Problem with Visual Sound 1Spot power supply. R.G.?

Zero · January 30, 2007, 08:10:58 AM

As far as I can tell from the picture, that isn't just an ordinary power strip ...
Does it have a built-in voltage regulator?
Or is it one of those master/slave strips where turning on equipment on one plug (master) turns on all the other plugs?

If any of the previous is true, the power strip may indeed be having difficulties getting along with the one-spot.

sfr · January 30, 2007, 08:31:00 AM

Looks like it might be this one. (We've got one in the break room at work, I just read the model number off of it.) Manual/Tech info here

rockgardenlove · January 30, 2007, 03:02:11 PM

That does look like my strip indeed...

96ecss · January 30, 2007, 09:25:40 PM

Quote from: R.G. on January 29, 2007, 04:35:40 PM

I almost hate to get into a detailed discussion of this because simply talking about a few failures gets translated into the internet rumor that "hey, I think I remember something about six months ago on a forum where there was hum coming from 1Spots... I bet they're all no good." The statistics say very much the opposite. But satisfied people don't tend to post and say "I have one of these and they are still working great!" - 8bitrockout's manly testamonial being the exception that proves the rule.

That's very true about the rumors. In the past, I've read bad things about 1 Spots in other forums. I never bought one because of that. Since I've been reading the posts here, I've really come to respect everything that R.G. says, so I think I'll be buying one soon. As always, a big thanks to R.G. for the education I get from reading his posts.

Dave

Fuzzy-Train · January 30, 2007, 10:27:59 PM

Don't mean to derail the thread.... I just have a quick question about the 1spot: Would it be bad to hook 6 pedals up to it? I have one pedal that's 3 circuits in 1 and all 3 are going to the same DC jack... I also have a wah, and a tremolo hooked up in the daisy chain... I was just wondering if it's possible to add another one since I still have 2 DC plugs left.

rockgardenlove · January 30, 2007, 11:48:15 PM

It's not an issue of the number of pedals, but the current draw. Seeing as the current rating is 1700 mA, you should have no problem. Just add up the current draw of the pedals you've got goint. For example, a DS-1 has a 4 mA draw. So you could in theory power 425 DS-1s from a One Spot (I wouldn't actually do this though because we don't know if the 1700 mA current rating is higher than you can realistically go, or lower, or whatever. To measure the current draw, just disconnect the + to the pedal, and use your multimeter to measure the current draw across the board + and the + of the battery or powersupply.

Meanderthal · January 31, 2007, 02:20:40 AM

Sooo... what would cause a one-spot to blink on and off like a christmas light flasher? Just curious, that's what mine does...

rockgardenlove · January 31, 2007, 02:26:26 AM

..huh? It has lights on it?

Or are you joking...?

Meanderthal · January 31, 2007, 02:56:58 AM

No lights... it puts out power in 'flashes'. When you try to use it to power a pedal, it's the pedal's led (and everything else) that's blinking. On...off...on...off...on... about every second or so.

rockgardenlove · January 31, 2007, 03:20:34 AM

Bizarre.

Meanderthal · January 31, 2007, 03:35:41 AM

Ain't it?

ulysses · January 31, 2007, 03:57:25 AM

wouldnt 9v at 1a be more like 12v?

have you tried it with 20 pedals plugged in as advertised? with 20 pedals it may actually drop down to 9v..

anyone tried the 1 spot with a phaser like the phase 90? does it still phase?

cheers
ulysses

rockgardenlove · January 31, 2007, 05:23:02 AM

I use mine with my EHX Small Stone. I measure 9.49 volts. That's with 5 pedals.

Zero · January 31, 2007, 06:02:24 AM

Quote from: Meanderthal on January 31, 2007, 02:56:58 AM
No lights... it puts out power in 'flashes'. When you try to use it to power a pedal, it's the pedal's led (and everything else) that's blinking. On...off...on...off...on... about every second or so.

It might be loose contact of the coaxial ("barrel") plug... It has happened to me as well, but it had nothing to do with the onespot, but with the cheap daisy chain cable I was using.. I could literally kick my pedals to turn the power on and off

So try connecting the One-spot directly to the pedal if you haven't already done so.

