Topic: Weird power issue with my V3

[creekfreak]

OK, so I taped all day a few weeks ago using my V3 with zero power problems. I taped again, 2 weeks later, plugged in the power cord, screwed it down, turned on the V3 and no power comes on at all.....hmmmmmm....so I reach in back and wiggled the cable and the power and lights start to flip out, the overs come on, the bit rate lights are going off and on as I move the cable around. Finally get it stable and the power stays on, but the slightest bump causes it to flip out.

First thought was that the power cable I have is bad, second one I have been through and they are crap IMO. So I get home, get out the wallmart that comes with the V3, plug it in, and have the same problem, I have to jiggle the cord to get a good conncetion and then pray it stays, I played with it some more and realize that once I have the power cable screwed into the V3 it still moves around inside the jack a little (side to side and up and down). I  have to rotate the cable around in the jack to get a good connection, and it picks up a good conncetion on the same place as I rotate it around.

Since both cables are doing it I am thinking something is wrong with the jack, but looking at it nothing seems to be bent or damaged so I don't know what is wrong...have a slew of shows coming up with no time to ship it in, it does work, just very finickey.

Any one have any ideas what could be wrong?

[Brian Skalinder]

I had the same problem and found the solution on the Oade board by someone who'd spoken with Grace about it.

If you look at the female power plug built into the V3, you'll see there's a pair of pins in the center of the plug.  Over time, these two pins get pushed together a bit, and therefore don't have solid/consistent contact with the inserted power pin.

To resolve the problem, very gently use a small glasses-type screwdriver or some such to pry the 2 pins apart just a bit.  It doesn't take much.  This should provide sufficient contact and reliable power.

(Don't snap the pins!  If you do, you're hosed.  Don't wanna scare you, it actually isn't very easy to break 'em as long as you're careful, just trying to emphasize - be careful.)

[rabhan]

dont cut the red wire!

[Craig T]

My V3 also suffers the power problem.  I'm very upset that such an expensive piece of equipment has a faulty $0.10 power connector.  

[Brian Skalinder]

My V3 also suffers the power problem.  I'm very upset that such an expensive piece of equipment has a faulty $0.10 power connector.  

Yeah, no doubt.  I miss the 4-pin XLR power connection on the V2!  Wish they'd stuck with it.  But I imagine internal real estate and wanting to maintain the same form factor as the V2 played a primary role in the decision.  I just check my pins every so often to be safe.

[rabhan]

i guess i should check mine today as well.....

[creekfreak]

I had the same problem and found the solution on the Oade board by someone who'd spoken with Grace about it.

If you look at the female power plug built into the V3, you'll see there's a pair of pins in the center of the plug.  Over time, these two pins get pushed together a bit, and therefore don't have solid/consistent contact with the inserted power pin.

To resolve the problem, very gently use a small glasses-type screwdriver or some such to pry the 2 pins apart just a bit.  It doesn't take much.  This should provide sufficient contact and reliable power.

(Don't snap the pins!  If you do, you're hosed.  Don't wanna scare you, it actually isn't very easy to break 'em as long as you're careful, just trying to emphasize - be careful.)

Thanks Brian, you are the man with the info!!!! +T,  Damn, so this is a known issue with Grace and their fix is to pry the connects apart? That is bogus as Craig said for a $1500 piece of pro audio gear. I also wish they kept the beefy V2 power connettion, that thing rocked!!!!

I will CAREFULLY try that tonight when I get home, have too much coming up to send it in.

[Brian Skalinder]

Damn, so this is a known issue with Grace and their fix is to pry the connects apart?

I will CAREFULLY try that tonight when I get home, have too much coming up to send it in.

Yeah, known issue.  The only other fix would be to replace the connector with a different connector entirely, something I'm sure they don't want to do.

And sending it in won't do you much good - all they'll do is pry the pins for you, unless you can convince them to replace the plug outright with a different model (doubtful).

