Power supply question

[cacofonix]

I have my eye on an M13.

There seems to be a power problem with them. Hypothetically if it draws 1.5a, and its power supply is 2a, if there is a brownout that could cause a problem. I suspect its demand is in fact in the region of 1.8 depending on number of effects engaged.

However, if the power supply is 3a or greater, would the increased capacity cope with the same brownout?

I am using a water pipe and leaking tank analogy. If the capacity of the pipe is greater than the emptying rate of the tank, then surely a small fluctuation in supply is of less moment?

I will not buy the M13 if the answer is no (don't know if I can afford to buy anyway, tbh).

[ecc83]

I have my eye on an M13.

There seems to be a power problem with them. Hypothetically if it draws 1.5a, and its power supply is 2a, if there is a brownout that could cause a problem. I suspect its demand is in fact in the region of 1.8 depending on number of effects engaged.

However, if the power supply is 3a or greater, would the increased capacity cope with the same brownout?

I am using a water pipe and leaking tank analogy. If the capacity of the pipe is greater than the emptying rate of the tank, then surely a small fluctuation in supply is of less moment?

I will not buy the M13 if the answer is no (don't know if I can afford to buy anyway, tbh).

You are right to a tiny degree. A supply will support the output current for a few mSecs as the electrolytic caps drain but they would have to be truly massisve to protect against all but the shortest mains dip.

I have never quite understood why you tapdancing guys don't just go for a collection of re chargeables and "float" them off a charger?

Dave.

[ICBM]

Don't worry about it.

The current draw of the device relative to the power supply capacity has very little to do with whether it will cope with a brownout or not. They're regulated either in the power supply itself or inside the unit, and the voltage would have to drop so far to go below the threshold for the regulator that everything else in your set-up would be seriously affected.

In fact, if it's a switch-mode power supply, it will probably not even mind a brownout at all. A lot of them accept any input voltage from 100 to 240V. Mains voltage drops like that are extremely rare in this country anyway, unless you're on an outside generator.

[cacofonix]

The reason for my worry is that:

1. It's an AC only unit - 9v AC at 1500 ma
2. There is an issue with it cutting out - reports note relays switching, as well as the unit dying, which, from experience (with a car) indicates low power - in the instant case due to a dying battery, so I am fault-finding from a distance. It could be the power supply which is a problem, but so many users are reporting the switching issue, it must be a design issue, so on the above basis I am looking at the power supply. Could be in the unit itself, mind.

[ICBM]

Or it could be that Line 6's power supplies are just shit. When I had my DL-4, the one I got with it was dead out of the box. The replacement died within a couple of months, and at that point I just found another compatible power supply (an old computer printer one if I remember!) and didn't even bother getting the Line 6 one replaced again.

I didn't know about those fault reports, but in that case I would probably just get another power supply of at least 2A and preferably 3A rating as you suggested. If it's AC it will be a transformer type so be quick or the EC will ban them!

It's highly unlikely to be caused by mains brownouts, anyway.