Heat sensor lockout gone bad in studio monitor

This may not be the right forum but here goes-where is the heat lockout sensor in a powered studio monitor? My monitors have these and I believe one of them has malfunctioned.It used to engage and then 30 minutes later the monitors' speaker would come back on...then it started doing it more an more until it locked out altogether...any help?
 
This may not be the right forum but here goes-where is the heat lockout sensor in a powered studio monitor? My monitors have these and I believe one of them has malfunctioned.It used to engage and then 30 minutes later the monitors' speaker would come back on...then it started doing it more an more until it locked out altogether...any help?

Which monitor ?

Doesn't the manual tell you where it is ?

Answer may be found here
Heat lockout sensor in a studio monitor | Telecaster Guitar Forum
 
I wouldn't attempt to take them apart to look for the heat sensor.
Odds are, it's a very small component on a PCB...and you won't be able to just remove it or bypass it.

The real question is...why do your monitors go into overheating and shutdown so much...?
Are you cranking them to the max for longer periods?
The one that was exhibiting more and more frequesnt shutdowns...well, you should have heeded those warning signs.
If I was you, I would contact the dealer or manufacturer and see what they tell you BEFORE you make things worse by trying to fix it...and yeah, you would be better off with a schematic, but I bet you won't find one for those monitors...they're not the kind that would offer much repair options.
 
Robert, can you link to where you found the reference to " heat lockout sensor" for the Sterling monitors? Most of what I'm coming up with in a search relates to heat sensors in a Mazda MX5 Miata.
There is likely some thermal protection built into the IC's in the power supply in the monitors which may cause a shutdown.

From the manual, is this what you may be referring to?
"• Carefully check to see if the amplifier’s back plate is hot. If the
monitor has been running at its highest power output for an
extended period of time, it could be that the unit has become
overheated and the protection circuitry has shut the system
down momentarily. Your Sterling MX5 and MX8 monitors
provide maximum circuitry protection against AC power
surges, amplifier overdrive, and overheating of the amplifiers.
Turn the monitor off then wait 30 minutes to allow the back
plate to cool down. Turn the power switch back on."
 
Robert, can you link to where you found the reference to " heat lockout sensor" for the Sterling monitors? Most of what I'm coming up with in a search relates to heat sensors in a Mazda MX5 Miata.
There is likely some thermal protection built into the IC's in the power supply in the monitors which may cause a shutdown.

From the manual, is this what you may be referring to?
"• Carefully check to see if the amplifier’s back plate is hot. If the
monitor has been running at its highest power output for an
extended period of time, it could be that the unit has become
overheated and the protection circuitry has shut the system
down momentarily. Your Sterling MX5 and MX8 monitors
provide maximum circuitry protection against AC power
surges, amplifier overdrive, and overheating of the amplifiers.
Turn the monitor off then wait 30 minutes to allow the back
plate to cool down. Turn the power switch back on."
It was a progressive thing it didn't always heat up.Somehow it started shutting down and the n I'd wait.But after months it just won't come back on at all.And the other monitor doesn't shut down at all.I guess one of the two was a lemon.Warranty expired.I thought if I left it in the cold somewhere maybe it would reset?
 
I wouldn't attempt to take them apart to look for oI contacted the dealer and factory and the warranty expired plus they don't have parts for that particular monitor.the heat sensor.
Odds are, it's a very small component on a PCB...and you won't be able to just remove it or bypass it.

The real question is...why do your monitors go into overheating and shutdown so much...?
Are you cranking them to the max for longer periods?
The one that was exhibiting more and more frequesnt shutdowns...well, you should have heeded those warning signs.
If I was you, I would contact the dealer or manufacturer and see what they tell you BEFORE you make things worse by trying to fix it...and yeah, you would be better off with a schematic, but I bet you won't find one for those monitors...they're not the kind that would offer much repair options.

I contacted the dealer and factory and the warranty expired plus they don't have parts for that particular monitor.It must have been defective or something I did to cause this.The other monitor of the pair never had shutdown.I'm in an apartment so the volume is never cranked.
 
I contacted the dealer and factory and the warranty expired plus they don't have parts for that particular monitor.It must have been defective or something I did to cause this.The other monitor of the pair never had shutdown.I'm in an apartment so the volume is never cranked.

Odd that they said they don't have parts since it appears to be still in production and being sold by GC. Is Sterling sort of GC's 'house' brand sold only by them?
 
The thermal trip should never operate in any electronic device under normal operation and in temperatures that humans can tolerate. When son was home my Tannoy 5As were on a good 12 hours a day most days and running at 80-90dB SPL, never so much as a click. I am sure 99% of the guys here find their monitors the same? Totally reliable.

So, they are, I am sorry to say, poorly designed crap (the lack of backup service reinforces that opinion) Get shot and buy something better. For "proper" monitors perhaps the Adam 7VTs are the best around at the money. (may have that model # wrong, will check) Ah! T7V.

