Balanced Power Technology BPT3.5 running very hot


Hi, I just bought a used Balanced Power Technology BPT3.5 isolation transformer, and it runs very hot.  The case has no air vents on the body, just a metal case.  When I touch the side, it is hot but I can stay touching it.  But if I put my hand on the case right on top of the toroidal transformer, it is so hot that I can only touch it for maybe 10 seconds.  It gets hot even it is on idle, meaning I am not listening to music.  It is the “regular” model, not Signature, with a 20A transformer.  
 

To other BPT users, is this normal?  Does your unit get this hot while idling?

Is this safe to use?  My second question, since it gets so hot, does it mean it is drawing power even there is no load?

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

gte357s

Showing 3 responses by gte357s

@charles1dad thanks for the reply, although not a very good news for me.

 

I will do a test, I wonder if it is because of the PS Audio Power Plant. My set up is this:

wall outlet -> BPT 3.5 -> PS Audio PPP -> my equipment.

my PPP also remains on all the time. So, I wonder if the PPP is drawing power that make it so hot …. The output voltage of the BPT is ok, stable at 121V.  There is also no smell or hum.  Music also sounds good from it.  so, everything seems working properly except it is very hot.

 

@carlsbad2 my Power Plant Premier doesn’t have a watt meter, unfortunately.

I did the test today.  I didn’t have anything plug in, and after 10 hrs, it becomes too hot to touch.  The heat is build up gradually.  At about 5 hrs, it gets quite warm but I can still place my hand on it.  But now, I cannot touch it for more than 5s.  And once again, there is no load on it, no equipment is plugged in.  I don’t have a IR thermometer, but I search on the internet, it says 60 C is normally too hot to touch.  Given I can still lay my hand for 5s or so, I estimate it to be not much higher than 60 C.  Maybe 60-70 C?  I think based on all the reply and what I read on the internet, this is still not normal, right?

@curiousjim Yes, but unfortunately, this company no longer exist, and I tried to find the contact of the designer but no luck.