He would email requesting the possibility of sending the unit to Meridian to pay to have it fixed. Thought that was fairly evident, sorry.
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SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
So next month i'll get another their box. They do not hesitate to talk to customers, or provide documentation to them. And that's nice. I could do it by myself, but I decided to buy it.
"Well I wasn't expecting them to replace my unit. But I was surely hoping that at least he would give me an idea of the extent of the damage"
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,031
- 5
- 220,922
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
There is, but they are not for protecting the amp. They are for protecting people from shock and buildings from fire.
It's as much how it's designed as it is the way it's made. Both go hand in hand, but as the technology gets higher to brig better performance and features into smaller, lighter products, serviceability can (but not always) suffers.
I would sure want to see the repair safety tested to the proper standards, most service shops do not have this equipment. It's important whenever working across the primary/secondary safety barrier on an SMPS.
The harm is if it's not properly safety tested after the repair and you get hurt. That would make the current situation much worse, right now you only have an inconvenience (not so expensive in the scheme of things) and a very good learning experience (not just for you but other TB members might also benefit).
As somebody who has had designs stolen and copied (at least in looks and complete feature sets), I don't believe in making it any easier for that to happen.
Correct, there are a lot of parts, and it's likely that some of them are epoxied to the PCB (many SMT parts are assembled this way).
As somebody who has had designs stolen, I agree with their policy of not releasing schematics. I also understand their reluctance selling a replacement board to a non-authorized service center. When something goes wrong under these circumstances, it gets ugly very quickly with a really pissed off customer who is already pissed off form the original incident. There's no way to know if the preamp board didn't get damaged as well. We don't know if the PWM modulater started up, which would likely damage things downstream.
Sure, but as products get more and more complicated, and the parts don't have values marked on them, it becomes very difficult. There's nothing wrong with making a thief work for his spoils IMO.
Absolutely correct!
Except when they are not.
Only those marked for 220V. They are clear that the product must match the voltage of the region it's being operated in.
Not in this case, I believe it's their own. Yes, it's probably best treated as a replaceable part. We don't worry ourselves with replacing or fixing transistors inside an IC do we?
This would be my guess, based on the nature of the damage and the length of time required to cause the described damage.
This is not correct, we do not provide schematics for any current or recently discontinued products.
Overcurrent protection has nothing at all to do with an overvoltage fault like this.
Yes, this is crazy-stupid IMO. It's one of the reasons for much higher incidence of electrocution and electrical fires in some countries where safety takes a back seat to perceived convenience.
That may not be the only thing that changes on this amp when the operating voltage is configured. It's likely that there are other things that change as well, things like standby supply, PWM controller kick-start supply, transformer, fuse. I don't know and can't tell (and I design this stuff), how would somebody else guess any better?
But there is, and the OP used the amp's most important feature... safety certification, which means that there was no shock or fire hazard upon failure. Well worth the $300 IMO.
This is quite likely (though it's possible that the jumper is all that's required, but I don't know)
Correct, in most countries that take product safety seriously. Go back and look at the power strip picture that was posted, that's some scary stuff there.
Have you investigated the cost of shipping both ways, plus the customs clearing (even if he didn't have to pay duty/taxes). That alone is probably $150 or more, maybe a lot more.
I don't think it was evident. The OP indicated his buddy would take a look at the head and TE should offer tech support to his buddy the tech. It also seems the OP couldn't afford to send it to Meridian for repairs, let alone afford the repairs once it got to Meridian.
At least that's what was evident to me.
I've still got a power strip like the OP used.
It is nice for devices with Euro plugs or U.K. plugs on them.
FWIW most outlets in Thailand will accept U.S. plugs as well as Euro plugs:
and all public power is 220 Volts
It is nice for devices with Euro plugs or U.K. plugs on them.
FWIW most outlets in Thailand will accept U.S. plugs as well as Euro plugs:
and all public power is 220 Volts
What an awful week. OP lost an amp and a pint of my beer mysteriously disappeared at the bar this afternoon. The glass was sideways and beer gone! Should I call Guinness customer service about a replacement?
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).
I have that type on the output of my Japan issue voltage regulator, and it puts out 100, 120, and 220, regardless of local mains voltage. It solved all the problems I had with digital electronics and no one was allowed to touch it but me. Otherwise it surely would have caused more problems that it solved.
They're versatile, accept almost everything (except U.K. & a couple others).
Is the T.E. Elf switchable?
Maybe a jumper on the board inside?
Is the T.E. Elf switchable?
Maybe a jumper on the board inside?
IMHO, i think you should move on this. If it were some kind of damage it could be diagnosed somehow but the unit Blew. Since its a Micro amp those amps are somehow hard to fix. Its not just soldering some resistance diode or so. If your tech wants to take a look he probably can fix it next to nothing if you are in your luck. But do no expect it. When those units blows they blow in "line" so at the end you could find yourself replacing all parts from board.
At least thats what my tech has told me.
+1. Same my old trusty repair Tech said to me about New Micro Technology amps!
At least thats what my tech has told me.
+1. Same my old trusty repair Tech said to me about New Micro Technology amps!
I'm afraid 12 of mine disappeared last night. Similar. Found them all empty in the recycle this morning. And some drunk guy even cut one open to see how the newer type round ball widget works. That one I found with the cut halves slid back into each other and the ball is gone.
