Update On the Trace Eliott ELF That I Blew Up.

[alaskaleftybass]

To the OP, send an email to Peavey, who is now the parent company for TE. Offer to pay for a repair, knowing that there are no guarantees on the outcome and you may still owe money for the effort.

In all fairness to Trace Elliott, please change your title to something like "I blew up my new Trace Elliot." Maybe so many people wouldn't be attacking you.

 

[Sixgunn]

Jeez!! That power strip he plugged it into is CRAZY unsafe!! I can't believe something like that is even on the market!!

 

[Slevage]

If you say so. @agedhorse says different. You can slug it out between you if you like.

Don’t get him involved— just send me the damaged goods. I can sort out the details.

 

[Papz]

Here's how it looks inside : mostly SMT, switch mode PSU, very small, parts difficult to access... That amp was not designed with repair in mind, like many current electronic devices. When it's broken, it's meant to be thrown into the bin and replaced by a new one.

Tech is my job. If a customer comes with a $300 device fried by mains overvoltage, I don't even take a look at it and rather suggest him to buy a new one.
Work in this kind of stuff is a nightmare and definitely not worth the effort and cost.

Pics from Invalid Link Removed

 

[zoonose]

@Papz - that first image is why I think the voltage setting is a factory thing. That's not designed for easy access or user serviceability.

 

[Sixgunn]

FYI most professional musicians own 2 or 3 pro-grade instruments, and maybe 2 pro-grade amps.

It's dentists, doctors, bankers, and folks with regular jobs, who have collections of instruments, and are constantly flipping amps, and pedals.

Yes, it's ironic that the people who rely on these tools, to create the art we love, aren't paid enough to access them in the way that hobbyists are...

If one chooses music as a profession without understanding the financial implications/risk, they shouldn't whine about the "irony"of the hobbyists who are smart enough to have a plan B.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Here's how it looks inside : mostly SMT, switch mode PSU, very small, parts difficult to access... That amp was not designed with repair in mind, like many current electronic devices. When it's broken, it's meant to be thrown into the bin and replaced by a new one.

Tech is my job. If a customer comes with a $300 device fried by mains overvoltage, I don't even take a look at it and rather suggest him to buy a new one.
Work in this kind of stuff is a nightmare and definitely not worth the effort and cost.

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Wow! Thanks for the pics. I've been interested in what the innards look like. I'll bet my Tivo in the living room has more parts!

 

[BadExample]

Safety lessons learned:

1. Don't import your own gear unless you understand how to take the proper safety precautions and are prepared to be fully responsible for any and all outcomes.

2. If you want to power up an amp in your pocket, that's one thing, but DON'T POWER UP AN AMP IN HER POCKET! Please.

I feel sorry for what happened, but I really think the most cost effect route for a reliable amp is going to be a replacement. If the fuse went really fast and there was no apparent other damage, no smoke, burned parts, oozing goo, etc., it might be worth having a local tech give you an estimate. As it stands, with the length of time the power supply was at double voltage, I fear almost all active components were abused one way or another. Semiconductors die from very, very rare crib death or almost as rare, old age, otherwise over voltage, over current (causing heat), and/or over heat.

I completely understand the difference in economics between point A and point B. I've stood on both sides of the pond myself. Are tech labor rates inexpensive there? If you can get a free estimate from a good local tech, that might be worth the trip across town. If they can power it up on a bench power supply and an Act of God makes it come to life, they might be able to hack together some sort of 220 VAC power supply, perhaps external. If that can be done for a low fee, you might at least have something you can play at home and see if you end up really wanting an amp or stick with DI. Just a long shot thought, and I would not ever leave it plugged into the mains unsupervised, much less power it up in your pocket!

 

[Passinwind]

Wow! Thanks for the pics. I've been interested in what the innards look like. I'm wondering if @Passinwind and @agedhorse took a peek yet (or maybe did before any of the rest of us!).

I did see those pics when @disssa posted them in the Amps Guts thread a while back. But partly because of the CUP restrictions here, and for a few other reasons, that's going to be all I have to say about that.

 

[BadExample]

Is that an Elf in your pocket, or...

Just an elf in my pocket. No need to get excited OGB.




I didn't realize several pages had gone by when I posted. Ignore everything I say is OP's best bet.

 

[bassstrangler]

Here's how it looks inside : mostly SMT, switch mode PSU, very small, parts difficult to access... That amp was not designed with repair in mind, like many current electronic devices. When it's broken, it's meant to be thrown into the bin and replaced by a new one.

Tech is my job. If a customer comes with a $300 device fried by mains overvoltage, I don't even take a look at it and rather suggest him to buy a new one.
Work in this kind of stuff is a nightmare and definitely not worth the effort and cost.

