I have been experiencing problems with my ps audio stellar power plant 3, where the unit will seem to cut in and out by itself. The output seems to come on and then cut out repeatedly. I have only my pre, dac and mac mini connected to the p3. I have tried connecting different cables and a different preamp but the problem continues.
Is there a sulotion to this or is this a problem for an authorised technician to look at?
Does the P3 do this all the time even when your pre, DAC, and mini are turned off?
1 Like
What is the color of the output LED before and during this issue? What models are your DAC and Pre? The Mac Mini requires 150W, which is half of the available 300W max from the P3.
1 Like
I reached out to your service inquiry - but want to make sure you see this too.
@vkennedy61 and @Barsley asked the right questions - the answer to those will be key in determining whether we’re dealing with simple overload, or a deeper issue.
Thanks!
1 Like
The colour is blue and doesnt change to yellow or red. It is like the unit is clicking or cutting in and out.
I dont think its an overload issue. This problem is happening around 5 to 10mins of the power plant 3 being on. I have tried to switch back to my old thor power board I was using prior to the ps audio and I am not getting this issue so I assume it is something to do with the P3.
Devices connected to the P3:
Conrad Johnson Premeir 17ls preamp
Lampizator Amber 2 Dac
Mac mini
What if you unplug everything from the P3, does it still shut itself off?
@jedi43 The current requirements of all three items combined can exceed 3 amp total. I would remove the Mac mini and watch it’s behavior for a bit. Even with just both the Pre and the DAC, you are coming close to what one would want to load the P3 with. Keep in mind, that 300W is only 2.5A @ 120V
Thanks for the replies guys. I have just got off the phone with the service team at ps audio and believe the problem was the mac mini may have been drawing too much power.
The solution was to switch the p3 into HC and plug the preamp and dac to the regenerated port, the mac mini plugged into the high current port.
So far this has worked and the p3 has stopped cutting in and out.
3 Likes
@jedi43 If there were any devices I would want on the regeneration power, it would be the DAC and Pre. They will benefit most from it.
1 Like
Would you know if my dac and preamp would be drawing too much power or close to it? My preamp and dac are both tubes. My preamp is the Conrad Johnson Premier 17ls and my dac is a Lampizator Amber 2.
Also my P3 is the 230v model
@jedi43 When it comes to AC power, it’s best to use to utilize the 80% rule when sizing your power needs. A down and dirty easy way to determine this is the add up all the fuse/breaker values of the load side to determine the max power needs, and get a power device that exceeds that total by 20%. At 230/240V you would simply cut the amperage value in half of the 120V. At 240V the current max would be 1.25A, 230V is 1.3A. Before I answered you to suggest removing the Mac mini, I went and looked at the current requirements of the DAC and Pre, and combined there should be adequate power, but that’s about all you would want to put on regeneration, less you end back up in the same problem you just experienced.
1 Like
Thanks for the detailed response. I didnt think the mac mini would have drawed so much power but in saying that I only purchased the P3 for my dac and preamp. As long as those two units are going through the regenerated side, I am happy wth that.
1 Like
It’s great to see this resolved. I’m sure while the issue was occurring it was maddening.
Now you can get back to listening! Have fun!
2 Likes
Interesting that the Mac mini would push it over the edge. I can’t imagine those little guys pulling more than about 30-40 watts continuous.
1 Like
Damn… them Mac Minis are getting powerful! I bet you’d need to be running a lot of power hungry programs to actually have it pull that much. Computers are usually pretty efficient.
1 Like
I think my workstation is rated at 950W. It’s great to use as a cable cooker!
1 Like
Just an update:
The P3 has done it again even with the setting on HC and the mac mini plugged in. The P3 was currently set on Multiwave when this happened. This time around it only clicked/cut out for about 10 seconds. The sound become all distorted and very loud from one speaker (right). It has stopped now and music is playing fine. I have switched off Multiwave and am now playing through the default waveform.
I will mention that I have connected the bluesound node 2i to the other spare High Current Port on the back but I had been playing music for a couple of hours with this no problem until now. Any ideas why this is happening?
Edit: After 30mins it has happened again. I would also like to add this is happening with my dac, pre and mac mini being switched off while being connected to the P3.
If the P3 is shutting off with all of the downstream gear switched off, that’s pretty concerning. Either there is something wrong with the P3, or it is detecting an under/over voltage situation.
1 Like
I was wondering the same thing.
Are there wild changes on your input voltage?