I just blew my brand new head unit (Blaupunkt Toronto 420BT)!

[motochrome]

I haven't had a "system" in over twenty years, and was REALLY enjoying finally having this for the three days it lasted. I'm bummed. I pulled up to a stop-light and it just quit. I didn't smell anything that resembles "electrical smoke", but the display went dark and it wouldn't turn on again. I did have the volume about 93% of the way up . . .

I thought I blew a fuse, but checked all three (including the one in the Head Unit itself) and they're all good. I even checked them with a continuity meter just in case. Then I went a step further and made sure voltages were getting to the harness where it plugs into the back of the HU. All good. Constant, keyed and I even double-checked the ground and they're all golden to the point where the harness plugs into the HU, so it's not the wiring (which is all soldered and heat-shrinked into a factory harness connector/adapter).

My question is regarding the probability that I got a lemon, or if I abused it by cranking the volume? I just want to make sure this doesn't happen again when the replacement comes. I've never blown anything before in my life, and I always make sure I keep the levels below any audible distortion, so as not to clip the outputs. I had it loud, but it was still sounding clean.

When I removed the HU, I smelled it real hard, but nothing smells burnt at all, so it's weird. I would think that if I blew its internal amplifier, I'd smell "electrical smoke" and it might still turn on, just wouldn't output any signal . . . but this thing is as dead as it gets.

So should I take a chance on another one? Is Blaupunkt an unreliable brand? Is it likely I just got a defective unit, or did I cause its death somehow?

I just ran all the wires cleanly hidden, including the external microphone for the bluetooth calling. I don't want to go through soldering another 18 wires or so for a different head unit, if I don't have to.

Click to read more...

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

it's possible you got a bad product, this why they make warranties. with that being said i have no idea what headunit you're using or who the company is, but i would call them and explain your situation and ask about getting it warrantied. i'd be pretty upset if i bought a new headunit and it failed so quickly, running it at near max volume can't damage a headunit lol your speakers would be blown before that happened unless you had a direct short or something

 

[motochrome]

i have no idea what headunit you're using or who the company is [snip] a direct short or something

"(Blaupunkt Toronto 420BT)!"

The replacement is already on its way, so I won't have to re-wire any harnesses. If the replacement does the same thing, I'll look into Alpine HU's or similar.

You're right, I guess if the speaker wires shorted or something, it could've blown the HU . . . I guess I'll double-check all the speaker wires to make sure none of the positives have continuity with any of the negatives. Good call. (All I did was plug in the factory-adapter leads they sent me, but I'll check it out anyway - The new JBL speaker's Voice-coil could have shorted out internally and blew the HU's amp . . . unlikely, but it's possible.)

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

My intention in saying that was to tell you I've never heard of that brand before, and can't say what type of quality you're getting.

 

[motochrome]

10-4, thanks for your input though.

 

[tc300 10+ year member]

should have went with alpine to begin with honestly....

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

The brand isn't the problem, it sounds like a defective unit. I would try it on a different power source to satisfy curiosity as it wouldn't take long.

 

[The_Quiet_One 10+ year member]

Blaupunkt makes ok product. I've had a couple of their HUs when I've wanted to maintain a stock look. Does the HU have a reset button perchance? It may be worth a shot. Also as Trumpet said testing it on another power source wouldn't hurt. Defective units do happen on occasion though.

 

[Jbake1975]

Can't speak on todays quality but all the older stuff iv'e used from Blaupunkt was good.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

They're o/s...esp that hu.

 

[motochrome]

Trying a different power source without disassembling my soldered/heat-shrunk harness could be done by smashing some leads into the chassis of the radio, driven by my 12V power supply. I'll try that, but I did verify proper voltages at their terminations in the truck. I'll go ahead and give it a shot though . . . Luckily my multi-meter leads fit into the banana plug outlets of my 13.8V DC (12V) power supply, and I was able to grab onto the little tangs inside the radio's chassis with alligator clips, but it didn't do any good. I matched up the tangs with the wires on the connectors for the appropriate positive and negative connections, as well as the 12V with key on. Dead as can be. Nothing.

I could not find any reset button on the unit, or in its manual.

I guess this little experience cost me a CD that I can't get out of the defective unit, and a few days I'll have to wait without any audio in my truck - makes driving lame, especially after being teased for a few days of pure sonic bliss.

They're o/s...esp that hu.

Old School? Sorry, I'm not aware of that abbreviation/terminology. I tried google, but only came up with: Operating System, Outside, One Size, on sale, Offset, Overseas, Outstanding (unpaid insurance claim), Out of State, Oversize (Canada Post), On Scene, Outstanding Shares (stock market), Operational/Support, Outstation, Ocean Surveillance, Outlaw Shark, and Organisation/Schmelt (Germany/Poland). Are any of those what you meant? Maybe you could offer a hint?

Out of Stock? Overrated S...? Am I close?

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

lol o/s is old school yes.

Anywhere else it'd be a diff terminology

 

[motochrome]

The replacement HU arrived yesterday and it's been great so far.

 

[Spudicus]

Blaupunkt was a mid-lowerish line, a little above Jensen and JVC, used to sell them at Best Buy back in the late 90's, so old-school //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Can't speak for todays quality though...

I highly recommend the Pioneer DEH-80PRS!!!

It has 5v pre-outs, has a very clean signal, full volume (62), eq set to B. Boost, no clipping (tested with o-scope).

 

[Godzilla311]

They used to be decent. Preferred them over lower end common brands. No idea about today. I still have 3.5" blaupunkts in my car. Back in '96 they were some of the only 3.5s sold around here but I didn't have internet then. Haha.