Is changing a fuse a DIY project?

[ThirdDrawerDown]

I thought you'd be interested in an amusing little story about my CD player.  This isn't a dig at the local service provider because the amusement derived has made a minor matter more than worthwhile.

 

I read this item about how to make a Marantz CD player even better by changing the fuse to something a little more upmarket.

 

I recalled that article when I saw @@linnmaster selling some Audiograde fuses yesterday in the Classifieds.

 

So I went to the Marantz web site and hunted for the fuse specs.  They weren't to be found.  So I emailed the local distributor - this saved me the hassle of opening up the player and taking a look.

 

 

Hi, I have a SA[ ]S1 Marantz CD/SACD player.  I am looking at doing some fuse rolling.  What is the specification for the fuse, please (fastblow or slow blow, amperage, length eg 20 25 or 31.8mm, etc)

thanking you

 

To their credit, they replied within 24 hours:

 

 

 

Thank you for enquiring about your Marantz product. Unfortunately for many reasons, we cannot offer any service support for aftermarket modifications to Marantz units.

 

I now feel that I can hold my own with the Lampizators of this world.

[proftournesol]

It is a DIY project for someone with my lack of skills

[Telecine]

It is a DIY project for someone with my lack of skills

Perhaps even advanced DIY, electricity is involved ; )

[proftournesol]

Perhaps even advanced DIY, electricity is involved ; )

I'd electrocute myself

[Guest guru]

if you can't figure out to pull the power cord out of the wall before changing a fuse then you really shouldn't be considering diy anything. I would be happy to posthumously put you forward for a Darwin award though should it come to that scenario.

cheers, g.

[ENIGMA]

Stupid Maranz dealer, not even a modification.

I went into dick smith about 3 weeks back and said I need some banana plugs. The guy at the counter said what are those.

[proftournesol]

if you can't figure out to pull the power cord out of the wall before changing a fuse then you really shouldn't be considering diy anything. I would be happy to posthumously put you forward for a Darwin award though should it come to that scenario.

cheers, g.

Do you mean that you are supposed to pull the power cord out of the wall? Surely not!

[andyr]

if you can't figure out to pull the power cord out of the wall before changing a fuse then you really shouldn't be considering diy anything. I would be happy to posthumously put you forward for a Darwin award though should it come to that scenario.

cheers, g.

 

Cmon, guru - did the OP mention anything about not knowing how to remove the power cord before changing the fuse?

 

NO!  He said he asked the mfr what are the specs of the fuse they specify for their product.  And they blew him off! :eek:

 

FFS, changing fuses - like changing light bulbs - is not something that has to be done by an expert.  The issue is - IMO - that Marantz weren't prepared to tell him the specs of the required fuse ... that is pathetic.

 

Murray, if you don't have a user manual for your CDP, I would think:

a. you should be able to find this on-line, and

b. it should give you the fuse specs.

 

 

Regards,

 

Andy

Edited September 11, 2014 by andyr

[andyr]

Stupid Maranz dealer, not even a modification.

I went into dick smith about 3 weeks back and said I need some banana plugs. The guy at the counter said what are those.

 

Maaaate, Dick Smith used to be ... a useful store for DIY people.   Nowadays, it's simply an (inferior) alternative to JB.

 

Regards,

 

Andy

[ThirdDrawerDown]

 

if you don't have a user manual for your CDP, I would think:

a) you should be able to find this on-line, and

it should give you the fuse specs

 

a) Yes (I also have it in hard copy)

No

 

I shall now google which end of a Philips screwdriver is the operating end. Wish me luck.

Edited September 11, 2014 by ThirdDrawerDown

[aasza]

According to the tech manual for the SA-11s1 there are 35 fuses in the player...

 

80 pages of fun awaits

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwbAVn-G_H0OaHRlSExZbF9hTjA

[Telecine]

According to the tech manual for the SA-11s1 there are 35 fuses in the player...

 

80 pages of fun awaits

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwbAVn-G_H0OaHRlSExZbF9hTjA

35 fuses! What is it, a fuse box or a disc spinner?

[aasza]

35 fuses! What is it, a fuse box or a disc spinner?

 

I presume the majority of them are solded onto the pcb's, there would only be a couple that are commonly user replaced (like pictured below)

 

[Guest guru]

andy, for some reason the quote function doesn't work for me , maybe I disabled it so my reply was directed to prof , who posted directly above my post and referred to the electrocution probability. I wasn't having a dig at the op but glad to see you stepped up.

