X-PSU V3 Kaput, Dilemma, Pics, Solns &Improvements

[XTRProf]

admin said:

For the fuses on the secondaries you are looking at something like T63mA or thereabouts (time delay). I use T160mA (time delay) on the secondaries of a 30VA transformer (approx 2500mA) 1.5amp is WAY overrated. A T1.25mA (time delay) on the primary of a 30VA transformer is about right. Remember also to increase the fuse rating if you are using 115V.

Hi Mike,

Oh, you are back so soon. Wish you had a nice much needed rest.

Yes, I know the F1.5A fuse is way too high for secondary protection. But then, I had no more fuses on hand after the F250mA fuses blew as explained above. Over the weekend, I had more fast blow fuses (F) bought and the trial results are as below.

You mentioned T1.25mA fuses for primary. Isn't that a bit too low even for 230VAC? The primary current as stated on the MF wallwart is already 77mA. Thanks.

[XTRProf]

Back from cloud 9 over the weekend, I'm now at cloud 0 or ground 0 (as what the Americans will like to say). Hmm...., it seems we humans are never satisfied and yearned for more so it seems and the reason for being firmly on solid ground again. Well, the secondary fuse "electric chair" results for the MF wallwart are:



RIP

F250mA




SURVIVED

F1.5A
F0.8A
F0.5A
F0.4A




I had decided to stop at F0.4A as near the critical F0.3A, chances are that will blow as well since F250mA blew. Also, I'm using F fuses to be the gauge, instead of T fuses, as I wanted a slightly higher rating for a thicker fuse wire for better sound but still reasonably protecting the MF wallwart should anything happen to our X V3 equipment. YMMV as usual. So those on a budget and using the wallwart, please protect your MF wallwart with fuses if you can and have the ability. Time for an short but important "commercial" break :



WARNING: WHOEVER ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW WHAT ARE PICTURED AND WRITTEN IN THIS THREAD, PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE FATAL VOLTAGES HERE ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN COUNTRIES FOLLOWING UK MAIN STANDARD OF 220 TO 240 VAC. BTW, I'M NOT IMPLYING THOSE IN 100 TO 120 VAC AREAS WOULDN'T BE FATAL. PLEASE ATTEMPT THEM IF ONLY YOU ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CONFIDENT ENOUGH. I'M NOT LIABLE FOR ANY FATALITY, EQUIPMENT DAMAGE OR ANYTHING WITH REGARDS TO THESE IF YOU DO SOMETHING STUPID HERE. ANYWAY, I WANT ALL OF YOU WELL HERE AND NOT SOME DEAD SOULS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE LIVELY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS IN THIS FORUM FOREVER.



Next up will be the F fuses trial for primary winding protection starting with perhaps F250mA. Of course, I will have to solder a fuse holder to the primary winding LIVE or HOT terminal before that. Please note. I reiterate LIVE or HOT terminal based on better safety reason and practice.

[XTRProf]

Hi all,

This is the final leg of the wallwart fusing. As shown, in Fig 6, the fuse was soldered to the LIVE or HOT side of the wallwart prong (pin). The orientation was for 230 VAC UK main plug standard. Please note that the prong couldn't take much heat during soldering. Prolong application of heat, as indicated in the picture, will WARP badly the prong. This is because the prong is embedded into the ABS casing. So be WARNED.





Fig 6



As shown in Fig 7, this will how the final product will look like after complete assembly and soldering. Again be WARNED. Since we are dealing with high voltage in my case, 230VAC here, and the fuse is very very near to the primary winding, do put back the fuse cover to cover the fuse and apply high voltage shrink tubing to cover the fuse holder soldered terminals. In this case, I had used pinky shrink tubing as seen in the picture. Sorry, not a product of Mike for the latter, ok? This is to avoid arcing, if have, thru high voltage. Just simply a safety measure, btw.




Fig 7



Thru trial and error testing, the primary fuse testing result using F fuses are:




RIP

0




SURVIVED

F250mA
F100mA




So the final score was 2:0 in favour of the SURVIVED team. Oops......, got carried away from watching too much soccer. I had decided to keep it at F100mA for better sound with reasonably protection as well as that was the lowest F fuse that I could get. Also, most probably the critical amperage will be 50 to 80 mA before blowing the whistle for the match to end. Oh dear........., must again had too much football. ;D

Kommanden, reporting, sir! For this mission, KIA 1 and SURVIVED 6. We now have fully secured a fortified fortress against any more "sabotages" against our "power station". Also, the fused unit seemed to be more accurate sounding, from memory, than unfused. Unfused more digital sounding from the X-Dac V3. Please take the last with some salt. Mission, relatively successful. Heil Hilter! Oops........, sorry, sir! Must be going bonker thru too much cloud 9 during the weekend. That will not happend again. Hoped I didn't bored all to death here.

