Digitone power issue

Elektron Gear Digitone/Digitone Keys
#1

Hi,

I purchased a used Digitone and it would not power on. It would only flash a few lights and then nothing.

I have a Birdcord PD→12V (USB PD Voltage Converter) that I bought in the past to power one of my previous Elektron machines by external bettery. I tried using this convertor with an Anker Prime 67W USB C Charger and it powers on fine. Although, it does flash lights before booting. Which I guess is normal.

I ordered a replacement OEM Elektron charger that will be here today to try. The one that came with it is OEM just different specs. Only 6V output? Of course the seller said everything worked fine for him.

New charger:
Elektron PSU-3c
Swilching Mode Power Supply
Model : GPE024P-120200-D
Design No: 2003051
Input/X7): 100-240V-50/60Hz 0.75A
Output/# 7):12.0V ==: 2.0A 24.0W Max

Old charger:
ELEKTRON PSU-2 Rev. B
Audio/Video
Switching Power Supply
Model: HK-AJ-060A300-DH
Input: 100-240V ~ 50/60Hz 0.8A
Output: 6V —3.0A

Anyone have some input on what might be happening here. Seems to me the DN wants more than 6V?

#2

when you look at at the back of your device you should see this. So, no 6V is not enough Screenshot 2024-04-12 at 14.57.35

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#3

I guess the charger you got with the DN is for another Elektron-box. The DN uses a 12V charger. I got the same as with the Syntakt.

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#4

this PSU might be for the model series, not the digis.

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#5

or older electron devices

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#6

Thanks for all of your replies. He certainly sent me the wrong charger. In communications now… I’m sure the new OEM one I ordered “12V” will be fine :roll_eyes:

#7

PSU 2-B is for octatrack mkI, dude is probably wondering right now why his octatrack won’t work. PSU 2-B is 6V DC, digitone uses the 12V center positive PSU 3-B / 3-C, you’ll be fine once the new charger arrives.

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#8

Haha! Exactly. Thanks for your reply.

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#9

For the future:

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#10

Hope the OP gets it sorted but this is why I label every PSU out of the box. Way to easy to make a painful mistake!

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#11

Dude just wrote back:
“I was using the other one on my Machinedrum and it seemed to be working fine.”
:smile:

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#12

This is Octatrack DPS-1 PSU, not Digi’s.

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#13

Ha, yes I think mkII machinedrum is probably the same supply as OT mkI so that makes sense. Although I think for him, using 12V power on a 6V device is not smart. That’s up to him if he wants to do something like that though, I wouldn’t recommend it however!

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#14

He is sending me the proper one and I am sending his (useless to me) one back…

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#15

Ok, waiting sucks but this is one of those times where you have to use the phrase “all’s well that ends well”. At least the postage will cost less than the new PSU you already purchased (if you decide to return it) and you should have the new charger today, so you will have a way to use the digitone until you receive the supply he’s sending.

Kind of a dumb problem to have to deal with, but I think it’s an honest mistake. At least he wasn’t trying to trick you by knowingly sending you something that didn’t work, and if anyone will suffer, I think it’s him for plugging in a 12V supply to the 6V device, however 6VDC 3.0 amps and 12VDC 2.0 amps when converted to watts are probably close enough to where his MD didn’t explode.

I think it’s 18W for the MD supply and max 24W for the digitone supply, but I think the digitone supply is a little underpowered from my experience so when tested it might put out less than that in practice. If you assume +/- 15% tolerance in most electronics equip then the 18W device can probably handle a max of 20.7W (18+2.7) and a 24W output charger will output on the low side of 20.4W (24-3.6).

Anyways, this is a “don’t try this at home” kind of test, because conversely if the DN charger had an unusually high output I think it would have fried his power board so it’s good that he didn’t lose his MD over the mistake.

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#16

Fortunately I’m able to play now due to the BirdCord I bought in the past.

From above:
I have a Birdcord PD→12V (USB PD Voltage Converter) that I bought in the past to power one of my previous Elektron machines by external bettery. I tried using this convertor with an Anker Prime 67W USB C Charger and it powers on fine.

Have a great weekend!

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#17

One thing more I like about the Roland SP404 MK2: It‘s actually got the name of the device printed on the PSU. Too bad I never use it because it also runs on battery and USB :grinning:

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#18

But when you eventually do, you’ll know it’s the right one!

#19

exactly!

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#20

Yeah, voltage is pushed, current is pulled (in super simplified terms). You’ll be unlikely to break a device by providing higher current (amps) as the device will only draw what it needs, but higher voltage can be fatal if the device hasn’t got adequate over voltage protection.

I once accidently popped a 24v power supply into a 9v cheap behringer pedal. Small pop, and a puff of acrid magic smoke was released. Panicking, I chucked it out the house, treating the damn thing like a hand grenade about to explode/burst into flames.

Lesson learned, every single PSU is now labeled on the socket and the connector head now! Thank fuck I didn’t accidently plug it into my DT or A4