Hypex Nilai build, first impressions.

[sgshanaf]

Couldn´t you just heat the solder joints (with a soldering iron of course) ? It would save a lot of time away from the amps.

Considered it, but don't want to void my warranty.

 

[antcollinet]

Considered it, but don't want to void my warranty.

I don't think it would help anyway. Far more likely the legs have fractured just above the solder joint (where they flex during vibration)

 

[atmasphere]

That is almost certainly transport vibration. Those are tall narrow caps. They'll move side to side under vibration and fracture the legs.

If this is true you would expect that others of the same part would also have come loose. This looks more like something engaged the parts during shipment or the like. It would be interesting to see how the parts were damaged in the other examples mentioned. If in the same location, its not a vibration problem.

 

[wjp007]

That is almost certainly transport vibration. Those are tall narrow caps. They'll move side to side under vibration and fracture the legs.

It is really difficult to get larger 2 pin devices through vibration tests. The quick and dirty solution is to glue them all together - but that is not very manufacturing friendly.

IcePower Does Glue their caps.

 

[Sokel]

IcePower Does Glue their caps.

They also state the vibrational tests.

But I'm telling you,I have them and they don't look as nice as Nilai,that's for sure.
(1/4 of the price of course,so...)

 

[antcollinet]

IcePower Does Glue their caps.

Lots of people do.

Production/process/QA engineers hate it though. Its difficult to automate. It is difficult to apply consistently. It is slow (and therefore expensive) to apply. It is impossible to test if it has been applied correctly - or at all.

 

[antcollinet]

If this is true you would expect that others of the same part would also have come loose. This looks more like something engaged the parts during shipment or the like. It would be interesting to see how the parts were damaged in the other examples mentioned. If in the same location, its not a vibration problem.

Depends.

If there is a mechanical resonance in the PCB that causes some parts of the PCB to vibrate more than others at particular freqeuncies, then it is quite possible for some parts to be damaged and not others. This would consistently impact components in the same location.

(Think of a vibration standing wave being set up in the PCB - components located where the peak of the standing wave occours will break - others might not.)

It will also depend on how the devices are constrained by nearby devices. So (for example) if there are a bunch of capacitors located close together, those in the center won't be able to vibrate as much as those at the outside.

Fact is - how components behave under vibration is complex. It can get really intersting when you put a PCB on a vibration rig, shake it, and fire a strobe light at it. Sometimes you see stuff and wonder how the hell things *don't* break.

 

[atmasphere]

Depends.

If there is a mechanical resonance in the PCB that causes some parts of the PCB to vibrate more than others at particular freqeuncies, then it is quite possible for some parts to be damaged and not others. This would consistently impact components in the same location.

This seems really unlikely in a shipping situation- unless the packaging is really poor.

 

[antcollinet]

This seems really unlikely in a shipping situation- unless the packaging is really poor.

Problem is, how things behave under vibration - especially when resonances occur - are really counter intuitive. It is why testing is done.

EG You can slot your bulk packed PCB's into really nice sculpted foam packaging - only to find the combined mass of the PCB's together with the springiness of the foam creates a vibration nightmare.

I'll admit a standing wave in a PCB which is not fixed at mounting points seems unlikely.

 

[jmillar]

The Hypex NCx500 modules recently reviewed by amir had the glue treatment (see photos). It makes sense. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and all that... ;-)
Yes, it does look nicer without the gloop. But peace of mind has its merits too.

 

[TheWalkman]

Regarding the thermal issue, though the instructions don’t call for it, is there any problem with applying a healthy blob of a quality thermal paste to the bottom of the amp modules? Is this overthinking/ overkill? Everyone seems to agree that heat is the enemy of electronic components so why not?

I see @Hypexsales is monitoring this thread, so I’ll ask this as well:

- would adding thermal paste void the warranty?
- when will we see and OEM version of the Nilai?

Asking for a friend…

 

[sgshanaf]

Regarding the thermal issue, though the instructions don’t call for it, is there any problem with applying a healthy blob of a quality thermal paste to the bottom of the amp modules? Is this overthinking/ overkill? Everyone seems to agree that heat is the enemy of electronic components so why not?

I see @Hypexsales is monitoring this thread, so I’ll ask this as well:

- would adding thermal paste void the warranty?
- when will we see and OEM version of the Nilai?

Asking for a friend…

I found in the build guide they do mention thermal paste as unnecessary, but do not prohibit or mention it anywhere else. I used a bit in my mono kits between the modules and the baseplate. I can say that the modules (and paste) are effectively passing heat into the entire case as the entire thing gets warm when left on for significant periods of time. Whether it's much better than without the paste I cannot say as I never tried it.

 

[AndreaT]

Waiting to get my DIY Stereo Nilai ordered…it should get here before the flowers will bloom! In the meantime I am enjoying my NC400 monoblocks…playing The Cinema Show (great Tony Banks, great Phil Collins, great band) from live recordings (Seconds Out disc II, Live at The Rainbow 1973)…BTW the NC400’s sound truly great

 

[Deleted member 48726]

They look really hot. No seriously, they look hot! -What are the idle power draw from these?

 

[valerianf]

"They look really hot"
184°F for the board that has all the small components may be an issue.
If I understand well it is the board with the class D amp: there is not any possible repair work if it fails

155°F is for the board that has the power supply: it may lower the life time of the power supply but it may be possible to repair.

@gearnut Are you sure that the thermal camera was well calibrated?

 

[antcollinet]

"They look really hot"
184°F for the board that has all the small components may be an issue.
If I understand well it is the board with the class D amp: there is not any possible repair work if it fails

155°F is for the board that has the power supply: it may lower the life time of the power supply but it may be possible to repair.

@gearnut Are you sure that the thermal camera was well calibrated?

I wouldn't be worrying too much about those temperatures. The PCB itself will be rated to at least 130C (266F). That scattering of chip caps and resistors will be rated for 150C (302F)

That 184F is only 84C. That is well within a reasonable range in my experience for power electronics.

 

[sgshanaf]

They look really hot. No seriously, they look hot! -What are the idle power draw from these?

I provided that info in another thread: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...-d-2x-hypex-nilai-500-mono.41870/post-1481360

 

[Deleted member 48726]

I provided that info in another thread: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...-d-2x-hypex-nilai-500-mono.41870/post-1481360

Oh. 14 W. But I would guess the apparent power is much higher on those.

 

[antcollinet]

Oh. 14 W. But I would guess the apparent power is much higher on those.

"Apparent power" (if higher than actual power) doesn't generate extra heat.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

"Apparent power" (if higher than actual power) doesn't generate extra heat.

I know. Not in the apparatus anyway. -But puts extra load on the electrical system that transports it, with extra losses herein.

Apparent power is always higher than actual. Unless cos phi = 1, then they are equal.