manual - Furman Sound

AR-20 IIAC Line Voltage Regulatorandpower conditionerVoltageRegulators

AR-20 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerCongratulations on your purchase of aFurman AR-20 II AC Line Voltage Regulator/ Power Conditioner. The AR-Seriesregulators are designed specifically forany audio, video, or computer rackmountsystem requiring clean, filtered, and regulatedAC power for optimum operation.AR-20 II Features• Provides nine regulated, conditioned ACoutlets—eight on the rear panel and one onthe front• Series Multi-Stage Protection Plus(SMP+) with extreme voltage shutdown(EVS)• LiFT (Linear Filtering Technology) withzero ground contamination• Eight rear panel outlets and one frontpanel outlet• Extreme Voltage Shutdown indicator LED• Output In Regulation indicator• Digital meter displays incoming voltage orcurrent• Fast-acting user-accessible circuit breakerprotects against overload or shorts• Very low stray magnetic field leakage• Input capacity is 20 A; output capacity is 12to 20 ASafety InformationTo obtain best results from your Furman AR-20 IIplease be sure to read this manual carefully.WARNING: To reduce the risk of electricalshock, do not expose this equipment to rain ormoisture. Dangerous high voltages are presentinside the enclosure. Do not remove the covers.There are no user serviceable parts inside.Refer servicing to qualified personnel only.The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alertthe user to the presence of uninsulated dangerousvoltage within the product’s enclosure thatmay be of sufficient magnitude to constitute arisk of electric shock.Important SafetyInstructionsPlease Read Prior to Installation1. Please read and observe all of the safety andoperating instructions before the AR-20 II isoperated. Retain these instructions for futurereference.2. The AR-20 II should not be used near water— for example, near a bathtub, kitchen sink, ina wet basement, near a swimming pool, etc.3. Do not place the AR-20 II near heat sourcessuch as radiators, heat registers, stoves, orother appliances that produceheat.4. Route the power cord andother cables so that they are notlikely to be walked on, trippedover, or stressed. Pay particular attention tocondition of cords and cables at plugs, andthe point where they exit from the AR-20II. To prevent risk of fire or injury, damagedcords and cables should be replaced immediately.1

AR-20 II Voltage Regulator / power conditioner5. Clean the AR-20 II with a damp cloth only. Donot use solvents or abrasive cleaners. Neverpour any liquid on or into the unit.6. When left unused for a long period of time,the power cord of the AR-20 II should beunplugged from the outlet.7. The AR-20 II should be serviced by qualifiedservice personnel when:a. The power supply cord or the plug hasbeen frayed, kinked, or cut.b. Objects have fallen or liquid has spilledinto the unit.c. The AR-20 II has been exposed to rain orother moisture.d. The AR-20 II does not appear to operatenormally or exhibits a marked change inperformance.e. The AR-20 II has been dropped, or theenclosure damaged.8. The AR-20 II requires that a safety ground bepresent for proper operation. Any attempt tooperate the AR-20 II without a safety groundis considered improper operation and couldinvalidate the warranty.9. There are no user serviceable parts in theAR-20 II. Refer servicing to qualified servicepersonnel only.Voltage RegulationFurman Voltage Regulators are intended toprotect sensitive electronic equipment fromproblems caused by AC line voltage irregularities—brownoutsor overvoltages that cancause audio tonal changes, digital equipmentmalfunction (such as loss of MIDI programs orother data), or, in extreme cases, permanentdamage. They accept input voltages over awide AC voltage range and convert them to asteady, stable output at the desired standardvoltage, plus or minus five volts. Voltages approximately±10% beyond that range may beconverted to usable levels, depending on therequirements of the equipment. This stablevoltage protects equipment and allows optimalperformance. See graphs on the back page.The AR-20 II has twelve outlets on the rearpanel, and two convenience outlets on the frontpanel. All are functionally interchangeable. Theoutlets are regulated, surge-suppressed, andlinearly filtered, making the unit a full-functionpower conditioner. The AR-20 II has no controlsexcept an on-off switch / breaker and thebutton to switch the meter between voltage andcurrent readings.Note: The AR-20 II is for use with AC voltageonly. DC voltages should never be applied tothem. Also, it does not change or regulate linefrequency. The output frequency will always bethe same as the incoming frequency.SMP+(Series Multi-Stage Protection Plus)Traditional surge suppression rely on circuitsthat “sacrifice” themselves when exposed tomultiple transient voltage spikes, requiring thedismantling of your system, and repair of yoursurge suppressor. Not so with SMP+. WithFurman’s SMP+, damaging transient voltagesare safely absorbed, clamped, and dissipated.No sacrificed parts, no service calls, no downtime.Unique to Furman’s SMP+ is its unparalleledclamping voltage. While other designs offerclamping voltages that are well above 330 Vpk,Furman’s SMP+ clamps at 188 Vpk, (133 VACRMS). This unprecedented level of protectionis only available with Furman’s SMP+ technol-2

