Onkyo System Dead

[ricks1683]

Hi All

I'm a first time poster here and desperately need some help. My Onkyo HT-R540 appeared to have just died on me. I've been searching the internet for some help and this looks like a great place, so I'm giving it a shot. The Onkyo website is down at the moment so getting help there isn't possible.

The problem/situation:
I turned the receiver off last night before bed, and today it no longer turns on. I haven't fiddled with it, nor anything else behind my TV and it just died. The Standby light won't turn on leaving me to believe its getting no power. I've unplugged it and let it sit for 15 minutes hoping it'd reset, but nothing. I've tried multiple surge protector outlets where other electronics are currently working. Nothing. I've had the unit for about 18 months and this is the first issue I've ever had. There's been no storms in the area to indicate surge problems and the unit is far away from any other hazards (I'm still single, so no, kids are not an issue, lol).

Does anyone have an idea on either where to go for help, possible solutions to the problem or any direction at all? I would be most grateful for any assistance...

Thank you in advance!!

Rick

 

[MinusTheBear]

Hi All

I'm a first time poster here and desperately need some help. My Onkyo HT-R540 appeared to have just died on me. I've been searching the internet for some help and this looks like a great place, so I'm giving it a shot. The Onkyo website is down at the moment so getting help there isn't possible.

The problem/situation:
I turned the receiver off last night before bed, and today it no longer turns on. I haven't fiddled with it, nor anything else behind my TV and it just died. The Standby light won't turn on leaving me to believe its getting no power. I've unplugged it and let it sit for 15 minutes hoping it'd reset, but nothing. I've tried multiple surge protector outlets where other electronics are currently working. Nothing. I've had the unit for about 18 months and this is the first issue I've ever had. There's been no storms in the area to indicate surge problems and the unit is far away from any other hazards (I'm still single, so no, kids are not an issue, lol).

Does anyone have an idea on either where to go for help, possible solutions to the problem or any direction at all? I would be most grateful for any assistance...

Thank you in advance!!

Rick

The fuse could have blown on the Onkyo?

 

[TLS Guy]

The fuse could have blown on the Onkyo?

It certainly sounds as if the main fuse is blown. Do you know where it is? If it is external, unplug the unit and take it out and inspect it. If it is inside, you will have to open the case and look at it. The main fuse will be somewhere between the power cord and the power transformer.

If you have a blown fuse, take it to your nearest Radio Shack, match it and replace it.

Replace the fuse once. If it blows right away, it means there is a serious fault, most likely in the power supply and the unit will need service.

In a situation like this, the main fuse is usually blown. Most of the time the fuse blows for a reason, but sometimes you are lucky and a fuse is out of spec and blows at turn on. Only replace the fuse once, and NEVER use a higher rated fuse than specified.

In the unlikely event the mains fuse is intact, that may mean something wrong with the turn on circuit. Sometimes it means the mains transformer has failed, that is the worst case, and the unit would not likely be worth fixing in that event. Either way if the main fuse is intact, or the replacement fuse blows, the unit will have to go in for service.

Unfortunately servicing sophisticated modern electronics can be costly. Get an estimate. The other bad news is that you may have to pay significant money for your estimate, as there is frequently a lot of labor involved in finding what is wrong.

 

[ricks1683]

It certainly sounds as if the main fuse is blown. Do you know where it is? If it is external, unplug the unit and take it out and inspect it. If it is inside, you will have to open the case and look at it. The main fuse will be somewhere between the power cord and the power transformer.

If you have a blown fuse, take it to your nearest Radio Shack, match it and replace it.

Replace the fuse once. If it blows right away, it means there is a serious fault, most likely in the power supply and the unit will need service.

In a situation like this, the main fuse is usually blown. Most of the time the fuse blows for a reason, but sometimes you are lucky and a fuse is out of spec and blows at turn on. Only replace the fuse once, and NEVER use a higher rated fuse than specified.

In the unlikely event the mains fuse is intact, that may mean something wrong with the turn on circuit. Sometimes it means the mains transformer has failed, that is the worst case, and the unit would not likely be worth fixing in that event. Either way if the main fuse is intact, or the replacement fuse blows, the unit will have to go in for service.

Unfortunately servicing sophisticated modern electronics can be costly. Get an estimate. The other bad news is that you may have to pay significant money for your estimate, as there is frequently a lot of labor involved in finding what is wrong.

