A blown fuse on a 1980s Pioneer receiver taught me a quick trick

I was fixing a Pioneer SX-780 in my garage when it wouldn't power on after a recap. I spent an hour checking my solder work before I finally pulled the main fuse. It looked fine, but when I tested it with my multimeter, it read open. The glass hadn't blown, but the filament inside was broken. Now I always meter fuses first, even if they look good. What's your go-to first check on a dead unit?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith_lopez481mo ago

Can I admit I usually just stare at it for ten minutes first?

james6721mo ago

Totally get that! I set a timer for five minutes to force myself to start.

tarab5428d ago

My five minute timer trick turned into a whole system. I'll set it for just two minutes to open the document and type the date. Then another three to write one terrible sentence. Breaking it into tiny steps makes the blank page way less scary.