[DaryanLenz]

Go Team Apogee Mini-Me...hahahaha


Daryan

[creekfreak]

Go Team Apogee Mini-Me...hahahaha


Daryan

hehe, let's hope your mini-me doesn't burst into flames

[creekfreak]

Damn, so this is a known issue with Grace and their fix is to pry the connects apart?

I will CAREFULLY try that tonight when I get home, have too much coming up to send it in.

Yeah, known issue.  The only other fix would be to replace the connector with a different connector entirely, something I'm sure they don't want to do.

And sending it in won't do you much good - all they'll do is pry the pins for you, unless you can convince them to replace the plug outright with a different model (doubtful).

well, the way I look it is if one of those conncetors gets snapped while appling their fix they will be replacing the jack.......this does not  sound like Grace at all.

[dmonterisi]

Go Team Apogee Mini-Me...hahahaha


Daryan

hehe, let's hope your mini-me doesn't burst into flames

    +t creek

[creekfreak]

Go Team Apogee Mini-Me...hahahaha


Daryan

hehe, let's hope your mini-me doesn't burst into flames

    +t creek

all in good fun. I ran a mini-me for while, liked it, but not as much as my V3.....

[scb]

>> Go Team Apogee Mini-Me...hahahaha<<

ok, at least the v3 connector is locking...hehe

[creekfreak]

>> Go Team Apogee Mini-Me...hahahaha<<

ok, at least the v3 connector is locking...hehe

yea, I was going to say that also...........

[rabhan]

i just looked at mine, put a small screwdriver btwn the pins, did a little wiggle, and they have a little more spacing. VERY LIGHT PRESSURE as brian said. i put the LOCKING connector back on and wiggled the shit outta it and no power drops....while the grace"fix" may seen strange, it works just fine, and the pins prolly move together as ppl plug and unplug the connector frequently. i bet that if you leave your cable in there, it may take a while for that sucker to loosen up.

[creekfreak]

I will be trying this tonight, and then see how long it takes before I have to do it again

[creekfreak]

yup, small screwdriver did the trick, back in business again!!! Thanks

[Brian Skalinder]

yup, small screwdriver did the trick, back in business again!!! Thanks

Excellent.  Glad to hear it!

[creekfreak]

yup, small screwdriver did the trick, back in business again!!! Thanks

Excellent.  Glad to hear it!

 

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

I didn't get no fucking wallwart w/my V3,wtf?

[creekfreak]

I didn't get no fucking wallwart w/my V3,wtf?

hehe, I can spel reel good....

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

hey now,it's been a long week,you knew what I was talking about

[rabhan]

mine didnt come with one either.....

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

wtf?are we not special enough?I will be making a call 1st thing monday morning.

[creekfreak]

hey now,it's been a long week,you knew what I was talking about

acutally, I was making fun of myself, I didn't spell it right....hehe

[JasonSobel]

For those of you wondering why you didn't get a wallwart...
I was told when I bought mine that they were sold seperately, not with the unit.  So I bought mine when I picked up the V3, it was another $30 or so, if I recall correctly.

[Just Taper Mark from NC]

well,even though that's the case it wasn't mentioned to me when I purchased it cause I can sure as hell use one around here at the local digs I tape at.

[MattD]

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F009%5F001%5F001%5F002&product%5Fid=273%2D1696

How about that? You'd have to hack the cord, but that's 7.5V up to 2A.

[MattD]

If any consumer electronics store actually paid one person well instead of 4 people poorly, I'd go work for them right away. I really know a lot about that kind of thing and could probably provide better customer service than they have now. If they combined the other people's rates to pay me, that'd be a nice $25ish/hour!

I was working on an engineering project at school and fried a transistor. I went to rat shack with the exact description of what I needed and they looked at me like i had a 2nd head. I was trying to save myself shipping costs on ordering a pack of 10 from Jameco and just really needed one or two.

The aggravation ...

[Stumptown Matt]

They hire sales people not techies.  I dare you to try to walk out of a Rat Shack without some jackass coming up to you trying to sell you a cell phone or SAT TV.