Dave.
 
Odd that they said they don't have parts since it appears to be still in production and being sold by GC. Is Sterling sort of GC's 'house' brand sold only by them?
I didn't ask.Guitar Center ,as far as I know, sells a lot of different ones..they had a big pile of these on sale in a corner a few years back
 
I thought I'd ask someone after running all my tests, ask someone the cost of an average repair shop to look at it? And does, if the factory says they don't have parts ,will a repair shop be able to find parts?(are they pretty much interchangeable)
 
Never had a shop fix any gear for me, but most discussions I've seen on line about a 'bench charge' put it in the range of $30 to $70 just to look at something and assess the repair if possible.
Some parts could be proprietary that only the manufacturer has access to, so a repair shop may have a problem with some parts. Monitors like yours I would think would have mostly available common parts such as IC's, caps, resistors, etc, but difficult to know for sure. Repair shop would also likely need the service manual or schematics.
 
Never had a shop fix any gear for me, but most discussions I've seen on line about a 'bench charge' put it in the range of $30 to $70 just to look at something and assess the repair if possible.
Some parts could be proprietary that only the manufacturer has access to, so a repair shop may have a problem with some parts. Monitors like yours I would think would have mostly available common parts such as IC's, caps, resistors, etc, but difficult to know for sure. Repair shop would also likely need the service manual or schematics.
And this is why the lower end monitors (and many other electronics) are essentially disposables. They often aren't worth the repair cost. Best option is to hope for someone else to have a similar problem and find a used one if you must have the same thing. (And in the case of monitors, locally, because the shipping cost can be as prohibitive as a repair.)

I'd just go get a new pair if you can. You can always use your one remaining monitor for mono testing.
 
I see a used single for $80. (which means GC paid about $35 for it to the seller)
(Using GC math, 60% of Half the new cost, in general, so that's $120 new, 50% $60 and 60% of $60 is $36 per speaker.)

Or you could get a new single from GC, trade or haggle them down.
Another single new is $120, you might get 15% off, maybe $100 plus tax....seems a waste if you predict they will have problems too and be clicking off due to heat issues on the other.

Or you could sell your working one for $36+ to GC and get a new set of something different and upgrade...to the JBL's mentioned or something.

Or you could be a bastard and try to get GC to fix it for free, or send it in to GC see what the repair costs and you decide if you want it back or not , based on repair bill. If its too high, just let them keep it.

I see a used PAIR on Ebay for $70 - Buy It Now...plus Shipping. Pretty cheap monitor.

How much did you use them and invest in? You aren't out too much. Not like a pair of $3000 monitors burning out.

I wouldn't put any new cash into them, its a $35 speaker. How much do spend fixing a $35 speaker?
 
I see a used single for $80. (which means GC paid about $35 for it to the seller)
(Using GC math, 60% of Half the new cost, in general, so that's $120 new, 50% $60 and 60% of $60 is $36 per speaker.)

Or you could get a new single from GC, trade or haggle them down.
Another single new is $120, you might get 15% off, maybe $100 plus tax....seems a waste if you predict they will have problems too and be clicking off due to heat issues on the other.

Or you could sell your working one for $36+ to GC and get a new set of something different and upgrade...to the JBL's mentioned or something.

Or you could be a bastard and try to get GC to fix it for free, or send it in to GC see what the repair costs and you decide if you want it back or not , based on repair bill. If its too high, just let them keep it.

I see a used PAIR on Ebay for $70 - Buy It Now...plus Shipping. Pretty cheap monitor.

How much did you use them and invest in? You aren't out too much. Not like a pair of $3000 monitors burning out.

I wouldn't put any new cash into them, its a $35 speaker. How much do spend fixing a $35 speaker?
I forgot how much because it was 3 or 4 years ago.It's not the speaker because I tested it.I'll probably do one of the things you say but what's holding me up is that it was a gradual thing and maybe it's just "cold solder" or a shrunken solder joint.So if I put it in a shop the charge will be minimal.
 
I forgot how much because it was 3 or 4 years ago.It's not the speaker because I tested it.I'll probably do one of the things you say but what's holding me up is that it was a gradual thing and maybe it's just "cold solder" or a shrunken solder joint.So if I put it in a shop the charge will be minimal.

That depends on the shop. Some shops have a minimum charge. Some shops don't. If you can't find a friend or someone with electronics background, or can't visually see a problem, go to some shops get quote. More than likely if it's not a major item it'll be $30.00-$50.00 usd I had a chip out on a channel in my mixer. I know what the problem was but, had them run a bench test on it anyways. They fixed it for $35.00 but, I had pulled the channel from the chassis. Can't really say what this would cost your or what the problem is. You'd just have to take it somewhere and find out. Get a cut off amount and tell them if it cost more than that not to fix it .
 
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