[ThirdDrawerDown]

@@guru nor did i read your post as a dig, no harm sent or inferred

now to look at the manual in depth. @@aasza well done! Is the 14S1 manual similarly available please?

[andyr]

andy, for some reason the quote function doesn't work for me , maybe I disabled it so my reply was directed to prof , who posted directly above my post and referred to the electrocution probability. I wasn't having a dig at the op but glad to see you stepped up.

 

You are using IE as your browser, guru?

 

The quote function doesn't work for me either, in IE - but works fine in Firefox.

 

 

Regards,

 

Andy

[Addicted to music]

According to the tech manual for the SA-11s1 there are 35 fuses in the player...

 

80 pages of fun awaits

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwbAVn-G_H0OaHRlSExZbF9hTjA

Well done aasza,

The fuses according to the manual are all soldered on, you are lucky they are not integrated SMD fuses that are tiny and requires a heat gun. So if don't have any soldering skills give it a miss. Soldering fuses is a skill, like almost components these day, it's get in and out ASAP with that iron.

[Addicted to music]

I presume the majority of them are solded onto the pcb's, there would only be a couple that are commonly user replaced (like pictured below)

If it was user replaceable then the manufacturer will have it so the holder is accessible from the panel, in this case most Marantz CD players do not have this feature. Edited September 11, 2014 by pchan

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

I thought you'd be interested in an amusing little story about my CD player.  This isn't a dig at the local service provider because the amusement derived has made a minor matter more than worthwhile.

 

I read this item about how to make a Marantz CD player even better by changing the fuse to something a little more upmarket.

 

I recalled that article when I saw @@linnmaster selling some Audiograde fuses yesterday in the Classifieds.

 

So I went to the Marantz web site and hunted for the fuse specs.  They weren't to be found.  So I emailed the local distributor - this saved me the hassle of opening up the player and taking a look.

 

 

To their credit, they replied within 24 hours:

 

 

 

I now feel that I can hold my own with the Lampizators of this world.

The replacement of a power fuse will make zero difference.

Why? You may ask.

Consider where the fuse is. It is placed in the primary circuit of the power transformer. It is, essentially, there to prevent a fire, if something really bad happens inside the player. OK?

Now, consider what is after that fuse:

* The power transformer. The power transformer accepts 240VAC and transforms that Voltage down to a low Voltage (typically 20 - 0 - 20 VAC.

* The rectifier/s. These devices accept the 20-0-20VAC and rectify that AC Voltage to (say) +/-28 Volts DC.

* The main filter capacitors. These devices remove the last vestige of AC signal and ensure a smooth DC Voltage, which can be presented to the regulators. Typically, the time constant of such capacitors will be in the order of a couple of seconds, thus ensuring mains bourne variations will not affect the main DC supply Voltage.

* The regulators. Typically, the +/-28 Volts DC will be converted down to (say) +/-18 Volts DC. Thus, even a huge change in input Voltage (as much as 7 Volts or so) will cause zero effect at the output of the regulators.

Replacing a mains fuse, in the hope that there will be an audible change in any device using tightly regulated supplies (which is pretty much any low level device) is a forlorn one. Replacing a mains fuse will make zero difference. Replacing a mains fuse in an unregulated device (like a power amp) is EXTREMELY unlikely to make any difference, unless the power supply and PSRR (Power Supply Rejection Ratio) of the device is extremely poor.

Replacing a DC fuse in a device *may* make a difference. Or not.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Zaphod Beeblebrox

[TP1]

Stupid Maranz dealer, not even a modification.

I went into dick smith about 3 weeks back and said I need some banana plugs. The guy at the counter said what are those.

I had a kid laugh out loud at Bunnings when I asked for a "saw horse"

[Guest]

Is changing a fuse a DIY project?

DIY - yes

Project - hardly

:mellow:

[Guest]

Perhaps even advanced DIY, electricity is involved ; )

Ssssh.

You'll wake holdencaulfield....

[davewantsmoore]

Is changing a fuse a DIY project?

 

As long as you don't get someone else to do it    

[Guest]

Simple things like changing a fuse usually turn in to a project for me though :lol:

Replace a few more things, modify this, alter that, complete respray and roof chop.

-_-

[TMM]

Stupid Maranz dealer, not even a modification.

I don't blame them at all for their response.

The less people messing about with their products unnecessarily the less chance of warranty claims which were not due to a manufacturing defect. Especially since people who 'fuse roll' have a habit of installing fuses which are analogous to a wire with no fusing capability at all.