why are these transistors getting so hot?!

Thread Starter

casulica

Joined Apr 17, 2013
5
I am trying to figure out if this is normal or one of the components failed.
Some people say it's normal some say it's not, I would would really appreciate a second opinion.
Those two parts of the schematics are from a JVC RX-8010 receiver.
I was wondering if these 6 power transistors suppose to be so damn hot that I can't even touch them or its just normal.I have used a infrared thermometer and on the heat sink it reads somewhere around 75 C degrees when the volume is just 1/2 way up.
Comparing these power transistor with the output transistors, the output ones are just barely reading 25 C degrees.

thanks!!!
 

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bountyhunter

Joined Sep 7, 2009
2,512
75C is not an alarming temperature if that's as hot as they get. My guess is they are linear regulators supplying working voltages to circuitry. 75C would be typical.
 

studiot

Joined Nov 9, 2007
4,998
Transistors can safely (to themselves) reach the boiling point of water, however it is unwise to run them at this temperature since their power handling capability degrades with increasing temperature.
Also for safety reasons we try not to run components in domestic equipment at temperatures that are "too hot to touch".

So I think that something is amiss in your JVC.

Two possibilities to investigate.

Firstly they may be oscillating at high frequency. This draws a lot of power, overheats components and interferes with normal circuit operation.

Secondly there may be another component somewhere else in the cicuit drawing excessive current, even perhaps one of the bias resistors to these transistors or a leaky capacitor.
 
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