Equipment Protection, Monitoring Electricity


Hi Folks,
I had an amplifier malfunction and the possibility that was proposed to me was that since a transformer blew about a week prior to the malfunction, that I could be experiencing an inconsistent flow of current. In other words and I hope I get this right, neutrality- 90 volts-neutrality 130 volts which would create undo stress on seals and cause a blown capacitor. Yes, weird things were happening with lights and such after the capacitor blew. I live in an apartment and the landlords in this price range are, without exaggerating, worthless. It was just suggested that I keep an eye on my current. Does anyone know what on earth I'm even talking about?
Thanks!
goofyfoot
This comment may not be welcome. But i would also say your fears are too much.
Yeah you may have had a problem, and it might have been connected to something else which happened.
I do not think you should get worried about it though.
(naturally when something else happens, you can blame me)
Anyway, I would say stop worrying about it.
Stuff happens. Worrying about it does little good.
It may have been just a coincidence anyway.
Personally I would just go forward and figure all will be OK.
Natually if anything else goes soon enough, THEN yeah maybe something needs to be done.
But i bet it will all be OK.

In 47 years i have had two amps go out. One with smoke, and one just a loud POP! and a bad smell.
That is the way stuff happens.
So IMO: Why worry, be happy.
Yeah it is not what you want to hear, but it is my best suggestion.
Otherwise you could also buy an isolation transformer.
I am not contradicting Elizabeth's advice, which may be right, but if you were really concerned about it, you'd have to hire an electrican and i would think you'd want somebody with experience with commercial ap't buildings- depending on the size and age of the wiring in your building and whether you can even access it (is this a house or a building?), your electrician might be able to poke around a litlte, and take some measurements. Sometimes, intermittent problems don't exhibit themselves- if your voltage is good at the outlet when the guy/girl measures, it may not be at other times. And, perhaps, look into those power regeneration devices. There's a ton of discussion about them here- and they may make sense in an apartment context where you have little control over the AC set up inside. There are also discussions about the relative merits of 'conditioners' and isolation transformers. And remember, none of us have any control over the AC power being delivered to us. That's why all these products.
In ored to understand yourself and make us understand, you should probably mention make/model of amplifier and nature of the problem. Is it audible? Is the amp operational?
I had an amplifier malfunction and the possibility that was proposed to me was that since a transformer blew about a week prior to the malfunction,
Goofyfoot 06-27-12
If the utility power transformer blew up, yes that could have caused a severe over voltage condition. An excessive over voltage condition will indeed damage electronic equipment.

Check with other tenants in the apartment building and ask them if they experienced any problems from the power outage.

Ok, the electric company said that they show good electricity reading to the meter.
06-28-12: Goofyfoot
After replacing the bad transformer I would hope so!....

Question should have been, when the old transformer blew, what was the voltage the secondary of the transformer was putting out? Their honest answer? No idea....

File a claim with the power company.... They should pay for the repair of the amp.
.
I can't disagree with anything that anyone has said. Its ultimately up to me at this point.
Thanks!