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Post subject: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:51 pm
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So I just brought home my Rumble 100 V3 I bought used through Amazon, good physical condition, couldn't even find the "slight cosmetic damage" in the description, started practicing to a rehearsal recording, got through one song when suddenly ZAP! A loud crackle-pop, accompanied by a bright spark near the power switch, followed by a wisp of smoke and that electrical burning smell. The amp stayed on, could still hear my instrument playing clearly, thankfully no smoke alarms went off... but was unnerved enough to stop, power off and come here for advice. Anyone encounter something like this and know what it might lead to? Should I send the box back to Amazon ASAP? Should I try playing some more, see if it happens again, or not? Might it be something minor I can have remedied through an approved Fender warranty center (I live in L.A., I'm sure there's one nearby).


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:11 am
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Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Send it back to Amazon if you can.

Other solution is like to play lotto .


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 10:44 am
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Due to special handling requirements, Amazon will not accept returns on electronic instrument amplifiers. I've written to customer service inquiring as to my options. My hope in posting here was that maybe someone may have encountered something similar (spark, smoke, continuing on as if nothing happened) and would have an idea as to whether it might be a simple short in the power source, a fuse, a fried wire (hence the smoke), obviously not a tube or I wouldn't have uninterrupted signal.... I'm hoping Amazon will cover necessary repairs if any since they won't accept a return of the item, but maybe someone here knows a handy user fixit if it's something (hopefully) minor.


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:08 pm
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Best is to look from now where is Fender warranty Service center in your area and if the warranty work .

Less damage in your amp = faster repair


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:55 pm
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I had the same thing happen with an Ampeg head, two pops & a bright, blue spark. Never found out what it was. Played it for an hour when it happened & so many times since then & never had a problem. But I was so nervous that I got a new one. Now it's my home amp & not my show amp.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:14 pm
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That is weird, but glad to hear that it happens to others. Wonder what it's caused by? Bad electrical circuitry in the building maybe? A hostile surge bar? Still plan to get it checked out for damage, but even if it's fixed I'd like to know how to prevent it in the future.


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 1:33 am
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solotasq wrote:
That is weird, but glad to hear that it happens to others. Wonder what it's caused by? Bad electrical circuitry in the building maybe? A hostile surge bar? Still plan to get it checked out for damage, but even if it's fixed I'd like to know how to prevent it in the future.


It is a case by case , could be a bad seating tube , Intermittent tube, bad contact in the socket , bad connector contact inside amp , damage power cord to the amp , intermittent wall outlet ........


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:54 am
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It's possible C50 (0.1 uF) blew out. C50 is used for interference suppression and is wired across the incoming AC line and neutral. That component is rated at only 250 volts. It's possible there was a brief surge voltage on your home's AC that exceeded that rating and caused it to smoke.

If that's what actually blew out, it's not urgent to replace it, but I would as soon as it's convenient, and I'd replace it with something rated at a higher voltage. Or, if you do an exact replacement, make sure your amp's plugged into a surge suppressor at all times so it doesn't happen again.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:18 am
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Thanks for that very specific response Craig! My place does not have AC (bummer 'cause it's SoCal and summer's on the way), but it does have shoddy wiring (can't run the microwave on hotter days b/c it fries the building), and the power surge theory in general makes the most sense in my scenario.


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:58 am
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With new amps, all kinds of oddball failures can occur. But with your description of the fireworks, anybody who looks inside should be able to see black soot or blown components easily.


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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:02 pm
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Solotasq, sorry, I should've been more specific. By "AC" I meant the AC (alternating current) voltage inside the building. Also referred to as "the mains" in some non-US countries. Anyway, I used "AC" to mean whatever (good or bad) is appearing at the outlet you plug the amp into. The presence of crummy wiring is consistent with a C50 failure.

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Post subject: Re: Rumble 100 Zap!
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 8:49 am
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craig.p wrote:
Solotasq, sorry, I should've been more specific. By "AC" I meant the AC (alternating current) voltage inside the building. Also referred to as "the mains" in some non-US countries. Anyway, I used "AC" to mean whatever (good or bad) is appearing at the outlet you plug the amp into. The presence of crummy wiring is consistent with a C50 failure.


Yes I knew what you meant, was just mentioning my air conditioning as an example of my sorry electrical setup. I don't dare even use a little window A/C unit because it will take out the power in under 2 minutes. So it wouldn't surprise me at all that power source issues contributed to the problem, which would (I guess) be a good thing because it means the unit itself isn't defective... or at least wasn't until an alien force caused it to emit smoke. I've played through the Rumble a few more times since my initial post and haven't experienced any further incidents (furiously knocking wood). So far.


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