API PowerWedge IV??


Hi guys & girls,

My boss and audiophile-in-crime has an API PowerWedge IV that he'd like to sell (and I may just buy from him). The specs:

Model # PW IVc
Serial no: 00165

It has: two 45W plugs (with 4/10A Slo Blow fuses)
one 150W plug (with a 1 1/2 A Slow Blow Fuse)
one 200W plug (with a 8/10A Slo Blow Fuse)
four Amplifier Plugs (1200W Total)

A 15amp resettable fuse on the side of the unit, power cord is a heavy gauge fixed cord: Carol 12/3 Type SJ FT2 with a Hubbell male plug on the end. Damned heavy piece of gear.

I've done the usual searches and cannot come up with any info on this power conditioner, any comments or opinions on the PowerWedge IV? What would it be worth on the used market?

Thanks to all who respond! Jeff
jeffloistarca
From what i can gather, this is a device that uses several individual isolation transformers. My guess is that they are toroidal in design, so noise reduction may not be as good as if using a heavier, more expensive iron core E-I transformer, but it will still get rid of the major grunge. Given that the four outlets state "1200 watts total", i'm assuming they are fed off of one common transformer.

In my opinion, this would be a worthwhile device IF the price was right and one had very efficient speakers and / or a low to medium ( at most ) powered amp. If one had in-efficient speakers and / or a "thirsty" amp, i would probably go directly to the wall or look for a bigger isolation transformer for the amp itself. The reason for this is that a typical 1200 watt core is not enough to sustain a big amp under load.

As mentioned before, in order to avoid hysterisis distortion, one should run their iso transformers at no more than about 60% - 70% of full rated load. This would mean that those four 1200 watt outlets should have no more than about 750 - 850 watts drawn from them at most. You should also remember that anything tied into those four outlets are being fed from the same transformer, so they will "talk" to each other through the common AC connections.

Other than that, one could use all of the individual smaller outlets for sources, etc... Just pay attention to the above "headroom" rule in terms of how much each device pulls and what the transformer / outlet is rated for. If running a tubed preamp, the 1200 watt section would work quite well for that and then you could run the amp from the wall.

As a side note, bare in mind that what you are getting is a common connection for a bunch of smaller transformers being fed from one wall outlet. In effect, you have an "isolation transformer power strip". As such, all of your power is coming from ONE power cord connected to the wall outlet. Using a power cord that is both heavy enough in gauge and built with quality connections is MANDATORY to say the least. Sean
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PS... I wouldn't mind finding something like this locally for my Dad's system. If you don't want it, the guy wants to give it away and will cover shipping from Canada to Chicago, let me know : )
Sean,

I would not use this with my amp, physically impossible. I'd plug in my tube pre, tube CDP, tuner, phono, phono pre, headphone amp. Right now everything is plugged into ganged-together multiple hospital-grade outlets. I know the best way to figure out the effect is by ear, trouble is I have a new CDP, speakers, and speaker cables and nothing is completely run-in yet. Your opinion? Thunmbs up? What's it worth compared to new conditioners on the market? Thanks
Jeff: Here's a link to API's current product line at Audio Advisor. I couldn't find the model that you are talking about as it is probably an early model. It is probably worth a few hundred dollars. So long as you have enough outlets to supply you with what you need and you can arrange things so as not to load down any of the transformers too much, i would think it would be a worthwhile investment. You might want to look at the power ratings on each unit that you intend to hook up to it first though. This might give you a better idea as to how / where you'll have to configure the wiring arrangement as far as what outlets feed what components. I don't know what your tubed CDP pulls, but between that and your tubed preamp, you might end up between a rock and a hard place. Sean
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