Sir, my next mission will be a more interesting mission of resurrecting the X-PSU V3 from the dead. Sounds more like Exorcist. No, no, more like Univeral Soldier that will bring us to at least cloud 1 if not to heaven. Salute!

The thrilogy goes on. Aha, no, only dualogy for the moment ............ ;D Ya, btw, you are spared the "commerical" break here as I'm sure it had assimilated into you freely like a phantom. Where's Gaia?

[Deleted]

XTRProf
Nice work.
I have one misgiving though.Although you have increased survivability of the wallwart in the event of a fault in the X-DAC, the extra resistance of the fuses may result in a slight reduction in sound quality, from what is already a very mediocre product. This may even further widen the performance gap between the MF wallwart and the Little Pinky V3 ?
However, for fault finding purposes, it is probably quite worthwhile.
SandyK

[XTRProf]

sandyk said:

XTRProf
Nice work.
I have one misgiving though.Although you have increased survivability of the wallwart in the event of a fault in the X-DAC, the extra resistance of the fuses may result in a slight reduction in sound quality, from what is already a very mediocre product. This may even further widen the performance gap between the MF wallwart and the Little Pinky V3 ?
However, for fault finding purposes, it is probably quite worthwhile.
SandyK

Thanks pal! Ya, I concure. This is just a makeshift solution to ensure that I still have some muzak. Using the wallwart for the X-Dac? Huh? Let me screaaaaamed .................... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.................... Boy, am I relieved now.

Next will be most probably the 300VA toroidal adventure. Hope it wouldn't be a Posiedon Adventure. That will at least give a good fight for whatever in the market ...... I may do up a R core one as well when I had found a source for it to compare latter. Fyi.



Cheers to you!

[PinkFloyd]

Sorry, I was obviously SLEEPING!!

For a 30VA transformer I use 1.25A (T) on the SECONDARIES and 180mA (T) on the PRIMARY for 230V

You don't want to be using fast blow fuses, you want to be using (T) time-delay fuses.

[XTRProf]

admin said:

Sorry, I was obviously SLEEPING!!

For a 30VA transformer I use 1.25A (T) on the SECONDARIES and 180mA (T) on the PRIMARY for 230V

You don't want to be using fast blow fuses, you want to be using (T) time-delay fuses.

Hi Mike,


Oh, you sleeping beauty had been waken with a princely kiss. Great!

The figure of T1.25A for secondary, is it trail and error real time figure or calculated? Or you had adjusted for all possible use of X V3 equipment? This is because I find it hard to comprehend for the wallwart it's only F400mA for both X-Dac V3 and X-10 V3 whereas you had a figure of T1.25A when the same equipment should be drawing the same surge at time 0s and stable current after time ns. I know it's for a 30VA trans but wouldn't that be more applicable to compensate for the fuse rating at primary winding thru higher surge there then for secondary side? I have to have a better idea now as I'm going to use, most probably a 300VA toroid, and the surge in this monster is going to be horrondeous. So any form of assistance, which I'm sure you will, will be most appreciated and welcomed.

I had intentionally used F fuses is because I wanted a slightly thicker fuse wire for better sound while still able to reasonably protect the wallwart. T fuses, although could be used, are more meant for more higher surge equipment then those in the same category as the X-Dac and X-10 V3.




Cheers to you sleeping beauty. Do wake up with another kiss to answer this! Danke ........

[XTRProf]

Having settled down relatively for the week, my thoughts went back to my loved one, the kaput X-PSU V3, calling me from the "mortuary". I acceded and revisited it to "psychically" acknowledge to it it wouldn't be long before I will perform some resurrection act to enable it to be with it's loved ones in my system again. I did some internal measurements to ensure it will be well taken care of when it comes back to present life from afterlife. No, this wisdom was not passed onto me from any mediums.

Measurements thought to suit well for the occasion are:

Height: 55 mm
Length: 130mm
Width: 110mm

May have to relocate the internal high VAC connector to make way for a new spiritual toroid of the stated dimensions. Not some guru hibernating in a mountain, btw. Will post some pictures once done up.

[XTRProf]

I'm doing it now. Will keep all interested updated with pictures next week. Thanks all for watching my low end stuffs or "high-end nonsense" here. LOL ;D Don't worry, I will complete my "contract" here, that's for sure, and will leave non in the wilderness.