Effect pedals usually have the (non-official) standard coaxial power jack: 2.1mm (~0.082 inches) for the inner connector (pin). If the hole in the connector of your daisy chain is not narrow enough, it won't grab the pin properly, resulting in a loose contact.

Quote from: ulysses on January 31, 2007, 03:57:25 AM
wouldnt 9v at 1a be more like 12v?

have you tried it with 20 pedals plugged in as advertised? with 20 pedals it may actually drop down to 9v..

anyone tried the 1 spot with a phaser like the phase 90? does it still phase?

cheers
ulysses

As far as I know, the One-Spot is stabilized (regul, which would mean that the output voltage should not change that radically with the load.
If you measure a power supply directly (without any pedals attached) you will sometimes get the 12V you're talking about... but a soon as there's a load on the supply, the voltage will drop.

I've had a DIY Phase 90 clone running with my One-Spot(s) for a couple of years now.... no problems at all.

Meanderthal · January 31, 2007, 08:01:50 AM

Quotetry connecting the One-spot directly to the pedal if you haven't already done so.

Tried that first, no workees. Tried several pedals too. Also tried plugging directly to outlet, no power strip. All the same.

R.G. · January 31, 2007, 08:31:26 AM

Quote from: rockgardenloveSo you could in theory power 425 DS-1s from a One Spot (I wouldn't actually do this though because we don't know if the 1700 mA current rating is higher than you can realistically go, or lower, or whatever.

Actually we do know. The 1.7A rating is rock solid real. I would leave some room for the pedals to fluctuate in power a little, but you can easily use 1.5A out of a 1Spot. The problem then shifts to being - does your wiring to the pedals handle this well?

Quote from: ulysseswouldnt 9v at 1a be more like 12v?

Unlike simple wall warts, the 1Spot doe not have the higher voltage under no load. It's typically just a hair over 9V, like a fresh "9V" battery is. It stays there throughout its power range.

Quote from: ulysseshave you tried it with 20 pedals plugged in as advertised? with 20 pedals it may actually drop down to 9v..

It doesn't, unless the wiring to the pedals causes the drop.

Quote from: ulyssesanyone tried the 1 spot with a phaser like the phase 90? does it still phase?

I've seen them power all kinds of pedals. If the phaser worked before the 1Spot, it works with the 1Spot.

Quote from: meanderthalSooo... what would cause a one-spot to blink on and off like a christmas light flasher? Just curious, that's what mine does...

You have a defective one. Take it back and get a new one. The blinking is a known manufacturing problem that happens in a few of them. It's the internal power supply realizing that it's not working right and trying to restart. In a few of them, the failure is that the power circuit can't recognize that it IS working right, so it tries to restart forever. Get one that's good. If it's in warranty, there should be no difficulty whatsoever.

If you do have a problem with warranty replacements within the warranty period, send me email.

Paul_5 · August 19, 2018, 06:34:51 PM

My trusty 1Spot (of some 5 or 6 years) has developed a problem: at rehearsal tonight (known good, clean AC supply in the rehearsal room) the LEDs on my pedals started pulsing, and there was noise coming from the board. Amp's clean as a whistle without the board, and just tried it at home and it's doing the same thing.

Anyone else had one fail like this?

PRR · August 19, 2018, 11:14:17 PM

I'm no expert, but it smells like a short or overload. Disconnect pedals one at a time, see if one makes it sick.

Paul_5 · August 21, 2018, 07:42:09 AM

Tried this, also disconnected all the patch cables and tried it. Then I tried without the daisy chain attachment and it did the same. Has it finally died?

PRR · August 21, 2018, 03:38:09 PM

> Has it finally died?

Call/write the company. I don't know what the warranty covers, but the customer rep probably knows all the issues and can suggest what to do. (I had a stunningly good response from DeWalt recently-- he listened to my story, understood that I had not been stupid, *insisted* on sending me a paid return box, even though I had no receipt, and apologized in advance for the delay over X-mas/NewYear break. I got a new one that did work, and their geek got a dead one to autopsy, probably an assembly mistake.)

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Problem with Visual Sound 1Spot power supply. R.G.?