AR-20 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerogy. Additionally, Furman’s trusted over-voltagecircuitry protects against all too frequentaccidental connections to 208 or 240 VAC, byshutting off the incoming power until the overvoltage condition is corrected.LiFT (Linear Filtering Technology)Unfortunately, traditional AC filter - conditionershave been designed for unrealistic laboratoryconditions. Prior technologies could actuallyharm audio and video performance morethan they help, due to the resonant peakingof their antiquated, non-linear designs. Undercertain conditions, these designs can actuallyadd more than 10 dB of noise to the incomingAC line! Furman’s SMP+ with LiFT takes anotherapproach, ensuring optimal performancethrough linear filtering and no leakage toground. With this exclusive filtration technology,all connected equipment will be free ofnoise and contamination and will operate atoptimum performance levels.Extreme Voltage Shutdown IndicatorThis LED is normally off. It monitors a hazardcommon in the entertainment industry: wiringfaults – for example, accidental connectionto 220VAC where 120VAC is expected, or anopen neutral from a 208 or 240VAC feed. TheSeries II SMP+ circuit senses voltages thatare so high that operation would be impossibleand shuts the power down before damagecan occur. Upon initially applying power tothese units, the Extreme Voltage indicatorLED will light if the input voltage is above theextreme voltage cutoff, and power will not beapplied to the unit’s outlets. If the unit has beenoperating with an acceptable input voltageand subsequently that voltage exceeds 145-150V, it will shut off power to the outlet and theExtreme Voltage LED will light.NOTE: If the mains power is above the highcutoff voltage and has caused the unit toremove power from its outlets, it cannot restorepower without the operator manually turningthe unit off, then on again. Avoid turning theunit back on, without first checking the sourceof the problem, and perhaps changing the ACsource.Protection OK IndicatorAlthough the Furman SMP+ circuit assuresvirtually protection from transient voltagespikes and surges, nature has a way ofoccasionally creating electrical forces that arebeyond the capabilities of any TVSS device toabsorb without some degree of damage. Inthe rare instance that this occurs, the green“Protection OK” LED indicator located on yourfront panel will dim. If this happens some levelof protection from voltage surges will remain,but the Furman’s clamping voltage rating willbe compromised. The unit must be returnedto Furman Sound, or an authorized FurmanService center for repair.Fuses and Circuit BreakersThere is one fuse and one circuit breaker in theAR-Series. In the event that the unit appears tobe completely dead (neither the Power switchnor any LED’s light up), unplug the power cordand the load and check the breaker. If the circuitbreaker is tripped, a white button will popup. Push it back in to reset it. The purposes ofthese circuit protection devices are:1. A fast-blow 20 amp circuit breaker is accessibleat the rear panel without removing theunit from the rack. This breaker will trip if the3