[XTRProf]

Ha, ha, I had competed my "diary" and here they are:



Friday 7th Dec 2007

Holy Shit! The spiritual toroid arrived





Oh, my ................

Time to strip naked. Oh, ya, Beatles - Let It Be Naked





Please don't do it to the hole if you are thinking off tangent. It's too small and you could land yourself up at the hospital with the most bizzare situation. ;D












Hmm..........., bringing in the new is not too far from rolling over (Beethoven) the old. From the size comparison, I suspected MF had conservatively understated the VA for their trans. Surely, more than 20 VA each secondary coil and more like 30 VA. I dunno and I ;D pass ...........

[XTRProf]

Time to improve or ship out. Din plug copper traces thickened with UP-OCC Copper and Wonder Solder. No prize for not seeing or seeing what I see .............








Mounting the new 225 VA toroid next ........

[XTRProf]

Temp fuse until I can get a switch with fuse to replace the MF switch to make it looks original. No highend stuffs though but just ordinary ones found at those low end electronic DIY shops. LOL!

Also, now can afford to change the fusing strategy with a monster like this new toroid. Old strategy was to protect at all cost since the trans we were talking about was not some "bouncer" type like this new one. This new toroid is "practically" bullet proof and will take more than one shot to kill it. So new fusing strategy for better sound was to abandon the secondary fuses and using just only a primary fuse. This primary fuse rating will be such that if anything goes wrong on the secondary coils, the primary fuse will blow long before the secondary and primary coils are even hurt.






Testing time in the most bizzare way coming .............








Load test ..............







Ya, I had saved you the bizzare part but the results:



As recommended by Chris toroid engineer, I started off with F1.5A fuse (I don't have a T fuse and T fuse is expensive in Singapore. Sorry no highend stuff here! ;D LOL) and it survived. Also, although Chris toroid was for 100 VA and 115 VAC for T1.5A, I still use F1.5A as my toroid was 225VA, twice that of Chris 100VA. In 230 VAC application, that fuse rating will have to be halved but twice toroid VA rating, for my case, means that I have to stick to F1.5A. T1.25A KIA with a soft buff and not a supernova bang! So the critlcal A (Sorry, no highend Asshole here) will be around 1.5A. I will purchase expensive but not highend fuses of T1.6A and T1.8A to try to see how's stability during usage. Will report back any KIA. Hope not as those T fuses are fXXKing .

Also, as the toroid was pratically unloaded, there was good voltage regulation, even without voltage regulators, as well even when loaded. Just technically think for yourself. I measured 13 to 13.1VAC unloaded. When loaded I still get 13 to 13.1VAC at the secondary windings.




Temperature and Noise test. Switched on for almost the whole day under load and the toroid was not even warm and have any humming sound. This shows the beauty of "going for bust" mentality. Also, with this amount of power on reserve, I can mode and uprate the components in the V3 equipments without fear of overload. Example, much larger caps like 10,000uF.




Ha, ha ..........., thanks to MF non reply, I have now a much much more superior X-PSU V3 thru some ingenuity. This will KO whatever on the market.




Da....Da.... and no more



UNDER CONSTRUCTION, pa!

[XTRProf]

Listening test. Short and sharp

Longer and less sharp. At least, Stereophile class A stuffs.

Long winded and blunt. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah ...........


Understood? Sorry, save yourself as I also don't understand for the last. Better this than deceiving. Oh, blimey ............

[Deleted]

XTRProf
It is a shame that you aren't able to do a side by side comparison with the original MF multi secondary transformer. It would be interesting to know if the new supply is definitely audibly superior to the old supply. Of course, it wouldn't cost too much to find out for anybody keen to replicate your changes. I would hope that it has the edge over the original transformer, although there MAY be a small degree of component coupling due to the shared winding, and all sharing the same 0 Volts line. It would have been preferable to have no 0 Volts coupling between units.
SandyK

[XTRProf]

sandyk said:

XTRProf
It is a shame that you aren't able to do a side by side comparison with the original MF multi secondary transformer. It would be interesting to know if the new supply is definitely audibly superior to the old supply. Of course, it wouldn't cost too much to find out for anybody keen to replicate your changes. I would hope that it has the edge over the original transformer, although there MAY be a small degree of component coupling due to the shared winding, and all sharing the same 0 Volts line. It would have been preferable to have no 0 Volts coupling between units.
SandyK

