HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

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miapond
 
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HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by miapond »

My colleagues and I are working on an art installation and using the Music Maker FeatherWing w/ Amp board (https://www.adafruit.com/product/3436).

We're having trouble with the amps over-heating every time we plug in the boards and run the example codes (as well as our own unique code). We've read some other forums and think that this might be a recurring problem with defunct boards. Thinking we might have gotten some bad ones... but also curious to know if we're wiring something incorrectly on our end.

See the attached photos of the set-up. We're connecting the Music Maker to a Feather 32u4 Basic Proto board. Many thanks for all your help!
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adafruit_support_carter
 
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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

For the setup shown, if you power the Feather 32u4 via its USB connector, does the amp get hot? If not, describe what else is being done.

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miapond
 
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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by miapond »

hi there,

yes, when we power the boards, the amps get hot. Once the Feather 32u4 is connected to power, the amps get scarily hot.

Let me know if I can provide more information! We're on a bit of a time crunch as our project is due in about two weeks, so please let us know how we can expedite the process of debugging or getting new boards. Many thanks!!!

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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

As a first step, try cleaning up the soldering and see if it helps. Several pins look cold soldered and not wetted out on the pads. See here for general ref:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-gui ... n-problems

Try reflowing the pins and see if that helps.

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miapond
 
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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by miapond »

Thank you so much! We are going to resolder and see how it goes with the pins. Will be in touch to let you know it evolves/if the amp heating issue goes anyway. Fingers crossed!!

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Karla_Ramona
 
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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by Karla_Ramona »

Hi, I am part of Mia's team, I re-soldered everything and when I plug it in it keeps getting hot. See attached picture for the detail of what is getting hot.
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I can touch it and it doesn't burn me, but it is the only part of the board that gets hot. We don't have a lot of experience and this is the first time we are going to work with these boards, so any guidance or advice is welcome.

I am attaching pictures in case you can see the soldering and give me feedback on these.

Our doubt is if this is normal and if it can represent a problem since the installation is going to be connected approximately 6-8 hours a day for a month and a half.

We are a little against time since we start the assembly of the installation next week. Looking at this forum we see that it is recommended to change them viewtopic.php?t=136709

Greetings!
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miapond
 
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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by miapond »

Hey there!

Just following up on this. BANNED and I are up against the clock and wondering what we should do before we install... the amps are still getting hawt despite soldering and doing some tinkering around. Let us know what we should do or if we should order some new boards (our project is down in Costa Rica, so that's why we're bit up against the clock, just thinking about shipping + logistics).

Many thanks!! Pura vida,
Mia + BANNED

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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Just to check - is the audio output working OK despite the amp being hot?

A certain amount of heating of the amp is expected.

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miapond
 
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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by miapond »

Thanks so much for getting back to us so quickly!!

The speakers are working well and the sound is coming through well. What kind of temperature is expected? The amps hurt a bit to touch, but it's not a burning feeling...

In other words, how hot is too hot?

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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

We should also double check what speakers are being used. Can you provide photos and/or info on the speakers? Are they 4ohm, 8ohm, other? What is their rated power? etc.

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Re: HOT Amp Issue with FeatherWing Music Maker

Post by petespaco »

In other words, how hot is too hot?
UL (Underwriter's Laboratories) used to have a spec for the maximum temperature of a surface that people might touch. Like the outer case of an office machine. It was 137°F, IIRC. It was supposed to be that temperature at which you couldn't hold your hand on the component for more than a couple of seconds.
You might also google "how hot is too hot?" for get more info.

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