how high is the drop test at ups?


just got a new set of high quality bookshelf speakers. one is doa. so i looked inside and the xover is snapped from the terminals and has a corner cracked off. i have never seen this before. there is no damage to the box. i wonder how this could happen. it looks like a powerful force must have developed even tho the crossover is heavy duty and weighs more than many.
hotmailjbc

Showing 3 responses by metro04

Always assume your package will be handled in the Jim Carrey "HDS Delivery Man" fashion, and pack accordingly.

Rule-of-thumb:

One set of high quality bookshelf speakers =
Amana double-wide refrigerator box + 500' roll bubble-wrap
The box most likely landed flat on one side, thus distributing broad impact which would limit typical external deformations. And moreso if the contents were double-boxed, and the type of internal packing foam used. Besides coils, some x-over capacitors are pretty sizeable, and if merely glued onto the PC boad, wouldn't take much "sheer" inertia to dislodge them. Seems odd that these heavier componts weren't secured with cable-ties as well.

You could always send it back the mfr for repair, and they would probably fix, or replace, it for free once they know what happened (I'm almost sure they would). Sometimes, the "turnaround" time can be more than you'd like, but I guess your options really boil down to a new board's replacement cost vs the hassle of sending yours back in.

If either of those options are an issue, can you solder, or have friends that know how? This is really quite a simple fix, and with some hot-glue, silicone, or epoxy to re-mount the components, could easily be repaired.
What Markpao said! Felt pretty sure they'd help in some fashion, but a complete replacement?

Were the words "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Birthday" embedded anywhere within their phone conversation with you? If not, ...uhhh, consider it a gift from ME! :D