For more advice on this please contact the TRACE ELLIOT UK Service Dept. or
distributor in your territory.
Full Power/Half Power Switch
This allows the power stage on the V8 to be set to either FULL or HALF power.
With the switch in the FULL power setting all eight power output valves are in operation,
this will produce approximately 400 watts RMS.
When switched to the HALF power setting four of the output valves are effectively turned
off obviously leaving just four in operation resulting in a reduction in available output
power to about 200 watts RMS.
Output Valve Fuses and LED’s
The four panel mounted fuse holders protect each pair of output valves as labelled.
If an output valve starts to draw too much current, indicating it could be about to self
destruct, the corresponding fuse will sense this and blow, turning off both valves in the pair
and lighting the LED underneath.
This will result in a reduction of output power but will mean the amplifier continues to
function during a performance despite a possible valve failure. In many cases on most
amplifiers a valve failure would result in the valve drawing so much current that the mains
fuse blows, effectively ending a performance.
On the V8 however, due to the discrete way in which an output valve fuse would blow,
it may go completely unnoticed to the performer, until the LED on the rear panel is noticed
as being on.
What to do if an LED is discovered as being lit:-
When convenient turn off the unit.
We then recommend replacing the relevant fuse (T250mA) and then trying the amplifier
as it is.
Occasionally a particularly hard transient note may cause a valve to draw a lot of current
and blow the fuse without it actually having a terminal problem, so it would continue to
be OK once the fuse has been replaced.
However, if the fuse continues to blow, then the pair of valves will also need to be
replaced. (see below)
In extremely unlikely circumstances, if some of the other pairs of valves also blew their
fuse, the amplifier would continue working right down to the last pair. Thus continuing to
provide amplification albeit at reduced power.
(Similar to a jumbo jet being able to
continue to fly, even if up to three of its four engines cut out!)
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