Equipment Problems that Occur in the Summer

The rainy season has ended and summer is in full swing.
Are you suffering from summer heat exhaustion or heat stroke due to the intense heat?
In addition to the havoc heat exhaustion can cause your body, heat can also damage musical instruments and audio equipment by causing them to malfunction or break down.
In this issue, I would like to write about some examples of heat-induced malfunctions and how to deal with them.

Examples of Speaker Malfunctions

There are differences between passive and powered speakers. Powered speakers are particularly prone to malfunction. This is because they take power and generate heat.
During the period of increased outdoor events, I often hear of cases where the sound breaks up when the speakers are used under the hot sun. It is thought that the heat exhaust could not keep up and the protective action to protect the power amplifier section was triggered, suppressing sound output.

● How to Deal with this Problem

When used outdoors, the first and easiest way to deal with the problem is to install the product in a location away from direct sunlight. This is the only way to reduce the heat rise.
If the sound is still cut off, check to see if the volume is not turned up too high. This is because increasing the output increases the energy used and the heat generated. If the temperature is too high, the equipment may not operate according to its specifications. In this case, it is best to lower the volume and keep an eye on it.

＜ When Outdoors, Set Up Your Equipment in the Shade ＞

Examples of Power Amplifier Malfunction

Although the defective operation is similar to that of the powered speakers described above, power amplifiers are not easily affected by sunlight or the environment, as they are fixed to racks indoors or installed in PA seats inside tents for outdoor use, right? It’s easy to assume that power amplifiers are less susceptible to sunlight and environmental influences.
However, problems can occur because of the shape of the power amplifier. When placed in racks, they are often sandwiched between multiple pieces of equipment with no space between them, causing heat exhaust problems.
Also, in many cases, there are holes for fans and air intake for heat exhaust, but they are clogged with dust and do not dispel heat properly. Failure to exhaust heat can cause malfunction, resulting in no sound or weak output.

● Solution

When racking, check for temperature and ventilation problems between equipment and change the spacing if heat tends to start building up.
If dust is clogging the vents or around the fans, clean them.

＜ I should also clean the fan and top panel of the power amp! ＞

Examples of Malfunctioning Lighting Equipment

Lighting equipment can also stop working properly due to heat. Lighting itself is a heat-emitting device, so it is well designed for heat exhaust, but in the summer season, it generates more heat than it is designed for.
Small LED lights consume less power and generate less heat, but large LED lights and spotlights using halogen bulbs generate a lot of heat, which can lead to malfunctions.

● Solution

Many models of lighting equipment are equipped with a heat exhaust fan. First check around it to see if it is dirty with dust or debris. If this happens to be the case, clean the air intake and fan.
Installation locations are often affected, and in some cases, malfunctions may occur due to temperature rise in areas where air is not circulating. Try rearranging the installation location or use a circulator to circulate the air.

＜ LED Par Light Fans ＞

In Closing

Hot days are still ahead. It is difficult to manage equipment, but I hope that you can make it through the summer without any trouble. I hope this article has been of some help.