I'll play my Voyager several times a day. Sometimes it's only for a few minutes. Each time I'm done I power down. But each time I do, I think of the great computer (or stereo) debate about powering up and down. Some say that going from high heat to cool temps can weaken solderings (i.e., turning on and off). Others say that it's just as bad to leave it on for too long.
Since my LFO light is constantly flashing, I power down thinking I want to save it's life. But then I've also heard that leaving light bulbs on will in fact extend their life.
Any thoughts on what might be best for an instrument like the MMV?
Thanks.
Keeping the Voyager on or off
I've heard this chicken little tale more times than I care to admit.
The hot/cold power cycling will not damage solder joints. 60/40 solder melts at 370F, way above the safe operating temperature of 150F of electronic components. Electronics are designed to tolerate the heat during the short duration of soldering.
Long term heat is the enemy of electronics. You will do more damage to electronics leaving them powered on all day because the heat will accumulate in the ambient internal chassis and at the pin junctions of ICs, transistors, resistors, etc.
Computer servers are designed to run 24/7 with conservatively power rated components and forced air cooling. The same cannot be said for almost all audio gear.
Some of this folklore may have been borne out of the ARP Omni (not the Omni II) whose inferior power supply would damage the internal circuits just by cycling the power. That is a flaw in the design and should not suggest any convention. Accumulated heat is the separate issue.
The hot/cold power cycling will not damage solder joints. 60/40 solder melts at 370F, way above the safe operating temperature of 150F of electronic components. Electronics are designed to tolerate the heat during the short duration of soldering.
Long term heat is the enemy of electronics. You will do more damage to electronics leaving them powered on all day because the heat will accumulate in the ambient internal chassis and at the pin junctions of ICs, transistors, resistors, etc.
Computer servers are designed to run 24/7 with conservatively power rated components and forced air cooling. The same cannot be said for almost all audio gear.
Some of this folklore may have been borne out of the ARP Omni (not the Omni II) whose inferior power supply would damage the internal circuits just by cycling the power. That is a flaw in the design and should not suggest any convention. Accumulated heat is the separate issue.
Here are my thoughts, FWIW.
The greatest stress on any electrical equipment occurs on power-up. There is a serge current that hits all of the hardware electrical components in the first few milliseconds after turning the power on. I believe that this serge current is the prime contributor for component failure. Think of how a light bulb usually fails - it goes out in a flash when you first turn it on. This is the serge current acting on the filament on the light bulb. It overloads the filament and burns it out at the weakest point.
On the other hand...
Keeping the instrument plugged-in and powered up all the time wastes electricity. In addition, it puts you at risk of power fluctuations that could cause damage and worse, potential lightening strikes (pretty unlikely, but it happens), which can totally fry your gear.
What do I do? Turn it off when not in use AND unplug it. The likelihood of a lightening strike affecting your power to the point of damage is pretty rare, but why take the chance? While a serge protector, like those built into many outlet strips, will protect you from potential power serges, they really don't do anything about lightening - they can't. The voltage/current contained in a lightening strike is enormous and the resulting power spike can't be safely handled by any protected outlet. Best to turn off and unplug equipment when not in use.
The greatest stress on any electrical equipment occurs on power-up. There is a serge current that hits all of the hardware electrical components in the first few milliseconds after turning the power on. I believe that this serge current is the prime contributor for component failure. Think of how a light bulb usually fails - it goes out in a flash when you first turn it on. This is the serge current acting on the filament on the light bulb. It overloads the filament and burns it out at the weakest point.
On the other hand...
Keeping the instrument plugged-in and powered up all the time wastes electricity. In addition, it puts you at risk of power fluctuations that could cause damage and worse, potential lightening strikes (pretty unlikely, but it happens), which can totally fry your gear.
What do I do? Turn it off when not in use AND unplug it. The likelihood of a lightening strike affecting your power to the point of damage is pretty rare, but why take the chance? While a serge protector, like those built into many outlet strips, will protect you from potential power serges, they really don't do anything about lightening - they can't. The voltage/current contained in a lightening strike is enormous and the resulting power spike can't be safely handled by any protected outlet. Best to turn off and unplug equipment when not in use.
Surge current exists in incandescent bulbs, tube circuits, and appliances with motors.
Surge currents do not exist in products with REGULATED POWER SUPPLIES.
Keyboards and audio gear have regulated power supplies, light bulbs and motors do not. There is NO surge potential with regulated power supplies therefore audio gear is safe on power cycles. Surge was precisely the flaw in the aforementioned ARP Omni (a rare example) as the purpose of regulating power is to prevent voltage/current from exceeding a determined maximum. Regulated power supplies are also designed to maintain consistent voltage levels as the line voltage from your wall socket fluctuates.
I'm an EE, I know plenty about the subject.
It is good practice as GregAE suggests to unplug your gear from the wall outlet as the enormous surge from a lightning strike can reach your gear on the seemingly innocent ground wire even though the power switch is OFF. Surge protectors WILL NOT prevent damage from lightning. I have always unplugged my gear from the wall in the event of a storm and in the last twenty five years I have had zero problems.
Surge currents do not exist in products with REGULATED POWER SUPPLIES.
