RMB 1077 - Red Protection Light

[Nolan B]

Does anyone know what causes this light to come on and stay on?

I just re-wired my setup and while watching 1/4 of the way through the protection light came on. I turned it off then on again and it went off then about 30 min later it came on again. I thought that perhaps it was something with the rear speakers since it only came on once in a while and thought perhaps it had something to do with my rears only when a signal was sent. Any ideas on what i should do to trouble shoot? im 95% sure I have + to + and - to - but would that even cause it? what else would casue it?

I unpluggd my rears and im going to continue watching to see if it happens again.

[mjb]

Over temperature, or too low an impedance load. The fact that it recovers (for 30 mins) after a power cycle would make me think that its over temperature. So either you were listening too loud (with low impedance speakers), and/or the air circulation is restricted. The other thing to check would be that you don't have a fine wisp of speaker wire shorting out somewhere. I prefer banana plugs for speaker connections.

[Nolan B]

Over temperature, or too low an impedance load. The fact that it recovers (for 30 mins) after a power cycle would make me think that its over temperature. So either you were listening too loud (with low impedance speakers), and/or the air circulation is restricted. The other thing to check would be that you don't have a fine wisp of speaker wire shorting out somewhere. I prefer banana plugs for speaker connections.

mmm

its not heat because it its in the same place as its always been with no heat issues and a RFK 100 right on top. Its not even luke warm.

I have to check the short...I am using banana plugs. I wont have a chance tomorrow to really look.

On a side note what would be the big deal with having some type of netork connection from each piece or equipment in your rack so when any issue comes it it says what it is.

[mjb]

On a side not what would be the big deal with having some type of netork connection from each pice or equipment in your rack so when any issue comes it it says what it is.

I agree one red fault light for 7 channels and two causes isn't very helpful. It would be useful if you could at least narrow it down to one offending channel.

[style]

Hallo Vancouver,

If you have re-wired and re-placed you sistem is too possible have ground
problems....

I have changed my power ampli and I happened the same thing ...
only some channels were in protection (red) but it was a problem of cables / ground!

is really strange but change a piece of its system can bring
these problems ...

it's true: a system works or does not work, there are no roads half

greetings Omar

[Nolan B]

OK if anyone finds this thread because they have the same problem here is a possibility...the one i found and I feel dumb ops:

For some reason i mixed the black and red cover on my banana plugs for my suround left. After going through this experience I would suggest to rotel that they put a seterate indicator for each speaker channel...similar to Classe's amp.

[Nolan B]

Problem came back :M

Both the Right and Suround Right channels do not work as of right now. Since I have always used 5 of the 7 channels I am now using the other two channels and leaving the FR and SR out as the two not being used.

I am not sure what to think or where to trouble shoot. Any thoughts? Are the FR and SR connected in anyway within the amp? Wierd thing is it was the SL which I originally mixed the + and - with.


its 100% not a heat issue.

[Nolan B]

Hallo Vancouver,

If you have re-wired and re-placed you sistem is too possible have ground
problems....

I have changed my power ampli and I happened the same thing ...
only some channels were in protection (red) but it was a problem of cables / ground!

is really strange but change a piece of its system can bring
these problems ...

it's true: a system works or does not work, there are no roads half

greetings Omar

everything runs to the RLC 1040 and everything is grounded. The RLC 1040 is not giving me any indication there is a ground issue.

[Nolan B]

all channels went out with protection light coming one now!

If I turn the amp off then on again it works...then with time it dies.

any thoughts before I call the dealer to take it away?

[Nolan B]

The only things that have changed from before when my amp worked is I added banana plugs and I have my speaker wire zap stapped to my plasma power cord for about 8 feet. Any chance either ot those things would cause an issue?

I am hoping that my amp going into protection means it has in fact protected it self and I dont need to pull it out of my rack. tonight as a last troube shoot im going to remove all the banana plugs. I am really at a loss for ideas.

[mjb]

Does it still go into protection if you remove all audio inputs/outputs?
If not, try adding the channels one by one until it trips. That should narrow it down.

[Nolan B]

Does it still go into protection if you remove all audio inputs/outputs?
If not, try adding the channels one by one until it trips. That should narrow it down.

thanks.

if i turn the power off then on agin it does no go into protection. I havebeen listening to muliti channel DVD A and it has not gone back into protection for the last 30 min. When it did go into protection when watching a movie i removed i channel at a time to see if it woud go out of protection and it did not.


problem to diagnose is that it doesnt happen right away.

[mjb]

When it did go into protection when watching a movie i removed i channel at a time to see if it woud go out of protection and it did not.

I think you'll have to do it the other way around: adding channels until it trips instead of removing channels until it resets. A power cycle will reset the trip circuit.

I think you're going to have to have the amp serviced if the fault won't go away.

[style]

Hy Nolan,

But this problem is arrived with the changing the sistem from 5 to 7 channel?

You have a rsp1069 as pre, or? -> reset the pre?
You have 2 extra rca cables connected for the new channels and the protection comes?

The AC output from Rotel 1077 is without ground and your unit Rlc1040
make grounded all... -> try without the rlc1040 one power-ampli will sound better if is without filter ....

Omar

[Nolan B]

Hy Nolan,

But this problem is arrived with the changing the sistem from 5 to 7 channel?

Yes, but I only wired it for 7 I have not yet plugged in speakers. Last night I did remove the other 2 RCA cables. Not its only wired for 5

You have a rsp1069 as pre, or? -> reset the pre?

Yes...I reset eveything. Currently for the last hour or so of listening the problem has not come back, but thats the anoying part. It seems to take a while of listening for the problem to happen.

