UPDATE: My receiver keeps shutting down for some reason

[Arkitech]

I have an Onkyo TX-SR503, its a pretty good unit. I like the sound quality and the video inputs are really useful. However for some reason the receiver seems to shut down for no reason, I'm not sure if its because of heat or some other reason. Sometimes I forget to turn it off, but since I don't have any other devices turned on I don't think anything is driving the receiver to heat it up.

I keep the receiver on a glass shelf in an open sided entertainment stand so there's plenty of air flow. Also I don't put any other devices on top of or underneath the receiver so it should'nt be any issues with other things causing it to heat up. The only thing I can think of that might cause the issue is possibly dust or maybe not turning the unit off enough. (although I have an older Technics reciever that I leave on with no issues).

This problem happened once before a few weeks ago, I kept it turned off when not in use for awhile and I have'nt noticed the problem til today.

Anyone out there experience similar issues with an Onkyo receiver? How did you resolve the problem?

 

[spidey07]

Double check and triple check your wiring. If any stray strands are touching the +/- posts (receiver and speakers) the receiver can shut down. Although this normally only happens when you are listening to it. Other wise feel around for heat.

 

[sohcrates]

what are you driving with it?

 

[mcvickj]

Not really an answer to your situation but my father has a similar problem with his Technics SUG-95. Did this off and on for a few weeks now it doesn't do anything. When you try to power it on you hear a click and that is it. No sound. I've told him several times to take it to a repair shop to have it looked at. One of the places in town does free estimates. /shrug. I see one on eBay every once in a while.

 

[jtvang125]

Check to see if there's a short circuit with any of the speaker wires.
Make sure the speakers are within range of the resistance rating (4-8 ohms).
Try a different power outlet.

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Double check and triple check your wiring. If any stray strands are touching the +/- posts (receiver and speakers) the receiver can shut down. Although this normally only happens when you are listening to it. Other wise feel around for heat.

It would probably be better to start by unplugging everything, and resetting them one by to see if it is something external causing the problem.

By "shutting down" do you mean that it turns off all the time? And if it does, does it take a few min to turn back on? If so, replace the 120V fuse inside of it, it's pretty easy to replace and can be found easily enough.

 

[Lithium381]

check the wiring as said multiple times above....or unplug everything and go one by one

 

[lytalbayre]

I fall else fails, it could be your home wiring. I had a Harmon Kardon received that refused to work on any outlets in an apartment I had. It would run for 10 minutes or so then shut down. I got a replacement unit that did the same thing. Perh HK customer service, I tried resetting the software/hardware on the unit and even tried a power conditioner.... Sad thing is I tried the unit at a friends place and it worked flawlessly.

Considering your unit had been working for some time before this problem, I would assume that the unit needs cleaning and is resetting due to heat.

 

[imported_Imp]

Like others said, wiring mght be tripping the safety shut off. Unplug everything, and see if it turns on. Might be a loose strand somewhere. That or it's dying...

 

[Hyperlite]

heat is a tough call though because these things get so hot as it is. My Panasonic XR55 gets *almost* too hot to touch, but i have never had a problem with it.

 

[HomeAppraiser]

Same with my Sanyo!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: lytalbayre
I fall else fails, it could be your home wiring. I had a Harmon Kardon received that refused to work on any outlets in an apartment I had. It would run for 10 minutes or so then shut down. I got a replacement unit that did the same thing. Perh HK customer service, I tried resetting the software/hardware on the unit and even tried a power conditioner.... Sad thing is I tried the unit at a friends place and it worked flawlessly.

Considering your unit had been working for some time before this problem, I would assume that the unit needs cleaning and is resetting due to heat.

I have an H/K receiver also. My only complaint is that there is a slight clicking noise that is audible through the speakers when you adjust the volume up or down. Never bothered me enough to get it looked at though and I heard this was a common complaint with this model after I did some more research on it. Still, it is plenty powerful and I have everything in my system going through it with never any problems. It's a heavy sucker though. Probably weighs about 40lbs so I keep it on the bottom shelf of my audio rack near the floor.

I had a couple times early on where it would shut off when it was really hot during the summer but since I have central air now I haven't had it shut off unexpectedly in years. I would suspect heat as your culprit. First I would double check your wiring though.