MTB&TLS- Thanks for the help! For as much as i am dying to jump in there and look for a fuse, I think i'll be staying out of the unit. I'm not the most technically savvy dude and would have very little clue what i'm looking at/for. I was ultimately hoping for some master reset button somewhere that would magically fix everything, lol...a fuse on the inside just sounds intimidating. I can hook these things up but fixes like that aren't my cup o' tea...

I managed to dig up some old papers and found that I'm still under warranty with Onkyo (2 yrs). Their phone support department is helpless right now because their website is down but the guy I spoke with thinks there is a 3rd party service center not far from me. I've still got my original receipt which should leave me having to pay nothing for the service (or at least thats what i've been told). I'll be making some calls there Monday for sure! I'll be absolutely certain to make sure I'm covered and to get an estimate if I'm not. I'm hoping its just the fuse problem you mentioned and nothing serious...

...although there's that evil part of me that hopes its irreplaceable (and no matching models are available) and i'll be given an upgraded model with HDMI inputs, LOL...

Thanks again for the help!

Rick

PS: this is a great forum and you can bet I'll be stopping back here quite often!

 

[TLS Guy]

MTB&TLS- Thanks for the help! For as much as i am dying to jump in there and look for a fuse, I think i'll be staying out of the unit. I'm not the most technically savvy dude and would have very little clue what i'm looking at/for. I was ultimately hoping for some master reset button somewhere that would magically fix everything, lol...a fuse on the inside just sounds intimidating. I can hook these things up but fixes like that aren't my cup o' tea...

I managed to dig up some old papers and found that I'm still under warranty with Onkyo (2 yrs). Their phone support department is helpless right now because their website is down but the guy I spoke with thinks there is a 3rd party service center not far from me. I've still got my original receipt which should leave me having to pay nothing for the service (or at least thats what i've been told). I'll be making some calls there Monday for sure! I'll be absolutely certain to make sure I'm covered and to get an estimate if I'm not. I'm hoping its just the fuse problem you mentioned and nothing serious...

...although there's that evil part of me that hopes its irreplaceable (and no matching models are available) and i'll be given an upgraded model with HDMI inputs, LOL...

Thanks again for the help!

Rick

PS: this is a great forum and you can bet I'll be stopping back here quite often!

If it's under warranty, stay out of the case. If you open it, it will void it!

Please post back, when you find out what the problem is. I don't know if you ever listen to "Car Talk," but I like to play "Stump the Chump," on this forum.

So please let us know the outcome, and welcome to the forum!

 

[ricks1683]

If it's under warranty, stay out of the case. If you open it, it will void it!

Please post back, when you find out what the problem is. I don't know if you ever listen to "Car Talk," but I like to play "Stump the Chump," on this forum.

So please let us know the outcome, and welcome to the forum!

TLS Guy- Just found out today from the service tech that the "power outlet board" had blown. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but it sounds serious enough, lol. When i asked what could cause that he said it was either a power surge from a linked system, someone tried hooking it up while plugged in or just that a transistor failed for some unknown reason. It's gotta be the random failure since all my linked electronics are working fine off the same surge protectors and i hadn't touched the back of the unit for months...But oh well...thank god for Onkyo's 2 year warranty...

So i hate to have "stumped" you, but hey! Now you know! lol...Again, I appreciate the help. Most informative!

Thanks for the welcome too!

Rick

 

[TLS Guy]

TLS Guy- Just found out today from the service tech that the "power outlet board" had blown. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but it sounds serious enough, lol. When i asked what could cause that he said it was either a power surge from a linked system, someone tried hooking it up while plugged in or just that a transistor failed for some unknown reason. It's gotta be the random failure since all my linked electronics are working fine off the same surge protectors and i hadn't touched the back of the unit for months...But oh well...thank god for Onkyo's 2 year warranty...

So i hate to have "stumped" you, but hey! Now you know! lol...Again, I appreciate the help. Most informative!

Thanks for the welcome too!

Rick

Not really! That board is the board that has the turn on circuit. This is more modern hubris. You can't just put a simple switch on a unit any more. Why I have no idea! Now you have momentary switch that actuates a circuit that sends power to the power transformer, and when you press it next time, it shuts the power off. This has added complexity and cost to the end user and provided a point of failure, that would not have been present on gear from an earlier generation. Another reason, I use as much good older vintage gear as I can.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Pyrrho]

Not really! That board is the board that has the turn on circuit. This is more modern hubris. You can't just put a simple switch on a unit any more. Why I have no idea! Now you have momentary switch that actuates a circuit that sends power to the power transformer, and when you press it next time, it shuts the power off. This has added complexity and cost to the end user and provided a point of failure, that would not have been present on gear from an earlier generation. Another reason, I use as much good older vintage gear as I can.