The AC output from Rotel 1077 is without ground and your unit Rlc1040
make grounded all... -> try without the rlc1040 one power-ampli will sound better if is without filter ....

Omar

Unfortunately I do not have the option to plug it directly in the wall because of where everything sits. The amp is plugged into the "high current" outlet of the 1040 so it shouldnt be effect the sound quality.

[hifiguymi]

I agree with Mike. Start with just the left and right speakers hooked up only. If the problem doesn't show up, then add the center and so on. There may be one speaker that is about to fail, a wire that is not firmly in place, a problem with one amp module, etc.

Good luck and I hope you solve it soon without it having to go to Rotel.

Eric

[style]

hallo Nolan,

Try to change (from the 1069) the center, left & right and go in another input...

the SurroundL&SR in place from FrontL&FR , the center with anyone...
go with only L/C/R 3 speakers at front ...

Fot my is in the 1069 clabling the problem..and you have a protection from the 1077...

Omar

[WI Rotel]

Recheck all your speaker connections carefully. If they are all OK your amp has an internal problem that requires repair. If it were an impedance problem the channel would go out and reset very quickly once the volume was lowered (a few minutes at most).

[Nolan B]

Recheck all your speaker connections carefully. If they are all OK your amp has an internal problem that requires repair. If it were an impedance problem the channel would go out and reset very quickly once the volume was lowered (a few minutes at most).

thanks..

and an impedence problem would be caused by something wrong with the speaker wire? I am beggining to think its the amp itself. Its not as bad news as I originally thought as my dealer has a Classe 5100 i have my eye on

[WI Rotel]

thanks..

and an impedence problem would be caused by something wrong with the speaker wire? I am beggining to think its the amp itself. Its not as bad news as I originally thought as my dealer has a Classe 5100 i have my eye on

No. The impedance issue would be due to too low impedance when using multiple speakers. It would lead to overheating and tripping of the circuit. rotels also trip the circuit if the impedance drops too low even without overheating. Screwing up polarity (POS and NEg switched) will not cause amp problems (only sound ones, out of phase). Wiring problems that would trip the switch have to do with short circuits.

[Nolan B]

its get even more strange..

I played music for a few hours today on 5 channel stereo...worked fine. Watched TV with PLcII and worked fine. Put in a movie with PCM and 30 min into the movie the protection light came on.

and again if I turn it off then on again the protection light goes of and it works. I am guessing something is dying inside which is why it works sometimes and not others.

[Destruction]

I think the problem is with the amplifier itself, probably the protection sensor. I'd send it back for service or possibly replacement depending on how old it is.

[Nolan B]

Call me stubern but I just didn't want to accept that the issue was in the amp. Too many things happened the week before the amp went crazy for me to believe it was the amp. I hooked and unhooked everything because we got our floor redone, and I asked the flooring guys to please lay my suround cables under the floor.

Tonight while watching 30 days of night BD i found a spot in the move which through the amp into protection, so I decided to use that spot to trouble shoot. I played the same spot with the two surround speakers unplugged and the light did not come on. I then put the SL and the light did not come on then i put in the SR and sure enough it came on. I triple checked with and without to ensure it was the SR causing the issue. I then tripple checked the + and - and even switch out the speaker. The only thing left was the wire. My gut tells me that when the floor guys layed the cable under the floor they put a nail through the wire. I am going to run a new SR wire and that should fix the issue.


what i realized is the protection light only came on durring a time with a high current going to the surround. I am not sure why it would only happen then but I did try and movve the SR to one of the channels not being used in the amp to see if it was the SR channel out and sure enough the ligh came on.


poor amp. All this time all it was doing was trying to protect itself

ill post tomorrow after I lay new cable

[style]

hy Nolan,

good new or what with the 1077?

greetings Omar

[Nolan B]

hy Nolan,

good new or what with the 1077?

greetings Omar

I put new speaker cable in for the suround speaker and the problem when away :T I guess the flooring guy did put a nail through the wire.

The whole experience did get met thinking more about the prospect of replaving the 1077 for a Classe 5100 and I still may do it anyway :W

[style]

The whole experience did get met thinking more about the prospect of replaving the 1077 for a Classe 5100 and I still may do it anyway

Hallo Nolan,

I have upgrade my Rotel-ampli with tha CA5200. Real different sound.
Is really not a question of watt but the "quality-watt"....

Go with the CA5100. :T

Greetings
Omar

[bnieman]

...
poor amp. All this time all it was doing was trying to protect itself

...

:roflmao: only here at Club Rotel amps have personalities and feelings . Glad to hear you figured out the issue!

Cheers,
Bryan

[WI Rotel]

I put new speaker cable in for the suround speaker and the problem when away :T I guess the flooring guy did put a nail through the wire.

The whole experience did get met thinking more about the prospect of replaving the 1077 for a Classe 5100 and I still may do it anyway :W

I know the feeling. For weeks I thought I had a bad channel because of a low level hiss comming from one of the mains. I fiddled with the cables the amp, the speaker, etc I was at wits end!!!!!!
Finally I decided to swap my interconnects, presto! Ater taking the interconnect apart I discovered that the ground connector of the audioquest cable had broken and that was the culprit. Audioquest uses a single wire instead of a braid as the ground conductor, which is then soddered to the terminal, that, was broken. No more audioquest cables for me! I switched to monster cables and not only was the problem completely fixed, the cables sound infinitely better! Bass is much more coherent and audio level is much higher (the cable must have much lower impedance). So much for "specialty cables".