• Les
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-02-28
  • Posts: 53

Topic: FF400 repair

After 4 year of faithful service my FF 400 has kinda died.

It shuts off (no front panel lights) after a few minutes. Sometimes all front panel lights illuminate dimly.
When first powering on red host light comes on, then turns off.

I can actuate things like front panel phantom lights via computer when it's first powered up, but no sound.
So there must be some firewire communication.

power supply connector led is always green. I can check voltage but have not.

I did the usual "cat trips over cable" replugging stuff.

Perhaps failure of an internal dc converter ?

What is the repair procedure in the US? I need to send it in right away.
I am a microphone manufacturer and use this unit for production testing.

Les
L M WattsTechnology

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,667

Re: FF400 repair

Try a different external PSU first please. If you need to send it for bench tests and service in the US, you can send me an email.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Les
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-02-28
  • Posts: 53

Re: FF400 repair

I don't have an extra external supply but I can measure the one I have under load in the lab.
The manual states 910 ma @12v. I expect it's a switching supply.  Will do that and get back.

Les

  • Les
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-02-28
  • Posts: 53

Re: FF400 repair

Ok, tested the external switching supply with a 10 ohm load. Only got 7.4 volts DC at of course 0.74 amps ( 5.4 Watts)
The unit is rated at 12V 2A, so it's clearly bad. Do you agree that is much too low a voltage for the
interface to function?

Also...I considered just switching to bus power but have not as the instruction manual makes no
mention of it that I can find. It always has "plug in ac adapter" as an installation step.

Is the bus power option functional? I just have a no name PCI TI chipset firewire card in the
desktop type computer...have no idea whether it uses 6 wire connections.

Les

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,667

Re: FF400 repair

If you use a normal FW400 cable, like the one that comes with the FF400, then try switching to bus power. The 4 pin FW connection with no bus power is typically only found on PC notebooks.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Les
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-02-28
  • Posts: 53

Re: FF400 repair

I switched to bus power and the FF400 seems fully functional.
I'll doublecheck all inputs to make sure the undervoltage caused no damage.

I'll get a new external supply.

Thanks for yor prompt help!

Les