AR-20 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerunit’s 20 amp capacity is exceeded at anytime.2. A fast-blow 1/4 amp fuse is located insidethe unit. This fuse will blow if the unit hasbeen connected to a voltage that is abovethe range of the Extreme Voltage Shutdowncircuitry. To replace it, the unit mustbe completely disconnected from all powerand removed from its rack. The six hex headscrews and two Phillips head screws holdingthe top cover must be removed. The internalfuse is located in a holder on the printed circuitboard. Replace the fuse only with the exactsame type (1/4 fast blow).Input Voltage & CurrentMonitoringThe digital meter at the left of the front panelmake up a meter that indicates INPUT VOLT-AGE or CURRENT levels. A switch to the leftof the meter allows the user to switch betweenthese two readings. It is important to rememberthat this is the voltage or current coming fromthe wall before it has been regulated. This isNOT the level of voltage going into the equipmentyou have connected to the AR-20 II.Output Voltage MonitoringA green LED labelled OUTPUT IN REGULATIONindicates proper function (i.e., that the output voltageis within ±5V of the selected output voltage).Your equipment will always work normally whenthis light is on, and often will work satisfactorilyeven when it is off.The AR-20 II offers a digital voltage meter tomonitor the incoming line (the Voltage Regulatoroutput).InstallationBecause of their toroidal transformer design,Furman Voltage Regulators may be positionednear most other equipment without fearthat the other equipment will be disrupted byleakage of a strong 50/60 Hz magnetic field.Nevertheless, suggested rack locations wouldbe either at the top or bottom.As with any rackmount equipment, be sure touse 10-32 machine screws for mounting in therack’s tapped holes (this is not a metric size).In particular, beware of 10-24 screws, whichmay fit if forced but which will strip the threads.To avoid marring the front panel finish, useplastic washers under the screw heads.DesignThe AR-Series uses a design based on aneight-tap toroidal autoformer. The toroidal designassures minimal leakage of stray magneticfields, and, because of its high efficiency, a verycompact size for its rating. The Voltage Regulator’scircuitry monitors the incoming line voltagewith each cycle, comparing it to an extremelyprecise voltage reference, accurate to ±0.15%.If a voltage fluctuation requires that a differenttap be selected, the new tap is electronicallyswitched exactly at the zero-crossing, to avoiddistorting the AC waveform. If necessary, it canswitch taps as often as once each cycle. Mostcommercial voltage regulators using multipletappedtransformers switch taps at uncontrolledtimes, thereby creating voltage spikes andclicks that can leak into the audio! Hysteresis inthe switching circuits avoids “chatter” or unnecessaryswitching back and forth between adjacenttaps. Unlike those voltage regulators thatemploy ferro-resonant transformers, Furman4

AR-20 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerVoltage Regulators are not sensitive to smallerrors in line frequency, making them ideal foruse with generators.Maximum and Minimum LoadThe AR-20 II can handle loads totalling up to20 amperes as long as the input voltage isequal to or above 124 volts. For voltages belowthat level, its capacity must be derated at approximately10 amperes per volt. As a practicalmatter, to cope successfully with worst casebrownout conditions, you should plan your totalload so that it does not exceed 16.5 amps, or1980 watts. Please note that this refers to theaggregate power requirement of all equipmentplugged into the Voltage Regulator, not to eachindividual item.NOTE: While there is no minimum load requirementfor the AR-20 II you may experience anaudible mechanical hum coming directly from theunit when the POWER switch is on with nothingplugged in. This effect will sometimes disappearas soon as you plug in any equipment drawing 40to 50 watts total.DefinitionsVOLTAGE REGULATION: The AC line voltageis a number indicating the nominal electricalpotential that has been adopted in a regionfor powering electrical equipment of all kinds.In most of North America it is 117 volts AC; inJapan, 100 volts; and in many other countries220, 230, or 240 volts. The actual voltage canfall below or rise above this nominal level dueto brownouts, power cutbacks, use of substandardwiring, and other causes. These deviationscan cause poor performance or a malfunction.A regulator is a device which, throughuse of a transformer, corrects the voltagedeviation by stepping it up or down so that it isas close as possible to the nominal level.SPIKE: A pulse of energy on the power line.Spikes can have voltages as high as 6000volts. Though they are usually of very short duration,the energy they contain can be considerable,enough to damage sensitive solid-statecomponents in audio and computer equipment.Spikes can also foul switch contacts and degradewiring insulation. They are an unavoidablecomponent of electric power. They arecaused unpredictably by electric motors switchingon or off (on the premises or outside), utilitycompany maintenance operations, nearbylightning strikes, and other factors. Spikes (alsocalled surges or transients) are absorbed byspecial components called MOV’s in the ARseriesto provide safe voltage levels to protectyour equipment.RFI/EMI INTERFERENCE: Noise from RFI(Radio Frequency Interference) or EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference) involves lower voltagesand less energy than is found in spikes, but it iscontinuous rather than transient in nature. It isnot likely to cause physical damage, but it cancertainly be annoying, producing static in audiocircuits, “snow” on video screens, or garbleddata in computers. Noise can be introduced intoAC lines by nearby radio transmitters, certainkinds of lighting, electric motors, and others.Because noise occurs at higher frequenciesthan the 50 or 60 Hz AC line, it can be effectivelyreduced through use of low-pass filtering.Three-Year Limited WarrantyFurman Sound, LLC., having its principal placeof business at 1690 Corporate Circle, Petaluma,CA 94954 (“Manufacturer”) warrants its AR-20 II(the “Product”) as follows:5