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I know nothing about repairing this. I am going to assume that to fix anything in this tiny head it would need to be completely taken apart just to access the burnt out and damaged parts, then it would have to be fixed, then put back together. It really seems that this is a product designed to be used until it malfunctions then it's thrown away.

I'm also going to assume that any tech would probably say no to even attempting a repair.

 

[Dgl44]

Ouch... That's a rather nasty situation.
I'm surprised though that it hasn't got a safety fuse inside in case of such a scenario.
Looks like that modern electronics really are no more than consumables. :/
I did the same thing on my US built GK (second time just last night), forgetting to plug it into the converter and all that fried was a fuse. A new fuse and it's back to life as normal. It was built in 89' though.

Fingers crossed that you get it sorted out and your amp back asap brother!

 

[Son of Wobble]

It really seems that this is a product designed to be used until it malfunctions then it's thrown away.

Looks like that modern electronics really are no more than consumables. :/

I like how the Elf sounds well enough. But after a wag on TB compared it to a router, the image stuck in my head.

 

[seamonkey]

Jeez!! That power strip he plugged it into is CRAZY unsafe!! I can't believe something like that is even on the market!!

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A lot of things fit into an outlets all over the world - keep toddlers away from them.

I wonder if the printing on the back of the OP actually says "120V" like this?

 

[Urich_jr]

Well, if that's the case, I stand corrected...but I'm still very much surprised and it hasn't been my experience - owner's manuals for the stuff I've owned so far will show a block diagram at best, not an actual electrical schematic that drills right down to integrated circuits part numbers, or value of passive components. I have some Tech21 stuff and there is no technical info (other than product specs) in the manuals.

But hey, I've been wrong before.

Plus, it's a (cold but) beautiful sunny day out here, so I'm out!

No, I searched more into it and technicaly you were right. No particular schematics printed in mesa's manuals, just blocks. I see resistor, I see a capacitor, op.amps.. but I don't see values and layout numbers...so yes - I was wrong a little bit (a little bit). But still no problems with modding that stuff I asume (If I ever need to mod my Mesa box - it doesn't need any).

 

[Wood and Wire]

If one chooses music as a profession without understanding the financial implications/risk, they shouldn't whine about the "irony"of the hobbyists who are smart enough to have a plan B.

And if one chooses a career as a professional musician, whilst fully understanding the potential financial pitfalls - are they not allowed to observe the irony in question?

Is the hobbyist whining, when the observe the irony that they had to quit music, to be able to afford all the musical instruments they desired?

 

[Sixgunn]

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A lot of things fit into an outlets all over the world - keep toddlers away from them.

I wonder if the printing on the back of the OP actually says "120V" like this?

Right, but those 120v plugs will go right into that deathtrap when it's running 220v.

 

[Sixgunn]

And if one chooses a career as a professional musician, whilst fully understanding the potential financial pitfalls - are they not allowed to observe the irony in question?

Is the hobbyist whining, when the observe the irony that they had to quit music, to be able to afford all the musical instruments they desired?

It's actually not irony and yes, it's whining.

 

[BadExample]

Here's how it looks inside : mostly SMT, switch mode PSU, very small, parts difficult to access... That amp was not designed with repair in mind, like many current electronic devices. When it's broken, it's meant to be thrown into the bin and replaced by a new one.

Tech is my job. If a customer comes with a $300 device fried by mains overvoltage, I don't even take a look at it and rather suggest him to buy a new one.
Work in this kind of stuff is a nightmare and definitely not worth the effort and cost.

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The gut shots reminded me, wasn't 220 VAC discussed in the little Elf's megathread? IIRC, It involved not just the jumper on the board, but a new transformer. This might be good information to find and give to the tech, if a repair is attempted.

If a repair IS completed, be sure to verify visually and with an ohm meter that the yellow/black stripe wire is intact and secure. It's very important for your safety.

On the economic feasibility of repair, you have to keep in mind the fact that the amp is worth a lot more than $300 in OP's country, which is why he went gray market. They may also have very low labor costs compared to the US or EU. Parts can go either direction, but usually cost more in low labor cost areas. In the Philippines it is cost effective to have your cell phone repaired a couple of times a year... and they have no schematic. They guess until it works. $300 there would be a very good local monthly family income.

 

[mbene085]

Jeez!! That power strip he plugged it into is CRAZY unsafe!! I can't believe something like that is even on the market!!

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Yeah, that's frankly one of the most insane devices I have ever seen. Someone went to the trouble to design, build, and sell something that is capable of straight-up destroying property and killing people. Electrical fires are no joke.

Even with the typical 220v-to-110v stepdown devices I have seen, I'd be terrified to connect a 200W amp to one. A small consumer electronic device? Sure. But an amp, that I'm plugged into, where my strings are continuous with the circuit's ground? Heck no.