Anyone solved 1080 Fuse issue?

[Mitchell]

Has anyone found a long term solution to the 1080 fuse issue?
Some of the blown fuse posts seem to have started in early 2004. Has anyone who has blown a fuse managed to go at least 6-8 months without blowing them again and if so did they leave it on all the time, not use trigger or some combination?
Has Rotel changes the fuse that they are putting in during the repair?

[Aussie Geoff]

Mitchell,

I have gone about 6 months though a combinaiton of no trigger active and the new 8 amp slow blow fuses...

Rotel are working on a revised unit to further reduce this issue - don't know if it is shipped yet (revision 5 I think). It is speaker / cable specific and relates to the high damping factor of the amp and turn-on surge current after cpacitors are charged etc... 99% of people have no problems ever... Leave on (25W consumption) and no problems... Only affects the 1080 design...

Regards

Geoff

[Mitchell]

Geoff
What does a revised unit mean?
Are there actual upgrades that Rotel can do or is it just for new units shipping?

[Andrew Pratt]

My 1080 should be arriving this week and I've been told it will be one made in the last 90 days so it'll be interesting to see what version I get.

[Spearmint]

My 1080 should be arriving this week and I've been told it will be one made in the last 90 days so it'll be interesting to see what version I get.

How do you determine the version, I have had a look at mine and cannot find any reference to a version number.

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

Rotel use internal version numbers as they revise their manufacturing process. All that changes often is the serial numbers. For example (from memory) the Version 3 of the RB-1080 went to the dual WBT look alike speaker binding posts on the back (up from a single pair for each channel), changed the bias current to reduce idle power, had a new extrusion for the heat sink etc. There's understood to be version 4 and 5 (maybe more) with changed grounding scheme and changes to reduce fuse issues with turn-on surges etc.

The fuse issue involves (something like) changing to 8 amp fuses and changing some capacitors. Installing the new fuses is easy - 4 new fuses and takes 5 minutes - capacitor change (if needed) requires a dealer service centre or Rotel - and is only required in some cases... However (so I am told) new units are coming with both changes built in.

I believe the grounding scheme change is also out in some countries (Europe)... None of these changes are felt by Rotel to impact the sound or the specifications and (except for the fuse issue) are not retrofit able... They are designed to address issues experienced by a small % of buyers in particular configurations. However if buying new - try and get a newer version where you can just because

Geoff

[Mitchell]

I have posted some info on another thread that I learned yesterday.
Did you guys see it?
Andrew, you might want to consider not accepting a unit that has not at least been upgraded with the new caps and fuses. My 1080 will be away for 2 weeks at Rotel in order to have the upgrade done.