Possible faulty A16U

[Refrochia]

Hello all!

Hope everyone is well!

Figured this was the best place for this post.

I am looking to buy an A16u however it is listed as spares / repairs and the seller has advised the following:

"I tried to plug a 12v 1C power supply to it but it tripped the main circuit of the apartment. I think it can still works with a proper current supply. Might also need some repairs. I don't really know..."

This is a re-listed device (I guess following the above mentioned test being performed prior to posting it), it's previous listing had a price of around 310 euros. I've sent a few questions over to the seller so don't have anything else to go on until they reply but I'm assuming that the 1C in his PSU description is referring to 1Amp of current? If so then this isnt enough as the PSU I use for the A16s I already have output 2.5Amps. Would using an insufficient PSU cause this behaviour? (electronics is not my forte). If so, would this have damaged the device or will it work when using the correct PSU?

Assuming the device is damaged by using an incorrect power supply, would this be fixable?

Does anyone have any experience resolving A16u power related faults?

Would/could Sonicore fix it given how old they are? (I havent completed the purchase yet and would rather not bother them with hypotheticals given how busy they are - plus we have the excellent GaryB here )

Thanks!
R

[nebelfuerst]

I think the powersupply is faulty, for sure. I cannot believe a tripping CB by pluging in the 12V into the A16u.
So the A16u is "untested". The seller could just use a different 12V supply ( with same polarity !) to prove the A16u is working.
If this works, you might need a proper 12V supply, as cheap ones might cause noise.

[Bud Weiser]

I tried to plug a 12v 1C power supply to it

What´s "1C" ?

You need:

Output: AC (!!!) 12V / 1.5A

Polarity: ? (not mentioned in manual)

A16U has overload- and thermo- protection incl. "auto-off" in case of failure.
No fuses inside.



Bud

[Refrochia]

Thanks for the replies both!

No idea what they meant by 1C - I can only assume they meant 1A of Current.

I decided to go for it. They have advised that it used to work with the PSU they tested it with but also said that he measured the output of the PSU with a voltmeter and its only showing 3v so hopefully that's the issue and it works with a new PSU.

Next question - where can I get a new PSU? Any ideas

Thanks
R

[t_tangent]

I needed a new PSU for one of my A16U some years back, so just ordered one from Sonic Core, although that might have been during Creamware times. But I would write to support and ask Gary or Holger if they still supply them.

Otherwise Ferrofish support might be able to help since the guy behind that was the ex Creamware guy who designed the A16U, can’t remember his name at the moment though

www.ferrofish.com

Failing that you should be able to shop around and find one with the correct specs

[jksuperstar]

Any cheap 12v, AC, supply with at least 1.5A will work. They are simply a transformer, no electronics, so really not much noise to be found in them. There is no polarity to the power supply! It just needs the correct size "barrel" connector, which I'm unsure of.

[Bud Weiser]

Thanks for the replies both!

No idea what they meant by 1C - I can only assume they meant 1A of Current.

I decided to go for it.

Don´t !!!

The PSU of an A16Ultra is a AC/AC transformer, not a common PSU w/ AC input and DC output (like for XITE p.ex.).
So, you urgently NEED alternating current OUTPUT, 12Vac, 1.5 amperes (not only 1 ampere) !
You also have to double check the plugs polarity because I´m unsure if polarity matters for A16U or doesn´t.

And be prepared these PSUs are hard to find.
I´m looking for less bulky, "line lump type" ones as replacements since weeks.



Bud

[Bud Weiser]

Any cheap 12v, AC, supply with at least 1.5A will work. They are simply a transformer, no electronics, so really not much noise to be found in them. There is no polarity to the power supply! It just needs the correct size "barrel" connector, which I'm unsure of.

At least in my country very hard to find.

I´ve found exactly ONE,- w/ variable voltage output 9V,12V,18V and 24 VAC,- but at 12VAC it´s 1.4A only while 1.6A @ 9VAC
https://www.netzgeraet.de/steckernetzte ... ltbar.html

Can anyone comment on "polarity" ... +/- ring or tip ?

All I´ve found @Farnell were output 12VAC w/ max. 675mA or less.



Bud

[garyb]

AC has no polarity.
AC=alternating current.

DC has polarity.

[nebelfuerst]

Polarity isn't an issue, due to AC. ( I mixed that up with an other powersupply.)
It's AC, because the generation of the voltages has to take place inside A16 anyway to keep the ripple voltages low.

Although you could also use a DC-supply, there are also AC supplies.

https://www.amazon.de/Steckernetzteil-1 ... =8-14&th=1

The plug has an outer diameter of 5.5mm, which is also included in that amazon-link.

Picture shows my original A16u-PSU.

[Refrochia]

Thanks everyone!

I’ll check out the links!

[Refrochia]

Hi All

Ok so the unit arrived today. It turns out that socket where the PSU plugs in has been replaced with wires (as you can see from the photo).

I have soldering experience and the tools to do it but I dont know what the part is called so I can search for a replacement on an electronics site.

Can anyone tell me what they are called? PSU socket obviously returns a lot of results.

Thanks
R

a16u.jpg (2.37 MiB) Viewed 2593 times

[Refrochia]

I managed to find some. Wasn't sure which was the correct size so ordered one of each

https://uk.farnell.com/cliff-electronic ... dp/2450496
https://uk.farnell.com/cliff-electronic ... dp/2450497
https://uk.farnell.com/cliff-electronic ... dp/1854514

Hopefully one will fit ok!

[Refrochia]

Help!

None of them fit the circuit board.

So the DC sockets arrived today and I've removed the wire that was soldered onto the board however the DC sockets legs are in the wrong place. There are 3 legs and 2 of them line up nicely but the other one doesn't. Given the state of the soldering of the wire I'm pretty confident that this will work once the correct DC connector has been installed.

@garyb Any ideas where I can get the correct DC power connector from? Are you able to find out the part number from Sonicore? Long shot I know.

Thanks
R

[garyb]

if anyone knows, it would be Ferrofish.

[nebelfuerst]

The links above doesn't show a part for PCB soldering.

You need something like this.
https://www.reichelt.de/einbaubuchse-au ... os_6&nbc=1

Probably you could provice a picture of the PCB-holes, so I might search an other one, if necessary.

you could also solder some wires to this part:
https://www.reichelt.de/einbaubuchse-au ... os_8&nbc=1

[Refrochia]

Thanks garyb-I’ve contacted them and they can’t help unfortunately.

Nebelfuerst-that’s awesome! Looks like it could fit so thanks a lot!

Photos attached for reference!

[BuzzBang]

I checked RS components, Farnell, Digikey and LCSC, no joy.....,but looking on Reichelt looks promising.

This is the only jack I've found with the same footprint: https://www.reichelt.com/de/en/panel-mo ... ol_3&nbc=1

It's got to be worth a shot. I'd rather change the plug on the power adapter than have wires and a jack and wires dangling.

If you're in the UK, grab one for me! My A16U connector isn't the strongest... I'll bung you a fiver via PayPal...

Hope that helps....

[BuzzBang]

If you do get one, please double check the connectivity of the pins, the data sheet isn't as clear as it could be... should be ok, but worth checking with a multimeter / continuity tester

[nebelfuerst]

If you want to find more, you'll have to search for "Hohlbuchse, Printmontage" ... in german. I don't know the technical terms for other languages.
Some of these devices contain a switch, which is often used to connect to battery if no plug is inserted. The PCB pictures show, that A16 doesn't make use of such a feature, so just don't care about the word "switch".