The Furman M-8x AR Voltage Regulator is intended to protect sensitive
electronic equipment from problems caused by AC line voltage
irregularities such as brownouts, sags, and over-voltage conditions.
Such irregularities can cause audio tonal changes, digital equipment
malfunctions (such as loss of MIDI programs or other data), or in
extreme cases, permanent damage.
Power Conditioning Definitions
Voltage Regulation
The AC line voltage is a number representing the nominal electrical
potential that has been adopted in a region for powering electrical
equipment of all kinds. In most of North America the line voltage is
120VAC. The actual voltage can fall below or rise above this nominal
level due to brownouts, power cutbacks, use of substandard wiring, and
other causes. These deviations can cause poor performance or a
malfunction. A voltage regulator is a device which, through use of an
autotransformer, corrects for deviations in line voltage by switching
transformer taps such that the output voltage is at or near the nominal
AC line voltage level.
Spike (also called surges or transients)
Spikes can have voltages as high as 6000 volts. Though they are usually
of very short duration, the energy they contain can be considerable and
enough to damage sensitive solid-state components in audio and computer
equipment. Spikes can also foul switch contacts and degrade wiring
insulation. They are an unavoidable component of electric power. They
are caused unpredictably by electric motors switching on or off (on the
premises or outside), utility company maintenance operations, nearby
lightning strikes, and other factors. Spikes are absorbed by special
components called MOV's inside the M-8x AR to provide safe voltage
levels to protect your equipment.
RFI/EMI Interference
Noise from RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) or EMI (Electro Magnetic
Interference) involves lower voltages and less energy than is found in
spikes, but it is continuous or transient. It is not likely to cause
physical damage, but it can certainly be annoying, producing static in
audio circuits, "snow" on video screens, or garbled data in computers.
Noise can be introduced into AC lines by nearby radio transmitters,
certain kinds of lighting, electric motors, and other devices. Because
RFI/EMI noise occurs at higher frequencies than the 50 or 60 Hz AC line,
it can be effectively reduced through the use of low-pass filtering.
Extreme Voltage Protection
The M-8x AR includes special circuitry to sense over and under voltage
conditions and either regulate or disable the output before damage can
be done to connected equipment. Please refer to the specifications for
the exact voltages at which shutdown occurs. When the input voltage
falls outside the regulation limit, the power will cut off. Power will
automatically be restored when the condition has subsided. The two red
LEDs labeled "EVS" indicate a protective shutdown condition.
Extreme Current Protection
The M-8x AR includes a special ECS circuit to detect an extreme
over-current condition and shut down the outlets before damage is done
to the M-8x AR or your connected equipment. The ECS circuit has been
designed to detect high speed and high level currents and will ignore
low speed / low current transients, such as amplifier inrush currents.
When an ECS condition has been detected, the M-8x AR will shut down
outlets and illuminate the red Extreme Current LED.
- Provides nine regulated, conditioned AC outlets-eight on the rear panel and one on the front
- Input capacity is 15 A; output capacity is 12 to 15 A
- Extreme over-voltage (instant) shutdown and under-voltage (delayed) shutdown, safeguard connected equipment
- Extreme Voltage Shutdown (EVS) indicator LED
- Extreme over-current shutdown protects regulator and connected equipment
- Extreme Current Shutdown (ECS) indicator LED
- Tri-color "In-Regulation" indicator
- Protection OK indicator
- Eight element, Bi-color bar graph meter to indicate input line voltage
- User accessible thermal circuit breaker protects against overload
- Low noise toroidal autotransformer with very low stray magnetic field leakage
- Front Panel ON/OFF switch
- Compact, lightweight unit weighs only 15.75 lbs. (7.15 kg)
