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Post by deltadube on Dec 1, 2013 22:56:22 GMT -5
You will not burn the house down running everything on a single 15 amp circuit. It will either work (probably), or the circuit breaker will trip (unlikely except in extreme conditions). The only way it could be dangerous is if you replaced a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp and the wiring was still 14 AWG (standard for 15 amp). Thank you AudioHTIT for the correction, I was just trying to show my concern for the OP. i stand corrected.  Peace, Nick but what if the 15 amp breaker fails because its seized up which happens... bingo |
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Post by AudioHTIT on Dec 2, 2013 0:27:23 GMT -5
Thank you AudioHTIT for the correction, I was just trying to show my concern for the OP. i stand corrected. Peace, Nick but what if the 15 amp breaker fails because its seized up which happens... bingo It would be difficult to plan for any kind of system if we assumed every component was faulty. There are several around here (including myself) who's equipment exceeds the maximum of the circuit rating, I don't hear of many problems. Certainly a 20A circuit would be preferred in the OPs case, but we digress, he's worried about clicking. |
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Post by Jim on Dec 2, 2013 8:41:39 GMT -5
Fairly frequent every 15 mins or so, they all click when powered on and off, metallic sounding, just bemused on why one amp has started doing this more frequently than others and only recently too. You are right that there are clicks involved when turning the amplifier on or off. This is normal. I was actually talking about after the amp enters standby mode. If you hear clicks for a while after the amplifier has been turned off, then it's a pretty good indication (IMO) of heatsink/component contraction. Of course, hearing clicks while ON would be expected since the surfaces are heating up. Perhaps over the course of ~6 months, the numerous heating and cooling cycles have "adjusted" things in such a way that there is now less friction, turning this into an audible issue. Try calling Emotiva for confirmation and suggestions to fix the issue. I read in some other thread that sometimes adjusting the screws that hold the heat-sinks can help mitigate the issue. I want to say that it was an Emotiva recommendation, but I'm not sure that Emotiva would want people opening up the case unless they have some comfort level in doing so. I've heard the noise before, but never really listened for it since it's not that loud. The "metallic" sounding is what makes me think heatsink.. |
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Post by Jim on Dec 2, 2013 8:42:57 GMT -5
but what if the 15 amp breaker fails because its seized up which happens... bingo Are you talking about old breakers, like FPE? I've never heard of modern breakers (say, last 20 years) seizing up and failing to trip. I know there are some horror stories about old breakers like FPE that would sometimes fail to trip at ANY current. |
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Post by deltadube on Dec 2, 2013 15:12:43 GMT -5
but what if the 15 amp breaker fails because its seized up which happens... bingo Are you talking about old breakers, like FPE? I've never heard of modern breakers (say, last 20 years) seizing up and failing to trip. I know there are some horror stories about old breakers like FPE that would sometimes fail to trip at ANY current. sounds scary enough ... I an old friend of mine was a captain in the Toronto fire dept he always had stories.. electrical stuff is so cheap why not do it right.. cheers |
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Post by Jim on Dec 2, 2013 15:26:28 GMT -5
Are you talking about old breakers, like FPE? I've never heard of modern breakers (say, last 20 years) seizing up and failing to trip. I know there are some horror stories about old breakers like FPE that would sometimes fail to trip at ANY current. sounds scary enough ... I an old friend of mine was a captain in the Toronto fire dept he always had stories.. electrical stuff is so cheap why not do it right.. cheers Yeah, I'm sure there are stories. If you have an old panel, worth a check to Google and see if there are any issues. Too bad that it's not easier cheaper to replace an entire panel. Federal Pacific panels scare me: www.nbcbayarea.com/Federal-Pacific-Circuit-Breakers-Investigation-Finds-Decades-of-Danger-171406921.html |
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Post by Gary Cook on Dec 2, 2013 16:01:00 GMT -5
If the clicking is coming from the amp internals not via the audio circuit then my guess would be loose screws on the heat sicks. I haven't had an XPR-1 to open, but from the picture it looks as though there are several retaining screws that hold the heatsinks in place. Talk to Emotiva first but I reckon they will suggest taking the cover off and tightening the heatsink fasteners.  Cheers Gary |
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LCSeminole
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Post by LCSeminole on Dec 2, 2013 17:09:15 GMT -5
If the clicking is coming from the amp internals not via the audio circuit then my guess would be loose screws on the heat sicks. I haven't had an XPR-1 to open, but from the picture it looks as though there are several retaining screws that hold the heatsinks in place. Talk to Emotiva first but I reckon they will suggest taking the cover off and tightening the heatsink fasteners. Cheers Gary Good advice here. |
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Post by Darksky on Dec 2, 2013 17:15:50 GMT -5
Stab Lok breakers = BAD! I just retired as a Lieutenant on a HeavyRescue for a metropolitan Fire Department. Between those breakers and people "pennying" fuses many a fire has started.