Thanks for the feedback!

The reason they don't typically simply put a switch on the unit has to do with remote controls. A simple switch is great, as long as you only turn the unit on and off at the unit. As soon as you want to be able to do it remotely, then it becomes a different matter.

Another advantage to vintage gear is that typically when it is switched off, it is really off. With most modern gear, it still uses power when "off", so that its remote sensor can receive the signal to turn the power on. This is one of the reasons why so much power is used today, because most equipment is still using power even when turned "off" (though, of course, it typically is using a lot less power than when left on, so it is still a good idea to turn things off when not in use).

 

[ricks1683]

Wow. So the part that is used to power on via remote breaks and i shouldn't need it anyways because always turn it on at the unit. Stupid irony...lol

Thanks all!

 

[TLS Guy]

The reason they don't typically simply put a switch on the unit has to do with remote controls. A simple switch is great, as long as you only turn the unit on and off at the unit. As soon as you want to be able to do it remotely, then it becomes a different matter.

Another advantage to vintage gear is that typically when it is switched off, it is really off. With most modern gear, it still uses power when "off", so that its remote sensor can receive the signal to turn the power on. This is one of the reasons why so much power is used today, because most equipment is still using power even when turned "off" (though, of course, it typically is using a lot less power than when left on, so it is still a good idea to turn things off when not in use).

Yes, I know it's to do with remotes. However who needs the on off switch on the remote? I never switch my units on and off with the remote. because I'm right in front of it switching on and off the units that don't have remotes.

It really is a waste of power, as you say. So it would be reasonable to ban the on off function of remotes.

The other thing is that those boards are handling a lot of power. The units in question are far too cheap and I bet the tolerance and margins are cut to the bone, contributing to failure.

 

[rnatalli]

Might be a good excuse to upgrade

 

[TLS Guy]

Wow. So the part that is used to power on via remote breaks and i shouldn't need it anyways because always turn it on at the unit. Stupid irony...lol

Thanks all!

Even if you turn it on and off at the unit, your are still going through that board, and when you turn it off, it is still not off unless you unplug it.

Now, your unit is a low price point unit and I bet the tolerances are all cut to the bone. I feel it very likely was a surge that took your unit down.

Actually, surge protectors provide no real, or useful protection. I have looked at them, and they only start to work on spikes that are significantly higher than what would cause the sort of problem you have. They really are designed for lightning strikes, and then they could not even handle the current and short it to ground. They offer little benefit over plugging directly into the wall socket.

The sorry fact is that America' power grid is in poor shape and getting worse.
You need tight voltage regulation. The last point of filtration for any power company is the nearest sub station, and that is often woefully inadequate.

Anybody sharing your phases downstream of the nearest substation who switches off a large inductive load, such as a large motor or welder, will create a spike that will go right through your surge protector and potentially cause the damage you had. It does not take a thunderstorm!

As I have said again and again on these forums, equipment like you own is best protected by an online UPS that has fast response times to high and low voltage within pretty tight margins. And yes, voltage drops which are very common are damaging too.

 

[Pyrrho]

Yes, I know it's to do with remotes. However who needs the on off switch on the remote? I never switch my units on and off with the remote. because I'm right in front of it switching on and off the units that don't have remotes.

Since most modern equipment has remote on and off, many people can turn everything on and off remotely. The fact that you do not use this feature is, of course, not going to matter, unless you have things custom made just for you. Manufacturers typically want to appeal to the broadest possible group of people, not just you or me.

It really is a waste of power, as you say. So it would be reasonable to ban the on off function of remotes.

The amount of power used when switched "off" varies from product to product. There has been a tendency for them to use much less power than they used to use. My guess is that this is partly due to laws, and partly due to manufacturers figuring out more efficient ways to have a sensor on for turning the rest of the unit on. These days, they can make one use less than a watt when "off". Some of the older units can use many times that amount.

The other thing is that those boards are handling a lot of power. The units in question are far too cheap and I bet the tolerance and margins are cut to the bone, contributing to failure.

Well, this is partly due to the fact that people use price to determine which thing they will buy. If a manufacturer spends more money on the unit, typically, it will cost more in a store. There is a balancing act that takes place in such matters. Due to this, it often is not a bad idea to buy the second to the bottom of the line, instead of the bottom of the line, even if one does not need the added features. Of course, buying the second to the bottom of the line is no guarantee that it will be significantly better, but there have been cases where one step up avoids some problems.