manual - Furman Sound

AR-15 IIAC Line Voltage Regulatorandpower conditionerVoltageRegulators

AR-15 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerCongratulations on your purchase of aFurman AR-15 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-15 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• BNC connector on the rear panel allowsyou to attach any standard (12VAC 0.5amp) gooseneck lamp to illuminate therear of your rack• Extreme Voltage Shutdown indicator LED• Output In Regulation indicator• Ten-LED bargraph input voltmeter• Fast-acting user-accessible circuit breakerprotects against overload or shorts• Very low stray magnetic field leakage• Input capacity is 15 A; output capacity is 12to 15 ASafety InformationTo obtain best results from your Furman AR-15 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.Important SafetyInstructionsPlease Read Prior to Installation1. Please read and observe all of the safety andoperating instructions before the AR-15 II isoperated. Retain these instructions for futurereference.2. The AR-15 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-15 II near heat sourcessuch as radiators, heat registers, stoves, orother appliances that produce heat.4. Route the power cord and other cables sothat they are not likely to be walked on,tripped over, or stressed. Pay particularattention to condition of cords and cablesat plugs, and the point where they exit fromthe AR-15 II. To prevent risk of fire or injury,damaged cords and cables should be replacedimmediately.5. Clean the AR-15 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,1

AR-15 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerthe power cord of the AR-15 II should beunplugged from the outlet.7. The AR-15 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-15 II has been exposed to rain orother moisture.d. The AR-15 II does not appear to operatenormally or exhibits a marked change inperformance.e. The AR-15 II has been dropped, or theenclosure damaged.8. The AR-15 II requires that a safety ground bepresent for proper operation. Any attempt tooperate the AR-15 II without a safety groundis considered improper operation and couldinvalidate the warranty.9. There are no user serviceable parts in theAR-15 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-15 II has eight outlets on the rearpanel, and one convenience outlet on the frontpanel. All are functionally interchangeable. Theoutlets are regulated, surge-suppressed, andlinearly filtered, making the unit a full-functionpower conditioner. The AR-15 II has no controlsexcept an on-off switch and the switch forthe optional rear rack light.Note: The AR-15 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 ProtectionPlus)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+ technology.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.2

AR-15 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerLiFT (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 15 amp thermal circuit breaker is accessibleat the rear panel without removing theunit from the rack. This breaker will trip if theunit’s 15 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 must3

AR-15 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerbe 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 MonitoringThe row of ten LED’s at the left of the frontpanel make up a meter that indicates INPUTVOLTAGE. Only one LED will light up at a time.There are is one red LED at each endpoint.When lit, they indicate that the input voltagemay be above or below the point where it canbe restored to the selected nominal output voltage(though it may still be restored to a usablelevel) but is not high or low enough to cause anextreme voltage shutdown.Voltage MonitoringA green LED labelled IN REGULATION indicatesproper function (i.e., that the output voltage iswithin ±5V of the selected output voltage). Yourequipment will always work normally when thislight is on, and often will work satisfactorily evenwhen it is off.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, FurmanVoltage Regulators are not sensitive to smallerrors in line frequency, making them ideal foruse with generators.Maximum and Minimum LoadThe AR-15 II can handle loads totalling up to15 amperes as long as the input voltage isequal to or above 124 volts. For voltages belowthat level, its capacity must be derated at approximately113 milliamperes per volt. (Seegraphs on back page.) As a practical matter,therefore, to cope successfully with worst-case4

AR-15 II Voltage Regulator / power conditionerthe 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.AR-15 II Output Current CapacityNOTE: All equipment being returned for repairmust have a Return Authorization (RA)Number. To get an RA Number, please callthe Furman Service 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. Please display your RA Numberprominently on the front 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:±5V“In Regulation” Ranges:AR-15 II: Provides regulation ±5V in 120V mode from97 to 137VNoise attenuation:10 dB @ 10 kHz40 dB @ 100 kHz100 dB @ 10 MHzLinear attenuation curve from 0.05 - 100 ohms line impedanceShutdown Range:Above 137 VAC typicallyDimensions:19 “ W x 11.63” D x 1.75” H(48.26 x 29.54 x 4.45 cm)Weight:14.5 lbs. (6.58 kg)Current Rating:The AR-15 II is capable of 15 amps for input voltagesof 124V (104V in 100V mode) or higher; derate at 113mA per volt to a minimum of 12:3AThree Year Limited Warranty:The AR-15 II is protected by a limited three-year warranty covering defectsin materials and workmanship.070802-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.comMade in China