looking for methods to abuse amps

[sakis]

have one amplifier finished .....

first thing you do is connect a dummy load equal to the task apply sine wave 1khz and monitor output for power and cliping ....

THEN WHAT ??????
how can i abuse my amp to see how far i can go what can i do to see if my amp will stand abuse in the future ????

[Jan Dupont]

Connect some high power caps across the dummy load to simulate a real crossover and to get some phase deviation between Volts and Amps

[AndrewT]

use a square wave into a cap input to generate high current pulses in the output.
PASS & ESP talk about this type of current output measurement.
I think this can be used to check how effective the output current limiting is and amp peak current ability.

[Conrad Hoffman]

Hook up a big dummy load of about 4 ohms. Many amps actually dissipate maximum power at a bit less then full output. Drive it with a sine wave at 3/4 power output and let it cook. Monitor heat sink temperature plus the temperature of any driver transistors that are likely to heat up. Can it run continuously, or is it heat sink limited? If you really want to blow it up, just set near full power at 1 kHz then raise the frequency until the output stage can't switch fast enough and it crowbars the supply and blows the outputs. A good amp design won't do that, but many popular circuits will.

[AndrewT]

I don't think he wants to blow up his amplifiers.

I think he is looking for severe tests that the amplifier should survive if properly designed and built.

[Nordic]

Put it up for hire, it will come back broken soon enough.

[burbeck]

i like to run them at half power into 4 Ohms, this realy makes them steam. monitor everyyhing temp wise as Conrad suggests.
if you want an ultimate test let a dj have it on free hire for a month

[sakis]

this is what i had in mind any way ......

thanks people i look in to this

[SY]

If you want to be cruel, make the load vary. This is a circuit that I use; the input is driven by a square or rectangle wave, and varying the frequency and duty cycle will definitely make your amp sweat. The components should be rated to take the amp's output power. If you want to be very cruel, substitute some reactive components for the load resistors.

[wg_ski]

A couple of methods...

1. Hook up four PA speakers (with over-rated HF horn drivers that you won't blow) in parallel to each channel and crank it up until you can't tell what song is playing anymore. That's the method used by DJs. Let simmer for 4 hours or until the police arrive.

2. Connect a step-up transformer to the output so that full power translates to 120V RMS (or 230, depending on where you live). Put in a 25-50 Hz sinewave, and plug in your skil saw. Attempt to cut plywood. If it doesn't bog down and shut the amp down, you could try to build a pair of speakers

3. 4.7 mH air core choke at 100 Hz sine wave. This is a VERY GOOD worst-case simulated loudspeaker load test.

I have used all 3 methods (didn't run the saw very long, though).