Help: New PIO Elite VSX-23TXH keeps shutting down

[WooBah]

Hi all,

I just hooked up a new Pioneer Elite VSX-23TXH receiver. I have a 5.1 system, 5 satellites and 1 subwoofer. I also have Zone 2. The speakers in the house are Orb Audio Mod 2. The Subwoofer is the Orb Super 8. The speakers outside are Polk Outside Speakers. Every time, I turn on Zone 2, the receiver shuts down. (So far, it has not shut down with just one zone running) Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

Doug

 

[Adam]

Hi, Doug. The first thing that comes to mind is to check the wiring to the outside speakers. Make sure that you don't have any short circuits being caused by copper strands bridging across the speaker terminals.

Also, have you used the outside speakers before?

EDIT: I may have misunderstood. Does the receiver shut down if you turn off your main zone and turn on Zone 2? In other words, does it always shut down when Zone 2 is on...or just when both zones are on at the same time?

 

[WooBah]

Hi, Doug. The first thing that comes to mind is to check the wiring to the outside speakers. Make sure that you don't have any short circuits being caused by copper strands bridging across the speaker terminals.

Also, have you used the outside speakers before?

EDIT: I may have misunderstood. Does the receiver shut down if you turn off your main zone and turn on Zone 2? In other words, does it always shut down when Zone 2 is on...or just when both zones are on at the same time?

Hi Adam,

I checked the speaker wiring, no problem there. I then turned power only to Zone 2; no problem. But, when I run Zone 2 and My Main Zone together, the receiver shuts down. So, to answer your question, it is looking like it shuts down when both zones are on at the same time. Do you have any idea what is happening, or what I need to do?

Thanks.

Doug

 

[Adam]

Doug, does it shut down regardless of the volume level? I'm wondering if the total impedance of both zones is too low for the receiver. I didn't see a mention of a different minimum in the manual if both zones were being used, but I skimmed it pretty quickly.

 

[WooBah]

Zone 2 just shut down. So, the problem has to do with Zone 2. It only shuts down when I activate Zone 2. This time, I just had power to Zone 2, no power in the main zone, and it still shut off. Any ideas? (if this is a double post, I apologize)

Thanks.

Doug

 

[Adam]

I'd say connect the outdoor speakers to the main front/left speaker terminals and see if the receiver shuts down. It might be the speakers - or it still might be the speaker wire causing a short. Sometimes that's hard to see.

Do you have an ohm meter (or multimeter)?

 

[WooBah]

I'd say connect the outdoor speakers to the main front/left speaker terminals and see if the receiver shuts down. It might be the speakers - or it still might be the speaker wire causing a short. Sometimes that's hard to see.

Do you have an ohm meter (or multimeter)?

I don't have an ohm meter. Can I buy one somewhere? How would I use it. I would really like to find out what is causing this problem. I will work on it tomorrow. I am getting ready to crack open a bottle of fine wine (pinot noir).

So, far the receiver is working great in the main zone, at least it is for the Giants baseball game. I will try some music and movies after the game.

Thanks.

Doug

 

[Adam]

Enjoy the wine and the baseball game!

You can certainly buy a meter at a hardware store or Radio Shack. Using one is any easy way to check if you have a short circuit. Because you don't have one, we can look at cheaper ways - one of which would be to connect the outdoor speakers to the main zone left/right speaker terminals as mentioned above. That would check the speakers using a different set of terminals, which might help narrow down if it's the speaker - it also would cause you to redo the speaker connections, so it might cause or fix a short.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I don't have an ohm meter. Can I buy one somewhere? How would I use it. I would really like to find out what is causing this problem. I will work on it tomorrow. I am getting ready to crack open a bottle of fine wine (pinot noir).

So, far the receiver is working great in the main zone, at least it is for the Giants baseball game. I will try some music and movies after the game.

Thanks.

Doug

Who did the wiring to that zone 2? What are the speaker specs for it?
Yes, Radio Shack has Ohm meters. They can explain how to use it.
I hope you don't have a wire stapled someplace causing that short.

 

[WooBah]

Enjoy the wine and the baseball game!

You can certainly buy a meter at a hardware store or Radio Shack. Using one is any easy way to check if you have a short circuit. Because you don't have one, we can look at cheaper ways - one of which would be to connect the outdoor speakers to the main zone left/right speaker terminals as mentioned above. That would check the speakers using a different set of terminals, which might help narrow down if it's the speaker - it also would cause you to redo the speaker connections, so it might cause or fix a short.

Hi Adam,

Thanks for all your help and thanks to the others as well. Here is the update:

Well, I don't what happened. But, my zone 2 is working. It has been working now for two hours, and it has been working with my main zone on as well. Hopefully, this will continue, if not; then it must a short somewhere. Correct?

The only thing I did different was re-calibrate my settings on the receiver, I have been playing around with different settings, and learning more about the Pio Elite Auto Setup and how to fine tune it. Well, I have the outside speakers going and since it is 101 here today, I am going to go for a swim while I listen to Elvis Live in Vegas. Thank ya, Thank ya very much.