Sorry for going so off topic. But my feelings on the 15/20 amp breaker controversy are this:
Dan and Lonnie have both said that these amps will work fine on a fifteen amp circuit. Many people here do it without issue. I don't believe that the cast majority of users would ever hear any difference or notice any "starving" of power from using this amp on a fifteen amp circuit.
Most houses are wired with fourteen gauge wire for 15 amp circuits. 20 amp circuits require heavier twelve gauge wire. If you put an 20 amp breaker on fourteen gauge wiring and then run a device that puts a lot of load on the circuit, the wiring will get hot. If it gets too hot, the insulation will melt off of the wire, exposing it and potentially causing it to ground out. The heat can also cause loose "stuff" sawdust, lint, etc to ignite.
If your circuits are wired with fourteen gauge wire, don't put a 20 amp breaker on it.
Some people have stated they just changed out their outlet for a twenty amp version. This is potentially bad, because, now you have created an outlet that looks like it can run 20 amp devices, but it really cannot. Is it going to start a fire? Probably not, the breaker should trip before anything bad happens from over taxing the circuit. But this is a bad idea. What if someone else seeing the 20 amp outlet uses a multi tap and and chronically overloads the circuit? The breaker (as noted above)may fail. Your insurance company would take issue with this and you would have exposed yourself to liability should you ever sell this house with that particular modification to the wiring.
Do it the right way. 20 amp breaker, 12 gauge wiring, 20 amp outlet. Or buy the appropriate cord that has the adapter from 20 to 15 amp built in. I believe these adapter cords even have a small breaker built into them.
As far as the clicking, I think asking EMO about tightening the screws on the heat sinks is a good idea.
Just my .02 cents
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Post by Gary Cook on Dec 2, 2013 17:31:57 GMT -5
Yep, 220/240 volts like the rest of the world.  Cheers Gary |
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Post by selkec on Dec 3, 2013 17:39:16 GMT -5
I believe it's clicking because it's broken. Do not, I repeat, waste time here, call Emo in the morning... It's not broken. It's the heat sinks expanding and contracting. Run it like normal and get it to click. Unhook everything put it somewhere else with nothing hooked to it. You wanna bet it still clicks for a while?!?! Mine did a few time after I had boxed them up to ship to the new owner |
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Post by akitared on Dec 3, 2013 23:22:44 GMT -5
So I opened up the Amp and tightened the screws for the heat sinks, et voila all good! Thank you all for your advice and suggestions.
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Post by novisnick on Dec 3, 2013 23:24:41 GMT -5
So I opened up the Amp and tightened the screws for the heat sinks, et voila all good! Thank you all for your advice and suggestions. I'm so happy that it was an easy fix for your Award Winning Big Dog XPR-1 Woof Woof |
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Post by creimes on Dec 3, 2013 23:37:21 GMT -5
Kind of late to the party but my XPA-1L's will click when the heat sinks are either warming or cooling, especially when using Class A mode  , they are also in a colder area of the basement which isn't insulated so tends to be cooler in there at all times of the year. Chad |
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Post by Porscheguy on Dec 4, 2013 22:45:49 GMT -5
I believe it's clicking because it's broken. Do not, I repeat, waste time here, call Emo in the morning... It's not broken. It's the heat sinks expanding and contracting. Run it like normal and get it to click. Unhook everything put it somewhere else with nothing hooked to it. You wanna bet it still clicks for a while?!?! Mine did a few time after I had boxed them up to ship to the new owner To me thats not clicking like a relay is opening and closing, thats thermal expansion… Whoops.. |
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, they are also in a colder area of the basement which isn't insulated so tends to be cooler in there at all times of the year.