Defect trigger RMB 1075

[dennis123]

Hello,

I've got a (high end) HTPC and asked the manufacturer to place a 12 volt outlet on the HTPC to trigger the Rotel amp.

I tried it and it worked, but then I restarted the HTPC and it failed. So it worked a couple of times and then it went dead.

I opened the amp and tried to find a broken fuse, but they were all ok.

What could have gone wrong?

Everything still works, accept for the trigger.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks,

Dennis

[Kevin P]

Do you have a voltmeter? Can you see if you're actually getting 12V from the trigger?

How did the manufacturer wire it in? Direct into a PSU connector, or though some sort of interface so the HTPC can turn the trigger on and off via software?

Depending on how the trigger was implemented, maybe it isn't providing enough current to activate the relay in the amp?

[Glen B]

Do you have another component with a 12V trigger that you can use to test the amp ? Are the mini phone plugs on each end of the trigger cable properly inserted into their jacks ? If the trigger worked a couple of times, it can be assumed that the voltage is adequate.

[PewterTA]

If you restarted the HTPC and it failed, it's more likely the HTPC, not the amp. That makes more sense than restarting the PC and the amp doesn't work now.

[dennis123]

The 12 volt output from the HTPC works, I tested it.
It's connected to the 12 volt wiring needed for other hardware inside the HTPC.

I also tested with an alternative trafo the trigger for the amp and it failed. So the malfunction should be in the amp, but did I burn a fuse or a resistor or something?

The strange thing is that it worked a couple of times and then I did the finale wiring, shut the HTPC down, start it back up, and nothing.

[Glen B]

Without knowing exactly what happened, and not being familiar with the internal workings of the amp, telling you that you "burned a fuse, or resistor or something" would be pure speculation. If you believe the amp has malfunctioned, get it checked out.

[PewterTA]

If something wasn't soldiered quite right in the HTPC, it could've sent too much power across the 12v line and fried something in the amp. That's entirely possible, I think it says in the manual how much the max is for the 12v line is, can't remember though.

You could open it up and trace where it goes, it's just a thin wire that runs to one of the PCBs in the amp, then look around that and see if you notice anything darkened.

Other than that, contact dealer or rotel and have them look at it.