Amp Shutting Down, need help

Jea48: As you know, "inrush" current is typically instantanious - with PS filter caps charged to 95+% within a few seconds, or so, for most high-power amps.
08-15-12: Metro04

Note he's stating the breaker consistantly trips "after 20 seconds",
08-15-12: Metro04

Metro04,

Good point....

His recent noted voltage drop to 112, only at the moment of trip, is curious.

Agree.....

For a thermo-magnetic breaker, you'd expect to see sustained high current voltage drop right up until tripping vs the virtually unaffected static 118 - as if the power supply wasn't even pulling current (?).

Are we 100% sure what the trip mechanism is?

The fact that the 50' extension cord allows the amp to work without tripping the overcurrent protection is baffling to say the least.

Like I said earlier it could be working as a current limiter... I am not so sure now, that is case...



If Sailcappy lives in a high rise apartment building hard telling what the power quality of the AC power looks like.

I wonder if Sailcappy has talked to the superintendent or head of maintenance about his problem? They may split the cost for a "Power Quality Company" to check out his mains power quality.

Harmonics
http://p3-inc.com/whitepapers/harmonics.pdf
.

"Is the breaker a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) or an AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter)? These type of breakers have a test trip push button on them."

There are no test trip buttons on any of the circuit breakers in the breaker panel.

"As for the circuit breaker used on the Cary.... Is the switch actually a breaker? The handle trips position and has to be reset? If it is indeed a breaker the more times it is tripped the weaker it becomes."

Yes it is an actual breaker as the switch has to be switched back on to put the unit back into standby. I have had it replaced to no avail.

"By chance does your friend have a clamp on amprobe so you could measure the inrush current draw of the amp on startup?
"
He did use one yesterday I have forgotten the outcome and will ask him tomorrow.

I do live in a high rise and my building said and I quote "as long as the breaker is not tripping then we do not concider you to have a problem." So much for living in a "luxury building".

How do I contact Almarg?

"Is the breaker a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) or an AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter)? These type of breakers have a test trip push button on them."

There are no test trip buttons on any of the circuit breakers in the breaker panel.
08-15-12: Sailcappy

I asked because you said the black and white wires of the branch circuit went to the breaker.

4. The White and Black wires connected to the circuit breaker seem to be 10 guage.

When a GFCI or a AFCI breaker is used both the hot conductor and the neutral conductor, of the branch circuit, terminate on the breaker. The breakers have a white pigtail that extends to the neutral bar in the panel.

http://caryaudio.com/pdfs/manuals_2012/Model7.250_manual.pdf

How do i contact almarg?
08-15-12: Sailcappy

Well under the new Agon system you can not....

All you can do is hope Al reads this thread.....
.

Cappy, at this juncture, based on all the info you've responded with, I'll have to agree with Slikric3000's recommendation for a "line conditioner" or filtering. It's obvious the 50 foot extension cord is providing just enough filtering of noise to prevent your Cary from tripping, and based on the amount a 50 foot cord is accomplishing, you won't need much of a conditioner or filter providing you meet/exceed your amp's maximum current demands, which I couldn't locate in the owners manual.

You might also be interested in getting something for the upstream sources and preamp/processor since they would benefit the most from cleaner/stable AC. I don't have any experience with them, but you can search the Audiogon forums or other sources since I've seen this topic come up periodically regarding manufactures/models/types.

If you knew exactly what issues were plaguing your AC, you could better select what filtering topology is best suited (cost effective), then buy/treat it accordingly as there are simple products available for a fraction of cost consumer-targeted A/V types, but whatever fits your likings and wallet depth. There's quite a few manufactures making LC's; some with strictly-business cosmetics, some quite fancy with eye-candy appeal, and variances in between. Or, for a truly cost-effective option, find a high-wattage 50 ft. extention cord of color choice, coil-stack it neatly in a 8-10" diameter with cable-ties to retain shape, and hide it out of sight behind the amp. The coilded stack will even provide a higher lever of filtering. Done! Solved! (joking)

Keep us posted...