Pioneer XC-L11 compact hi-fi...

Is this one of the units that has the glass display unit that sits on top? If so, the most likely cause of the problem is bad caps and bad joints on the transistors in the VFD multiplier module. This unit is located immediately behind the socket that goes out to the display unit, and is inside a metal can. Failure of those caps is common on models using the external display. I have also had fan failure on a couple of units from the XC-L series, which has resulted in just about all of the electrolytic caps in the output stages, located under the heatsink, drying out and failing.

Arfa

Thanks for your advice. This will be checked promptly.

Reagrds Steve

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Hello Arfa!

I opened the unit to check the VFD module. Then I saw some jumpers marked "service". Those were shorted during insertion of mains cord, and the unit started up correctly. Hmm.... The display looked fine, though I don't know if the power amp operates properly.. Does the above tell you anything?

Best regards, Steve

Hello Arfa!

I opened the unit to check the VFD module. Then I saw some jumpers marked "service". Those were shorted during insertion of mains cord, and the unit started up correctly. Hmm.... The display looked fine, though I don't know if the power amp operates properly.. Does the above tell you anything?

Best regards, Steve

Not really, except if the display is now working correctly, then the VFD supply module is not the cause of any problems. I'm not sure what you mean about whether the power amp operates correctly or not. If the unit now fully powers, with no error indications, and the speakers produce sound, then the assumption would have to be that the power amp is indeed working correctly ??

Arfa

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Arfa, sorry for making you confused. I didn't check if the unit does output any sound yet... I just wonder how the set could start as soon as I shorted the service pins? Does this clear any internal error codes or something? I don't feel comfortable returning the unit to customer without finding any problem, except for shorting the service pins... Do you know anything that can set or cause an "error-detect" to the processor? Like dc from poweramp and such..

Regards, Steve

Arfa, sorry for making you confused. I didn't check if the unit does output any sound yet... I just wonder how the set could start as soon as I shorted the service pins? Does this clear any internal error codes or something? I don't feel comfortable returning the unit to customer without finding any problem, except for shorting the service pins... Do you know anything that can set or cause an "error-detect" to the processor? Like dc from poweramp and such..

Regards, Steve

I can't recall ever having come across such on this particular model series, but I do recall having a Pioneer AV amp in for repair some time ago, which had done exactly that, and locked an error code into its processor, which permanently prevented it from powering, leaving just a flashing LED on the front panel. I had to put in a call to Pioneer Technical in the end ( who used to be absolutely excellent here in the UK - same two guys down there for years - but their department is sadly gone now ). They told me a button-push sequence that was required, and said that there was likely no other problem, which as I recall, there wasn't. Have you got the unit's own speakers in the shop with it, or are you using the shop test ones ? If you don't have the customer's own speakers, and it seems to work ok over an extended bench soak, I would give it back and tell them that it had an error code locked into it, and that this might have been due to a surge or micro-outage in their household supply, or might be due to a faulty speaker, or bad wiring to the speakers. Might be worth giving them a call before you declare it fixed, just to ask what, if any, the circumstances of failure were. I find that when I do this, I often get an answer like " Oh yes, it wouldn't come back on after someone put a digger through a cable out in the road - didn't I mention that .... ? "

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The thing is, the customer claims the unit was harder and harder each day to power on. In the end, they had to press several times on the powerbutton. This indicates some "capacitor" problem in my eyes... doesn't it? Maybe I would go for the checking the powersupply caps and poweramp caps, after checking the fuse is ok.

The thing is, the customer claims the unit was harder and harder each day to power on. In the end, they had to press several times on the powerbutton. This indicates some "capacitor" problem in my eyes... doesn't it? Maybe I would go for the checking the powersupply caps and poweramp caps, after checking the fuse is ok.

I agree with your feelings about the cap. Going back to the VFD inverter, as it is a known source of trouble, which does stop the unit powering out of standby, particularly because of bad joints on the transistors, I might feel inclined to look there first, especially if the board is discoloured around the transistors. The caps which fail are just above the transistors, so are in streaming heat all the time. Could be that one of them is getting marginal, or could be that the joints are getting poor on the transistors, and when you had a look in there before, you disturbed them, which is why it then came on. Make sure that the fan is running ok if there is any sign of heat distress around the output stages. The couple I had where the fan had stopped, had a discoloured board, and the electrolytic caps just 'looked' stressed somehow - you know how you get a "feel" for these things when you work with them every day.

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"after checking the fuse is ok" .=2E.Of course I mean after checking the fan is ok. Not the fuse, just a type error. I'll go for the VFD inverter, checking the stuff under the metal cover. Thanks a lot for your assistance, nice to have contact with other pro repair men!! :)

Regards Steve

"after checking the fuse is ok" ...Of course I mean after checking the fan is ok. Not the fuse, just a type error. I'll go for the VFD inverter, checking the stuff under the metal cover. Thanks a lot for your assistance, nice to have contact with other pro repair men!! :)

Regards Steve

No problem, and please keep me posted on what you find. I do quite a few Pioneers, so all info, and other people's findings are always welcome for the archive.

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Hi Arfa,

This Pioneer is making me nuts. The hardware seems all ok as soon as the Service pins are shorted once. After this everything works OK. After a few unplugs from the mains, the red led will flash when trying to start up unit. Maybe it's a problem with the micro controller itself, since the rest of the hardware seems to work just fine. Just informed customer this unit's repairprice will increase due to this strange behaviour....

You don't have a contact at some Pioneer tech dept. for additional support?

Regards Steve

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Just for info I have the same Pionner model, and the same problem. If I power the system off and on for some times then the unit eventually works. But if I disconnect the display unit, the system always power on, but i wont be able to use it without the display connectet so it really don't helps.

If somone find out the problem, please help me.

brest regards Erik