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Post by bgrotto on Jun 3, 2024 9:24:38 GMT -6
A little labs IBP sits (er, sat) on the bolster of my console. I’m sitting there emailing this am, and suddenly I hear a loud hissing sound. Look down, and the ibp is SHOOTING smoke out of all its enclosure openings. I’ve never seen anything like ths…the smoke was like pressurized, firing out of the thing like someone lit a firecracker inside it.
it was not in use, it’s plugged into a power conditioner (all the other gear on that conditioner is fine), just totally randomly caught fire. Wtf.
so glad it happened when I was sitting there. I shudder to think what would have happened if it stayed plugged in unattended. ☠️
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Post by svart on Jun 3, 2024 9:34:32 GMT -6
A little labs IBP sits (er, sat) on the bolster of my console. I’m sitting there emailing this am, and suddenly I hear a loud hissing sound. Look down, and the ibp is SHOOTING smoke out of all its enclosure openings. I’ve never seen anything like ths…the smoke was like pressurized, firing out of the thing like someone lit a firecracker inside it. it was not in use, it’s plugged into a power conditioner (all the other gear on that conditioner is fine), just totally randomly caught fire. Wtf. so glad it happened when I was sitting there. I shudder to think what would have happened if it stayed plugged in unattended. ☠️ Sounds like a cap venting. Sometimes they go with a bang, sometimes they vent steam/smoke looking stuff. |
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 3, 2024 9:36:41 GMT -6
Had the same thing happen with an old PC 20 years ago or so. The power supply somehow took a shit and started shooting a thick stream of smoke, melting everything around it. It was crazy.
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Post by doubledog on Jun 3, 2024 9:38:02 GMT -6
that's a very good reason for turning everything off when you do leave the studio. Sh** happens. Much easier to deal with when you are right there.
(and yes, I also had some big power filter caps on an Egnater Rebel 20 go - literally while I had my back turned, but you can't miss the smell)
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Post by drbill on Jun 3, 2024 9:38:55 GMT -6
I've had it happen with a guitar amp.  |
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Post by bgrotto on Jun 3, 2024 9:39:36 GMT -6
A little labs IBP sits (er, sat) on the bolster of my console. I’m sitting there emailing this am, and suddenly I hear a loud hissing sound. Look down, and the ibp is SHOOTING smoke out of all its enclosure openings. I’ve never seen anything like ths…the smoke was like pressurized, firing out of the thing like someone lit a firecracker inside it. it was not in use, it’s plugged into a power conditioner (all the other gear on that conditioner is fine), just totally randomly caught fire. Wtf. so glad it happened when I was sitting there. I shudder to think what would have happened if it stayed plugged in unattended. ☠️ Sounds like a cap venting. Sometimes they go with a bang, sometimes they vent steam/smoke looking stuff. Given the amount of smoke and heat, I assume the ibp is permanently dead, but is there any chance hope of a repair with this? |
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Post by EmRR on Jun 3, 2024 9:48:36 GMT -6
Was on a sports broadcast gig with heavy security, back in the federal bomb scare era, doing a setup. Came back in a room we were finished setting, got that electrical wiff, and found smoke coming out of the connectors on a small audio console. No one else around. Smoke didn't stop, so I had to open a door and set it out on the sidewalk. No one ever saw it again.
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Post by Ward on Jun 3, 2024 10:32:39 GMT -6
A little labs IBP sits (er, sat) on the bolster of my console. I’m sitting there emailing this am, and suddenly I hear a loud hissing sound. Look down, and the ibp is SHOOTING smoke out of all its enclosure openings. I’ve never seen anything like ths…the smoke was like pressurized, firing out of the thing like someone lit a firecracker inside it. it was not in use, it’s plugged into a power conditioner (all the other gear on that conditioner is fine), just totally randomly caught fire. Wtf. so glad it happened when I was sitting there. I shudder to think what would have happened if it stayed plugged in unattended. ☠️ Sounds like caps going off to me too! Like svart said. Although, I haven't heard it called 'venting' but same thing . . . discharging. More than one of my AC30s and other Boxes have spontaneously burst into flames. Oh the price of tone! Everything is reparable. |
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Post by Dan on Jun 3, 2024 10:37:17 GMT -6
Happened with a macbook pro and a tube amp cap going bad and killing some parts. A friend's small old Yamaha analog console caught on fire internally from dust few years ago. They carried it out and extinguished it in the driveway.
