've worked on electronics in some form or another for the better part of my life. I know when I'm out of my league though. These class D amps are much more integrated and complex than the older designs that the average TV repair guy, or ex-military radio tech would feel right at home working on.

At that price point, I'd be surprised if the manufacturer even repairs them at all. By the time you send it to them, they replace whatever is bad and you pay for bench time, and then shipping back, you could buy a new one.

I do understand the feeling of satisfaction you get when you can fix it yourself though.
 
#27
I have found the owner's manual on the Trace Elliott website: https://www.traceelliot.com/resources/te-elf-om.pdf.

In section (10) Speaker Output, there is some mention that the speaker output has some protection circuitry built-in. By reading the OP, you seemed to assume that the head was fried.

Have you tried plugging the head into a cabinet and see if it still works? You just might be lucky.
 
#30
mmon77 said:
At that price point, I'd be surprised if the manufacturer even repairs them at all. By the time you send it to them, they replace whatever is bad and you pay for bench time, and then shipping back, you could buy a new one.

I do understand the feeling of satisfaction you get when you can fix it yourself though.
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This is generally the case. On inexpensive products, especially when working on an SMPS or class d amp, there are so many inter-related and inter-dependent aspects that it's almost always more cost effective to replace the SMPS/class D board. Since that's by far the most costly component/assembly in the entire amp, by the time you factor in the considerable costs of troubleshooting, repairing and then testing, you will be well beyond what the part/assembly costs and maybe the cost to disassemble, reassemble and test.

Manufacturers of this type of technology don't test by hand, it's WAY too expensive. Almost all testing is done on automated test equipment that may test for hundreds of parameters and operating conditions. It's all about the economies of scale IME.

Even the more expensive parts like the IcePower parts we use are not generally economical to repair, and we have the added need to maintain the safety and EMC compliance that these parts come pre-tested for. While I (maybe) could repair them, it's way more cost effective to replace. Fortunately, most higher quality modules are very high reliability so the issue comes up infrequently.

I like fixing things too, but I also have learned to recognize when it's not a good use of my time.

steve pearce said:
Yeah, you're right. I just like fixing things......especially if I have broken it!
Hopefully someone will come up with the info rather than try to scare me lol!
It's only an amp!!!!!
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Not trying to scare you, but educate you to the complexities and specialization of the technology. The more you understand about it, the more you will recognize why I made the suggestions I did.

steve pearce said:
Just annoying because I only bought it two days ago, yesterday I bought a new speaker stack to try it with and in my excitement plugged the wrong lead in, Oops...can't believe I did that lol!!!
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I get it, "poopie" happens sometimes.
 
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#33
If an assembly is considered by the manufacturer to be a "replace only" item, it's unlikely that they will have any service docs even if they were willing to share them.

Manufacturing docs are different, and often what's used in-house to support this kind of assembly.
 
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#35
Yes. I was an Avionics technician for about 8 years. Would not feel like I'd be much good cracking open a class D (or any other) amp for anything but the simplest of things - like maybe resoldering a wire to a pot or something.
agedhorse said:
Agreed, just because you are knowledgeable in one area doesn't automatically make you knowledgeable or effective in other areas within the electronics field.

For example, I might be an expert in this field but I would not attempt to repair avionics because it's so entirely different that I would spend hours reinventing the wheel. Also, I do not have the necessary certifications and credentials with the FCC and FAA to work on avionics, though my partner does (he worked for NASA and then Motorola).

Besides, the cost of replacement is so low that it would be a labor of love to be able to cost effectively repair such a device without the factory test fixtures and ATE (which is how they are tested during production and post-production).
Click to expand...
 
#36
43 Years experience...seen it all over the years! Guess as far as diagrams and after service support goes, that is what seperates a top class manufacturer to one who just wants to make throw away crap. Still waiting to see where Trace Elliot fit in that one.
 
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#37
steve pearce said:
43 Years experience...seen it all over the years! Guess as far as diagrams and after service support goes, that is what seperates a top class manufacturer to one who just wants to make throw away crap. Still waiting to see where Trace Elliot fit in that one.
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Blame the likes of Behringer for nobody wants to make it easy for the bastards to rip their product. There's big money to be made selling cheap copies of ''throwaway crap''.
 
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#38
The components on the board(s) inside that head are likely tiny and surface mounted by robots. Even trying to desolder them would likely burn up more than what you fried.

Most electronics repair of items manufactured in the last decade or so involves board swapping. You simply unplug terminals, unscrew the board, and replace. (I repair medical equipment. Maybe audio is different, but I doubt it.)

I have on two occasions managed to remove and replace tiny surface mounted stuff. It was a huge PITA. I did it as a favor to medical facilities that couldn't afford new equipment. I wish I had never agreed to it. I managed to get it done. But it sucked. And I got pretty lucky both times. They should have gotten new circuit boards, but that would have cost about 2/3 what a new piece of equipment cost. You're likely in the same situation. If they'll even sell it to you, a new board will set you back a couple hundred. You may as well grab another one.
 
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#39
To be fair, it's made fairly old school with some easily re-solderable items. I thought the same as you when it went bang (on day 2 of having it!). Seems possiuble to repair...just waiting for info. Let you know how it goes.
 
#40
steve pearce said:
To be fair, it's made fairly old school with some easily re-solderable items. I thought the same as you when it went bang (on day 2 of having it!). Seems possiuble to repair...just waiting for info. Let you know how it goes.
Click to expand...

What did Peavey tech support tell you when you called them?
 

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