Keyboards and audio gear have regulated power supplies, light bulbs and motors do not. There is NO surge potential with regulated power supplies therefore audio gear is safe on power cycles. Surge was precisely the flaw in the aforementioned ARP Omni (a rare example) as the purpose of regulating power is to prevent voltage/current from exceeding a determined maximum. Regulated power supplies are also designed to maintain consistent voltage levels as the line voltage from your wall socket fluctuates.
I'm an EE, I know plenty about the subject.
It is good practice as GregAE suggests to unplug your gear from the wall outlet as the enormous surge from a lightning strike can reach your gear on the seemingly innocent ground wire even though the power switch is OFF. Surge protectors WILL NOT prevent damage from lightning. I have always unplugged my gear from the wall in the event of a storm and in the last twenty five years I have had zero problems.
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Boeing 737-400
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I've often been concerned about switching the Voyager on and off too. That power switch does spark on occasion if not pressed firmly. In regard to lightning strikes, I have seen what they do. All the power sockets blow out, and there really isn't much left of the connected equipment. A surge filtered socket is a good idea, seeing as many of them offer insurance on the connected items. Not sure if they would pay out due to equipment failure after a lightning strike.
Does anyone know what the surge current of a strike is. Is it more than 60,000 amps?
I'm guilty of messing around with electrical equipment through storms, there have already been near misses. Hole in my back garden to prove it!
Going back on topic, if the power supply to the Voyager is regulated, that means that there is no chance of the starting current damaging the curcuits? What about my Pro-One and the Prophet-5?
Does anyone know what the surge current of a strike is. Is it more than 60,000 amps?
I'm guilty of messing around with electrical equipment through storms, there have already been near misses. Hole in my back garden to prove it!
Going back on topic, if the power supply to the Voyager is regulated, that means that there is no chance of the starting current damaging the curcuits? What about my Pro-One and the Prophet-5?
A lot of power switches do that. It is not a surge, it is the electricity jumping the switch contacts just before they mate.That power switch does spark on occasion if not pressed firmly.
Not sure if they would pay out due to equipment failure after a lightning strike.
Nope. Insurance companies bank on statistics to make money, IE the probability of damage to be reimbursed in the event of a catastrophic event during the lifetime of a claimant. Lightning strikes happen so often and have a 100% probability of damage that every policy has an exemption against lightning strikes. They sell flood insurance but not to customers that line in a flood plain. They sell life insurance but they include exemptions if you perish while scaling a mountain and stuff like that. In other words, the rules favor the house. One big scam.
Completely safe.Going back on topic, if the power supply to the Voyager is regulated, that means that there is no chance of the starting current damaging the curcuits?
Also safe. P5s don't surge, but the power supplies have a history of burning out - they didn't design the supplies big enough to handle the current and they get hot and burn out like a fuse (no surge gets through a broken fuse). Can be fixed to prevent it though.What about my Pro-One and the Prophet-5?
Proof that accumulated heat is the enemy of electronics.
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Boeing 737-400
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While it is true that heat is a prime killer of electronics, there are some other concerns, too.
Most electronic products are only tested briefly. Electronic components tend to either break down quickly or last for many thousands of hours or use. Since I don't think anyone wants their synth to fall apart during a gig or even during a practice, it makes sense to find out if those components are going to last.
Therefore, what I suggest is running new products full time for at least a week. With synths, set it with a sequencer or other controller so that everything is working. You can simply not plug it into an amp so that it's not bothering you or your neighbors in the middle of the night. If you don't have any problems within a week or two of this type of activity, chances are the electronics will last a long time.
Most synths and electronics, today, are not purely electronic. They are also electromechanical. All of the keys, dials, disk drives, and switches are far more likely to have problems before the electronics. The best way to keep them working is to keep garbage out of them. That means no smoking in your studio. That means covering keys and switches with something, either a cloth, case, or old clean rag when you're not using it.
Some parts are more likely to break down than others. Capacitors are notorious for failing. Keep an eye on the internet to see if a particular product has common problems and, if the product is out of warrantee, consider acting proactively.
If you have an older product, consider finding replacement parts. Top octave chips are becoming more and more rare. If you have an old synth which uses then, consider seeking replacement parts now so if it does fail you won't have to pay outrageous sums. I don't have one of those any more (I used to have a Korg CX-3), but I do have a Yamaha SY77 (which I consider to be one of the finest, most capable synths ever made). The SY77 and its big brother, the SY99, are famous for failed back lights on the LCD as well as for failed floppy drives. Get replacements now for those items. Do you have a Moog Source? Better find a replacement touch panel. Etc.
As to surges and lightning, consider where you live, too. I live in Southern California, and we haven't had lightning where I live in years. If you're likely to have lightning in your area, unplug. If you're in an area where the electricity goes on and off and has problems, unplug.
I used to own a Farfisa "Combo Compact" organ. When you pressed on a key it would pull up a piece of plastic that would pull up contacts. But if you hit the keys fast and hard, or if the keyboard bounced around, the little pieces of plastic could become loose or break, resulting in a sound on continuously for the key. I eventually kept extra pieces of plastic and a long-nose pliers in my kit to make between-set repairs.
