Power issue with original Line 6 DL4/MM4

[Rodgre]

I have first generation DL-4 and MM-4 units that I have been using live, every weekend pretty much since they were released in '99. I have one issue that I would like to know if there is a fix for.

When playing shows with less-than-ideal power, I will have both units flash and bypass with power surges (loud kick drums on a downbeat, pushing a subwoofer on the same AC circuit, for example). All of my other pedals are analog and don't have this issue, but the Line 6 Modelers do this constantly at gigs like this. I've sometimes been able to circumvent it by running power to my pedals from a different circuit than the PA, but in the middle of a set, I'm sort of stuck with this happening. My DL-4 is pretty much a constant part of my tone and to have it bypass twenty times in one song is not acceptable. I am using individual Line 6 power supplies with them (the ones they came with). Other than investing in a true line conditioner for power, is there anything that can be done to keep this from happening?  Would using a 12VAC power supply help the situation, by not having the voltage drop below 9VAC when this happens, or is it a current issue? 

Is there any sort of circuit that I could build to put between the power supply and the pedals to regulate the power better? Is there any kind of solution to this problem or should I go back to pre Line 6 times and pull of my Deluxe Memory Man and half a dozen modulation pedals?

Thank you!
Roger

[duck_arse]

a battery? it should be possible [I have no idea] to OR the mains adaptor output with a battery, such that the battery is only supplying power to the circuits in question when the mains drops out.

[Kevin Mitchell]

Umm... since when did the DL4 come with a power supply? Did you buy used?

Thought - the supply isn't right. Just like when the batteries are low, the pedal turns itself off.

When I had one on my pedal board I only used my PP+2 brick with the L6 power setup (use the inverted/red jack and flip the DIP switch for unregulated power - per the owners manual). Never had a problem.


-KM

[Rodgre]

It's possible that the DL-4 and MM-4 did not come standard with power supplies back in the day, but in any case, I ordered supplies for them when I bought them (brand new). I've actually never run them with batteries since I got them. Again, I've been using them for 20+ years of constant weekly gigging (until the pandemic) at this point. No major issues other than the power drop outs (usually at outdoor gigs).

I guess what I really should do is to figure out how the internal power supply inside the pedals is working and how it tells the circuit to abandon ship and bypass when fed with a low voltage. Maybe there just isn't a solution without a large power regulator unit (which I have, but I'm not going to tap into 220v just to power my pedals).

I'll keep scratching my head for now.

Thank you!
Roger

[Rodgre]

So I'm still looking for answers on this issue. I had the same problem again over the weekend at an outdoor show.

I am using the correct Line 6 Power supplies that I bought when I got these pedals new 20+ years ago. Everything is fine unless I am playing someplace with weak AC service and tied into the same circuit as the PA. A heavy downbeat occurs and both pedals bypass themselves.

I'm trying to brainstorm a solution and if anyone with more experience than me can chime in, please do.

My current thought is that I could perhaps use a bigger power supply, perhaps 25VAC? Feed that into some sort of regulation circuit that knocks it down to 9VAC and keeps it clamped there so a power surge/dip will not affect anything. I'm not sure what that circuit would look like yet, but it's the best that I can come up with at the moment.

Thoughts?

Roger

[PRR]

Replace C40.

https://music-electronics-forum.com/forum/effectification/guitar-effects/40893-line-6-dl4-flashing-preset-leds