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Post by Dan on Jun 3, 2024 10:39:33 GMT -6
Sounds like a cap venting. Sometimes they go with a bang, sometimes they vent steam/smoke looking stuff. Given the amount of smoke and heat, I assume the ibp is permanently dead, but is there any chance hope of a repair with this? It's probably cheaper to make a new one than repair it. I would contact Little Labs and they'll probably give you a set price that covers their end like Shure does and you'll get a new or refurbished but working unit back. |
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,086 
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Post by ericn on Jun 3, 2024 10:40:08 GMT -6
Benny, thanks for taking me back to the times of Flame Linear & Fire extinguishers by every amp rack.
Last piece that Blew Smoke on me was one of those little Whirlwind/ Rolls headphone amps. It was no big deal been through worse, much worse.
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Post by FM77 on Jun 3, 2024 11:07:39 GMT -6
Hey man, glad all is well and you were there! Never had venting smoke, but plenty of blown caps from power supplies that have scared me out of my seat. If you pop it open, please post a pic. I am curious what it is.
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Post by svart on Jun 3, 2024 11:16:24 GMT -6
A little labs IBP sits (er, sat) on the bolster of my console. I’m sitting there emailing this am, and suddenly I hear a loud hissing sound. Look down, and the ibp is SHOOTING smoke out of all its enclosure openings. I’ve never seen anything like ths…the smoke was like pressurized, firing out of the thing like someone lit a firecracker inside it. it was not in use, it’s plugged into a power conditioner (all the other gear on that conditioner is fine), just totally randomly caught fire. Wtf. so glad it happened when I was sitting there. I shudder to think what would have happened if it stayed plugged in unattended. ☠️ Sounds like caps going off to me too! Like svart said. Although, I haven't heard it called 'venting' but same thing . . . discharging. More than one of my AC30s and other Boxes have spontaneously burst into flames. Oh the price of tone! Everything is reparable. The little X or - across the top of some caps are there for when they overpressure.. It gives them a place to split open and vent the heat/boiling electrolyte and whatnot so they don't go BOOM and explode violently.. They still do sometimes though. |
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Post by svart on Jun 3, 2024 11:18:22 GMT -6
I had a really old power supply explode on me once. It sounded like a gun went off and there was fishy smoke and paper confetti looking stuff everywhere. Turns out a huge cap in the power supply blew up. Ended up recapping the whole supply and it still works to this day..
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Post by bgrotto on Jun 3, 2024 11:39:40 GMT -6
Hey man, glad all is well and you were there! Never had venting smoke, but plenty of blown caps from power supplies that have scared me out of my seat. If you pop it open, please post a pic. I am curious what it is.
Kinda undramatic on the inside. The big ass elna cap has a bit of a bulge, but otherwise, no obvious sign of the fireworks. ibb.co/gWgyk9h |
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Post by FM77 on Jun 3, 2024 11:41:42 GMT -6
Hey man, glad all is well and you were there! Never had venting smoke, but plenty of blown caps from power supplies that have scared me out of my seat. If you pop it open, please post a pic. I am curious what it is.
Kinda undramatic on the inside. The big ass elna cap has a bit of a bulge, but otherwise, no obvious sign of the fireworks. ibb.co/gWgyk9hThat's good news. That sounds very repairable. |
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Post by svart on Jun 3, 2024 11:48:44 GMT -6
Hey man, glad all is well and you were there! Never had venting smoke, but plenty of blown caps from power supplies that have scared me out of my seat. If you pop it open, please post a pic. I am curious what it is.
Kinda undramatic on the inside. The big ass elna cap has a bit of a bulge, but otherwise, no obvious sign of the fireworks. ibb.co/gWgyk9hYeah I bet that big cap vented, but from the bottom side on those big ones. |
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Post by Ward on Jun 3, 2024 15:35:16 GMT -6
Hey man, glad all is well and you were there! Never had venting smoke, but plenty of blown caps from power supplies that have scared me out of my seat. If you pop it open, please post a pic. I am curious what it is.
