[Seano]

...the AKSA gear had been on?

The computer of our energy supplier had a bit of a brain fade the other night. It decided that, just for a little bit, 240V just wasn't enough. So it jammed 360 volts into the power lines.

As a result, plenty of people in town are now without functional microwave ovens, clock radios, the odd reverse cycle air conditioner and other bits and pieces.  A colleague lost his Rotel pre-amp.  I haven't heard of any TV's going out.  Virtually every business lost their EFTPOS machines with the odd one losing the cash register as well.  One servo station lost their 24hr card fuel machine - about 80 grands worth I'm told.

We only lost our microwave.  The energy mob have admitted liability and things are in progress regarding replacement of the damaged stuff.

I'm quite curious though as to what might have happened if my 100N+ and GK-1M had been on at the time. I'm well aware that they don't have much in the way of built in protection.  They do have surge protection at the power point (but 360 V is not a surge it is designed to handle) plus an inline power smoothing noise filter thingy but again 360V is hardly a power surge they were designed to filter.

So what could've happened if they were on? Or possibly worse, playing music?

[jules]

you mean ... would the smoke have been black or white ... or would you have had to stand on the balcony and yell some expletives for clarification  ?

jules

[AKSA]

Hi Sean,

Interesting story.

The GK1 would have been fine.  The zeners on the SS section would easily have coped, the tube likewise, all the power caps are well underrated.

The power amp would have had some problems.  Almost certainly the power supply caps would have been destroyed, as the resulting 75V across them would greatly exceed their 63VW rating.  The output stage and voltage amplifier would also have been jeopardized, and certainly this would have blown the fuses and the 100R fuse resistors.  But there would have been no damage elsewhere, and the repair would have been about $100 at the most including labor.

I cannot answer for the speakers.  The offset would have briefly gone beserk, and this might have blown the woofers, though it's a remote chance.

Cheers,

Hugh

[rimljan99]

I think Feranti effect come into play.