How/why do amps blow? Protection circuit?

[SnowDrifter]

So I keep reading that low voltage, clipping, running below rated, heat, etc blows amps. I've never popped an amp myself but this is the stuff that commonly happens.

So my question is this: Why does this happen? Isn't it the job of the protect circuit to shut down the amp before damage takes place - it blows?

[Tarball]

Well, here is my very recent experience. I was running my amp at 1/4 ohm today and playing below tuning. Voltage did not noticeably drop, the amp cut out, came back on, then poof---smoke! No more amp.

In this situation my theory is that they just arent made to handle chaotic situations (which i defined above). When electronics heat up, bad things happens, stuff melts, board malfunction - random things happen in chaos, for example, protection circuits may not work.

When the protection circuit malfunctions ur screwed.

Moral of my story, dont play music @ 1/4 ohm below tuning and expect anything good to happen for long, it was loud as shit for a bit though.

Edit - BTW 250a fuse never popped.

[ZombieFatMan]

As i see it , protection is just a safety. Like a surge protector in your home (not exactly just as an example)
it's job is to save you from your self an the unknown ( protect works best in the amps preferred operating conditions if its 1ohm an you run .5 .25 well your on your own )
But it can fail like anything else. got hot one to many times, an some other component failed.
low voltage will do some nasty things

[CstrokerV]

Well, here is my very recent experience. I was running my amp at 1/4 ohm today and playing below tuning. Voltage did not noticeably drop, the amp cut out, came back on, then poof---smoke! No more amp.

In this situation my theory is that they just arent made to handle chaotic situations (which i defined above). When electronics heat up, bad things happens, stuff melts, board malfunction - random things happen in chaos, for example, protection circuits may not work.

When the protection circuit malfunctions ur screwed.

Moral of my story, dont play music @ 1/4 ohm below tuning and expect anything good to happen for long, it was loud as shit for a bit though.

Edit - BTW 250a fuse never popped.

the 250A amp fuse won't blow unless the amp pulls over 250 amps... it won't blow for over driving your amp components like you did in your situation

[Tarball]

Well, here is my very recent experience. I was running my amp at 1/4 ohm today and playing below tuning. Voltage did not noticeably drop, the amp cut out, came back on, then poof---smoke! No more amp.

In this situation my theory is that they just arent made to handle chaotic situations (which i defined above). When electronics heat up, bad things happens, stuff melts, board malfunction - random things happen in chaos, for example, protection circuits may not work.

When the protection circuit malfunctions ur screwed.

Moral of my story, dont play music @ 1/4 ohm below tuning and expect anything good to happen for long, it was loud as shit for a bit though.

Edit - BTW 250a fuse never popped.

the 250A amp fuse won't blow unless the amp pulls over 250 amps... it won't blow for over driving your amp components like you did in your situation

Yeah, but doesn't it have to pull more amps somewhere in there ?

[CstrokerV]

So I keep reading that low voltage, clipping, running below rated, heat, etc blows amps. I've never popped an amp myself but this is the stuff that commonly happens.

So my question is this: Why does this happen? Isn't it the job of the protect circuit to shut down the amp before damage takes place - it blows?

they all act like a circuit break im assuming, But if you keep pushing it the components are damage thus blowing the amp... im assuming that there's certain criteria for the protection circuit to trip but you can be close to it tripping but it doesn't and damaged the components of the amp...

NOTE THIS IS MY THEORY NOT SURE HOW TRUE IT IS

[CstrokerV]

Well, here is my very recent experience. I was running my amp at 1/4 ohm today and playing below tuning. Voltage did not noticeably drop, the amp cut out, came back on, then poof---smoke! No more amp.

In this situation my theory is that they just arent made to handle chaotic situations (which i defined above). When electronics heat up, bad things happens, stuff melts, board malfunction - random things happen in chaos, for example, protection circuits may not work.

When the protection circuit malfunctions ur screwed.

Moral of my story, dont play music @ 1/4 ohm below tuning and expect anything good to happen for long, it was loud as shit for a bit though.

Edit - BTW 250a fuse never popped.

the 250A amp fuse won't blow unless the amp pulls over 250 amps... it won't blow for over driving your amp components like you did in your situation

Yeah, but doesn't it have to pull more amps somewhere in there ?

yeah at the components of said amp or less amps depending on situation heating up the components i would assume causing them to fail

plus a fuse don't blow right away can take a minute +

[Tarball]

true, i just pulled one out that was turning that cooked metal=color at the center that i had been running for a couple of weeks.

Well, here is my very recent experience. I was running my amp at 1/4 ohm today and playing below tuning. Voltage did not noticeably drop, the amp cut out, came back on, then poof---smoke! No more amp.

In this situation my theory is that they just arent made to handle chaotic situations (which i defined above). When electronics heat up, bad things happens, stuff melts, board malfunction - random things happen in chaos, for example, protection circuits may not work.

When the protection circuit malfunctions ur screwed.

Moral of my story, dont play music @ 1/4 ohm below tuning and expect anything good to happen for long, it was loud as shit for a bit though.

Edit - BTW 250a fuse never popped.

the 250A amp fuse won't blow unless the amp pulls over 250 amps... it won't blow for over driving your amp components like you did in your situation

Yeah, but doesn't it have to pull more amps somewhere in there ?

yeah at the components of said amp or less amps depending on situation heating up the components i would assume causing them to fail

plus a fuse don't blow right away can take a minute +

[SnowDrifter]

for info

[STEvil]

It happens because not all protection circuitry is perfect and doing the same thing (running into protect) over time degrades the parts inside the amp.