 

[Arkitech]

thanks for all the replies so far


I did a little troubleshooting and I've discovered that receiver only shuts off when I'm using the DVD player. I can watch cable and play video games with no problems, but I tried watching a DVD earlier and the receiver shut off after about 10 minutes. Anyone know what that might indicate?

 

[spidey07]

try resetting the processor or replacing the digital cable you're using between the player and receiver.

Also are you listening at a low or high volume?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
thanks for all the replies so far


I did a little troubleshooting and I've discovered that receiver only shuts off when I'm using the DVD player. I can watch cable and play video games with no problems, but I tried watching a DVD earlier and the receiver shut off after about 10 minutes. Anyone know what that might indicate?

When you watch cable and play video games, are you listening in stereo or do you have all the speakers going still?

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: spidey07
try resetting the processor or replacing the digital cable you're using between the player and receiver.

Also are you listening at a low or high volume?

It was at a moderate volume, although I think it cut out a little while after I turned it up a bit

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Arkitech
thanks for all the replies so far


I did a little troubleshooting and I've discovered that receiver only shuts off when I'm using the DVD player. I can watch cable and play video games with no problems, but I tried watching a DVD earlier and the receiver shut off after about 10 minutes. Anyone know what that might indicate?

When you watch cable and play video games, are you listening in stereo or do you have all the speakers going still?

Good question, I was gaming in stereo and the cable channel I watched was in stereo. However the DVD I watched was in surround, I'll try watching a cable station with surround and see what happens.

 

[mzkhadir]

I had the same problem with my kenwood receiver and found that the wires were touching some place, it started once and happened more frequently and now it stopped because I redid the wiring.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Arkitech

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Arkitech
thanks for all the replies so far


I did a little troubleshooting and I've discovered that receiver only shuts off when I'm using the DVD player. I can watch cable and play video games with no problems, but I tried watching a DVD earlier and the receiver shut off after about 10 minutes. Anyone know what that might indicate?

When you watch cable and play video games, are you listening in stereo or do you have all the speakers going still?

Good question, I was gaming in stereo and the cable channel I watched was in stereo. However the DVD I watched was in surround, I'll try watching a cable station with surround and see what happens.

If you can't find that, try just running in stereo when watching a DVD. It might be your center / surrounds that are fvcked up.

As an alternative, can you turn on a prologic setting when gaming or watching cable to get all the speakers going and test that?

 

[spidey07]

I still think you have a short somewhere. If it cuts out quickly if you turn the volume up that's most likey the problem. The short could also be in the speaker wire itself if it was nicked or cut or damages.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I still think you have a short somewhere. If it cuts out quickly if you turn the volume up that's most likey the problem. The short could also be in the speaker wire itself if it was nicked or cut or damages.

And based off it working for stereo sources, the center and surrounds would be what I would check first.

(make sure to check the ends connected to the speakers too)

 

[Rubycon]

Please bear in mind that 98% of my experience is based on pro gear but nonetheless:

I've seen amplifiers get all testy from a damaged crossover. Particularly a 12 db/octave passive with a bad cap. It will produce a near short (dip in impedance) in some cases. Drives stage techs nuts because their DMM's don't see the problem right away. So you have to start disconnecting speakers one at a time. Go easy on the volume too as some amps get unstable driving an open channel.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
And based off it working for stereo sources, the center and surrounds would be what I would check first.

(make sure to check the ends connected to the speakers too)

No only that, but 5 channels is harder to drive than two so it would cut out at a lower volume.

I remember being dumb once and moving a speaker wire on the back of an amplifier with the music cranked. There was about a 2" arc from the wire to the chassis and a loud ZAP sound. bye-bye amplifier. Moral of the story? Never move cables with equipment on, or at the very least the volume to zero.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I remember being dumb once and moving a speaker wire on the back of an amplifier with the music cranked. There was about a 2" arc from the wire to the chassis and a loud ZAP sound. bye-bye amplifier. Moral of the story? Never move cables with equipment on, or at the very least the volume to zero.

Yes because even if you have the fastest foldback protection circuits (which most true reference amps do NOT!) at high outputs the transistor will ALWAYS blow and the event is never tame. Why? The transistor is the fastest fuse. :Q

 

[Arkitech]

thanks for the help guys, it was my center speaker wires that were touching. I'm good to go now