Kinda undramatic on the inside. The big ass elna cap has a bit of a bulge, but otherwise, no obvious sign of the fireworks. ibb.co/gWgyk9hTHARRRRR SHE BLOWS!! |
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Post by anders on Jun 3, 2024 16:24:21 GMT -6
I once had the rectifier of an early 1960s amp self immolate during the recording of a guitar solo. The first 20 seconds or so, distortion increases, it gasps for air, the sound starts to get intermittent, and finally it just falls apart. A more or less perfectly timed operatic death. In a perfect world, it would have held out 15 seconds longer to outlast the fade.
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Post by drumsound on Jun 3, 2024 17:50:48 GMT -6
I once had the rectifier of an early 1960s amp self immolate during the recording of a guitar solo. The first 20 seconds or so, distortion increases, it gasps for air, the sound starts to get intermittent, and finally it just falls apart. A more or less perfectly timed operatic death. In a perfect world, it would have held out 15 seconds longer to outlast the fade. Please tell me this made the record. |
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Post by ninworks on Jun 3, 2024 18:41:13 GMT -6
I had a speaker burst into flames once when a power amp started pumping DC. I always have an extinguisher in the studio. Even then I had one and I'm glad I did. The paper cone caught fire and it would have been bad if I hadn't been able to put it out. It was a large 2 way cabinet with a 15" speaker and a horn.
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Post by sean on Jun 3, 2024 18:53:08 GMT -6
Replace that big cap and I bet you’ll be back in business.
When I was repairing a bunch of ADR modules I’d often get smoke when I’d fire them up for the first time (some had probably been sitting for 25 years) and sometimes they’d explode…but they’d always be fine after a recap
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Post by rowmat on Jun 3, 2024 19:17:16 GMT -6
I went to an audio engineers product trade demo with my dad many years ago.
It was a promotion for BGW power amplifiers.
The demo setup was in a conference room and consisted of the BGW amplifier (around 200 watts/chan) a Linn Sondek turntable and preamp and a pair of Tannoy Red speakers.
The demo disc was Telarc’s recording of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
The amplifier was promoted as having excellent dynamic characteristics and all kinds of protection against overload, clipping etc.
Anyway the demo began and everything was fine right up until the first cannon shot. The cannon shot coincided with a loud crack, flash and a puff of smoke emanating from behind the amp. At the same time the speaker cone in the right Tannoy went full excursion forward making a loud distorted humming noise. Obviously DC reaching the speaker.
The representative from BGW moved to shut the power off as the first wafts of acrid smoke reached the front row resulting in stinging eyes and throats.
People quickly began leaving the room, some coughing and rubbing their eyes.
Needless to say no orders were taken that evening.
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Post by rowmat on Jun 3, 2024 19:39:49 GMT -6
I had a speaker burst into flames once when a power amp started pumping DC. I always have an extinguisher in the studio. Even then I had one and I'm glad I did. The paper cone caught fire and it would have been bad if I hadn't been able to put it out. It was a large 2 way cabinet with a 15" speaker and a horn. When I was mixing a band I regularly worked with back in the 1990’s the bass player (who never seemed to have any gear of his own) had borrowed a Fender 4x10 quad box speaker (guitar not bass) to use with his borrowed amp head. About two thirds the way through the gig everyone started turning up and his bass started sounding like it was going through a fuzz pedal. While I was distracted checking the levels on the desk someone yelled out “Fire!” One of the speakers in the quad box had caught fire, then set fire to the grille cloth and the flames were suddenly about two feet high and licking the curtains at the back of the stage. Fortunately a quick thinking patron ran onto the stage with a jug of beer and doused the speaker cabinet. It could have easily been a major disaster. |
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Post by geoff738 on Jun 3, 2024 19:57:17 GMT -6
My story is a relatively mundane Fender Champ that started emitting smoke. I was like 12 or something at the time so I thought it was cool. Dumb kid.
Cheers,
Geoff
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