Hi Alex,

From memory with the "old" X-PSU V3 for about 2 to 3 weeks before going bust and with the same CD (high and low rez) materials, the reborn X-PSU V3 simply has no contestants near it. It just overwhelmed. One listen and I told myself, it's so much more superior that it's moot to compare anymore. KO. It will be nice if someone who has a pinkie compares with a duplicate of this. Oops, sorry and

Yes, I know your technical concerned with sharing. So is my dad when I showed him this. Come to the worst, I will just build another of this if the interference or crosstalk are extensive and annoy me. Luckily for me, I just have 2 X V3 products to worry about. This time round, maybe I'll source for a R core of similar rating for a change and for the experience. But I don't think so for now, as I really wanted to relook at your interesting mode for the X-Dac V3 and spend some time on it.

Thanks and I will return to you again on the X-Dac V3 modes once I have the chance to study it thoroughly.

[Deleted]

XTRProf
It is more concern for a small decrease in S/N due to the "earthy" sides being coupled together. In my preamp, I switch the active and earth (0 Volts) sides of all inputs to maintain maximum separation and S/N. It does help. At present, I am preparing to move to a different address, and all my sources except DTV, have been disconnected prior to moving. Surprisingly, despite all the effort put into switching, etc. , the DTV soundstage, although already very good, is now noticeably better . I am unsure of the reason at the moment.

Alex

[XTRProf]

sandyk said:

At present, I am preparing to move to a different address

Oh, same city Sydney?

[Deleted]

Yes, to a suburb a few KMs closer to the city.

[XTRProf]

Oh, ya..........., I had forgotten. Now a few "electrifying" words from our "sponsor" and that's me, me , me ...........



WARNING: WHOEVER ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW WHAT ARE PICTURED AND WRITTEN IN THIS THREAD, PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE FATAL VOLTAGES HERE ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN COUNTRIES FOLLOWING UK MAIN STANDARD OF 220 TO 240 VAC. BTW, I'M NOT IMPLYING THOSE IN 100 TO 120 VAC AREAS WOULDN'T BE FATAL. PLEASE ATTEMPT THEM IF ONLY YOU ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CONFIDENT ENOUGH. I'M NOT LIABLE FOR ANY FATALITY, EQUIPMENT DAMAGE OR ANYTHING WITH REGARDS TO THESE IF YOU DO SOMETHING STUPID HERE. ANYWAY, I WANT ALL OF YOU WELL HERE AND NOT SOME DEAD SOULS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE LIVELY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS IN THIS FORUM FOREVER.

[mrarroyo]

sandyk said:

Yes, to a suburb a few KMs closer to the city.

I am actually hoping to do the oposite, I am looking into 2 to 5 acres of land in South Carolina! Kind of like a retreat to get away from city life. Initially it will be for a week at a time twice a year. Then when I retire for 4 to 6 months out of the year.

[Deleted]

Miguel
I am not moving closer to the city by choice. The owner of the place that I have been renting for >6 years has decided to renovate, and it is damn hard to find suitable accomodation at the best of times, let alone this time of year. I hope your plans come to fruition.
Alex

[mrarroyo]

sandyk said:

Miguel
I am not moving closer to the city by choice. The owner of the place that I have been renting for >6 years has decided to renovate, and it is damn hard to find suitable accomodation at the best of times, let alone this time of year. I hope your plans come to fruition.
Alex

Sorry to hear about why you are moving. As far as my hide away I know I will have a big argument with she who must be obeyed. She is a city girl and does not care for wildlife and the smell of clean air. I guess city people need their daily source of car fumes an such.

[XTRProf]

Sorry folks,

Have to report that with the X-10 V3, for the first time in since I don't have the chance to use it before the X-PSU V3 went kaput, together with the X-Dac V3, there were bad hum and interference coming from both channels as expected from all the friendly advice from all parties, my dad included. Now temporary on MF wallwart for the X-10 V3, the hum and interference were gone. So back to the building board and might try a R core trans when I have the time and source for the R core trans to do so.

[Deleted]

XTRProf
Forget the R Core. Use a separate 50-100VA transformer for each item supplied. ;D
Run that by your father !
P.S. Don't earth the C.T. of the supplies to chassis.

Alex,

[XTRProf]

sandyk said:

XTRProf
Forget the R Core. Use a separate 50-100VA transformer for each item supplied. ;D
Run that by your father !
P.S. Don't earth the C.T. of the supplies to chassis.

Alex,

Ha, ha, I also ;D

Nope, the X-PSU V3 centre tap is already floated off ground thru AMM measurement and visual inspection. That's for better noise figure, right?