AR-20 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerManufacturer warrants to the original Purchaserof the Product that the Product sold hereunderwill be free from defects in material and workmanshipfor a period of three years from thedate of purchase. The Purchaser of the productis allowed fifteen days from the date of purchaseto complete warranty registration by mail or onlineat the Furman website. If the Product doesnot conform to this Limited Warranty during thewarranty period (as herein above specified),Purchaser shall notify Manufacturer in writing ofthe claimed defects. If the defects are of suchtype and nature as to be covered by this warranty,Manufacturer shall authorize Purchaserto return the Product to the Furman factory or toan authorized Furman repair location. Warrantyclaims should be accompanied by a copy of theoriginal purchase invoice showing the purchasedate; this is not necessary if the Warranty Registrationwas completed either via the mailed inwarranty card or on-line website registration.Shipping charges to the Furman factory or toan authorized repair location must be prepaidby the Purchaser of the product. Manufacturershall, at its own expense, furnish a replacementProduct or, at Manufacturer’s option, repair thedefective Product. Return shipping chargesback to Purchaser will be paid by Manufacturer.THE FOREGOING IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHERWARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IM-PLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITYAND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PUR-POSE. Manufacturer does not warrant againstdamages or defects arising out of improperor abnormal use of handling of the Product;against defects or damages arising from improperinstallation, against defects in productsor components not manufactured by Manufacturer,or against damages resulting from suchnon-Manufacturer made products or components.This warranty shall be cancelable byManufacturer at its sole discretion if the productis modified in any way without written authorizationfrom Furman Sound. This warranty alsodoes not apply to Products upon which repairshave been affected or attempted by personsother than pursuant to written authorization byManufacturer.THIS WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE. The soleand exclusive obligation of Manufacturer shallbe to repair or replace the defective Product inthe manner and for the period provided above.Manufacturer shall not have any other obligationwith respect to the Products or any part thereof,whether based on contract, tort, strict liability orotherwise. Under no circumstances, whetherbased on this Limited Warranty or otherwise,shall Manufacturer be liable for incidental,special, or consequential damages. Manufacturer’semployees or representatives’ ORAL OROTHER WRITTEN STATEMENTS DO NOTCONSTITUTE WARRANTIES, shall not berelied upon by Purchaser, and are not a part ofthe contract for sale or this limited warranty. ThisLimited Warranty states the entire obligation ofManufacturer with respect to the Product. If anypart of this Limited Warranty is determined to bevoid or illegal, the remainder shall remain in fullforce and effect.6

ServiceBefore returning any equipment for repair,please be sure that it is adequately packedand cushioned against damage in shipment,and that it is insured. We suggest that yousave the original packaging and use it toship the product for servicing. Also, pleaseenclose a note giving your name, address,phone number and a description of theproblem.NOTE: All equipment being returned for repairmust have a Return Authorization (RA) Number.To get an RA Number, please call the FurmanService Department, (707) 763-1010, ext.2370 or 2377, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. U.S.Pacific Time, or fax to (707) 763-1310. Pleasedisplay your RA Number prominently on thefront of all packages.SPECIFICATIONSSpike Protection Modes:Line to neutral, zero ground leakageSpike Clamping Voltage:188 Vpk @ 3,000 amps, 133 VAC RMS(tested to UL-1449 6,000 Vpk @ 3,000 amps)Response time:1 nanosecondMaximum surge current:6,500 ampsVoltmeter Accuracy:±1VNoise attenuation:10 dB @ 10 kHz40 dB @ 100 kHz100 dB @ 10 MHzLinear attenuation curve from 0.05 - 100 ohms line impedance“In Regulation” Ranges:Regulates to120V ±5V from 97 to 137VShutdown Range:Above 137 VAC typicallyDimensions:Weight:19 “ W x 17.125” D x 3.5” H36 lbsCurrent Rating:20 amperes for input voltages of 104/124* or higher*Derate at .15 A per volt to a minimum of 16.5AThree Year Limited Warranty:The AR-20 II is protected by a limited three-year warranty covering defectsin materials and workmanship.2/23/06 - DFurman Sound, LLC. • 1690 Corporate Circle • Petaluma, CA 94954-6919 USAPhone: 707-763-1010 • Fax: 707-763-1310 • Web: www.FurmanSound.com • E-mail: info@furmansound.comEngineered in the USAMade in China