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General discussion

Troubleshoot Stereo Amplifier

May 21, 2010 1:12PM PDT

I have a old amplifier it's a Sears LXI series Model AM 4023. The amp turns on but I get no audio. The amp does not make a clicking sound like it did in the past where would be a logical place to start with trouble shooting thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Clicking sound?
May 23, 2010 2:49AM PDT

Sounds like maybe the power relay not being actuated. RG, maybe it's time to go shopping for a new one.

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Stereo Amp
May 23, 2010 3:13PM PDT

Hi RG24,

I would check out the fuses first.

Maceman

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Did you change anything?
May 24, 2010 1:51AM PDT

That "click" we all or most of us hear is generally the unit completing some basic self-diags and then powering up the rest of the unit, the output amp for one.

On mine, it will not "click" if for example the speakers are shorted or there is an unsually high input source.

As advised I would start with the fused, if you are under warranty, then I would not pop the cover, you may well void it. If you are not under warranty then no problem, just the usual safety concerns. The number 1 to start with, IS MAKE SURE IT IS UNPLUGGED from WALL POWER!

Now that we have that out of the way, the fuses should be easy to find and in all but a couple cases, they were not soldered in, they just pop out of the holders.

To test the fuse, you need to remove at least one end from the fuse holder/clip otherwise you may just get a read through the circuit. With one end of the fuse popped out you should see 0 Ohms or very close to it.

Last note might have been the first, but you can also just pull all and I mean all connection except power and see if it "clicks" when you turn it on, this will mean either one or more of your speakers were or are shorted, or one of your input sources was bad.

If it did click, start with your speakers one at a time, hook it up, see if you get a click and better yet, tune in a radio station ans see if you get sound. Repeat for each speaker. The repear for each input device, like DVD Player, CableTV Box, whatever you have.

Good Luck.

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Fuses and Connections
May 24, 2010 11:39PM PDT

Thanks for replying guys.
I checked the fuses they are fine the amp does turn on. I disconnected inputs/outputs still nothing. Any other ideas?

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Not many options left...
May 25, 2010 2:46AM PDT

Will all disconnected, including speakers, try some headphones and see if you get anything.

After that we would be getting in to more advanced troubleshooting as it could be a bad relay, relay driver, or something else wrong that caused it to fail the turn-on process.

Wish I had better news, perhaps someone else here has more ideas.

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Head phone Jack
May 27, 2010 2:02AM PDT

Cool I'll try head phones see if that works I don't have a adaptor on hand at the moment I post asap with the results. If it does work could it be the outputs are blown?

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Could be
May 27, 2010 3:57AM PDT

I am not sure if your receiver has a "pre-out" set of jacks, but even if not you could get a RCA to headphone jack adapter and plug it in to any "Line Out", like Tape, with the radio on, with your headphones plugged in, you should at least hear some hiss, then find a station, if you hear it, then yes, there is likely something wrong in the output section, but it could also be a power supply issue and any number of other issues.

Not sure of your electronics level, but to go much further you would need to know what it takes to activate that relay and then test the conditions to see what is up or down in this case.

You could simply have a bad relay, could be a bad relay driver transister, these would be lucky and cheap "finds", but only things you would have a chance of finding if you are handy in electronics already and have at least a DVM, a scope would help also if you have to trace signals to where they stop as well as a maintenance manual or at least a schematic...

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amp.
Sep 14, 2010 5:20AM PDT

I have one that works along with the turntable and cassette player are you interested.

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Help?
Nov 2, 2010 7:25AM PDT

I have the same problem, but I checked my fuses. And the one I had in was fried. What should I do? Should I buy a new one? If so, where could I get one?

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I still can get fuses at
Nov 2, 2010 7:32AM PDT

Radioshack.com and other such places.

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Worst case? Online too. Link example.
Nov 3, 2010 1:29AM PDT
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Yup, get a new fuse
Nov 3, 2010 12:00AM PDT

You can get them from Radioshack and places like that, worse case is you have to order one online from a place like Digi-Key. Make sure you get the exact same rating for voltage (V) and current (Apms).

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(NT) Doesn't give sound
Aug 23, 2015 12:19PM PDT
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Link is 5 years old.
Aug 23, 2015 12:27PM PDT

Try a new thread for question. Locking this.
Dafydd.