Most electronic products are only tested briefly. Electronic components tend to either break down quickly or last for many thousands of hours or use. Since I don't think anyone wants their synth to fall apart during a gig or even during a practice, it makes sense to find out if those components are going to last.
Therefore, what I suggest is running new products full time for at least a week. With synths, set it with a sequencer or other controller so that everything is working. You can simply not plug it into an amp so that it's not bothering you or your neighbors in the middle of the night. If you don't have any problems within a week or two of this type of activity, chances are the electronics will last a long time.
Most synths and electronics, today, are not purely electronic. They are also electromechanical. All of the keys, dials, disk drives, and switches are far more likely to have problems before the electronics. The best way to keep them working is to keep garbage out of them. That means no smoking in your studio. That means covering keys and switches with something, either a cloth, case, or old clean rag when you're not using it.
Some parts are more likely to break down than others. Capacitors are notorious for failing. Keep an eye on the internet to see if a particular product has common problems and, if the product is out of warrantee, consider acting proactively.
If you have an older product, consider finding replacement parts. Top octave chips are becoming more and more rare. If you have an old synth which uses then, consider seeking replacement parts now so if it does fail you won't have to pay outrageous sums. I don't have one of those any more (I used to have a Korg CX-3), but I do have a Yamaha SY77 (which I consider to be one of the finest, most capable synths ever made). The SY77 and its big brother, the SY99, are famous for failed back lights on the LCD as well as for failed floppy drives. Get replacements now for those items. Do you have a Moog Source? Better find a replacement touch panel. Etc.
As to surges and lightning, consider where you live, too. I live in Southern California, and we haven't had lightning where I live in years. If you're likely to have lightning in your area, unplug. If you're in an area where the electricity goes on and off and has problems, unplug.
I used to own a Farfisa "Combo Compact" organ. When you pressed on a key it would pull up a piece of plastic that would pull up contacts. But if you hit the keys fast and hard, or if the keyboard bounced around, the little pieces of plastic could become loose or break, resulting in a sound on continuously for the key. I eventually kept extra pieces of plastic and a long-nose pliers in my kit to make between-set repairs.
<< Most electronic products are only tested briefly. Electronic components tend to either break down quickly or last for many thousands of hours or use. Since I don't think anyone wants their synth to fall apart during a gig or even during a practice, it makes sense to find out if those components are going to last. >>
I've also heard this referred to as an 'infant mortality' problem WRT electrical components. What this basically means is that if new equipment works after a short period of burn-in (a week is a good benchmark), then there is a high likelyhood that it will continue to work.
Your suggestion is well founded, as is protecting the exposed surface(s) from dust and dirt. Dust finds it's way into every crack and crevice, and over time builds up a layer which can act as a blanket that keeps heat trapped in. It can also block air vents, fans, etc. over time. And as MC mentioned in a previous post, heat does kill electronics.
Concerning the protection of this precious investment, it s probably best to err on the side of caution: Turn off, unplug, and cover.
I've also heard this referred to as an 'infant mortality' problem WRT electrical components. What this basically means is that if new equipment works after a short period of burn-in (a week is a good benchmark), then there is a high likelyhood that it will continue to work.
Your suggestion is well founded, as is protecting the exposed surface(s) from dust and dirt. Dust finds it's way into every crack and crevice, and over time builds up a layer which can act as a blanket that keeps heat trapped in. It can also block air vents, fans, etc. over time. And as MC mentioned in a previous post, heat does kill electronics.
Concerning the protection of this precious investment, it s probably best to err on the side of caution: Turn off, unplug, and cover.
Re: Voyager overheating
Hey this is slightly off topic but,
Anyone out there ever experienced their PC's CPU overheating? I thinks mine is. Its a P4 2.0Ghz which should make it pretty tough, but in the Task Mgr, its gettin to 100% off of simple operations and it makes this French-cop siren sound all the time, been like this for just under a year.
All the fans are on & working, But even if I just run Norton antiVirus, it freaks out, or sometimes just playing a CD will freak it out...
Any words are appreciated
peace
Anyone out there ever experienced their PC's CPU overheating? I thinks mine is. Its a P4 2.0Ghz which should make it pretty tough, but in the Task Mgr, its gettin to 100% off of simple operations and it makes this French-cop siren sound all the time, been like this for just under a year.
All the fans are on & working, But even if I just run Norton antiVirus, it freaks out, or sometimes just playing a CD will freak it out...
Any words are appreciated
peace
MPC3000, MF-101, 102, 103, 104Z, 105M, 108m, 107, CP-251, MINI MODEL D, OB-8, ALESIS A6, ARP ODYSSEY MK1, RHODES MK1
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Sounds like the power supply is on its way out. I'd get an air compressor, and clean out all the air intakes, maybe fit another cooling fan.
AMD Athlons seem to get this problem a lot, for some reason they overheat, and suddenly reboot, a few of my friends have this problem, so they have to run it with the case off.
AMD Athlons seem to get this problem a lot, for some reason they overheat, and suddenly reboot, a few of my friends have this problem, so they have to run it with the case off.