Vintage Synth Repair

Hi all,

I recently purchased a Moog Source from the U.S., but I live in Europe
where the electric current is around 230V/50Hz, as opposed to the
current in the U.S. which is 110V/60Hz.
I've understood that the convertion of a Moog Source to 230V is a
rather simple procedure, just rewiring something in the power supply,
but I guess I would need the schematics to do so.
So, does someone have, or know where to find the schematics for the
power supply, or does someone have ANY information on the subject that
would help making the convertion?

Please contribute with any info/advice/tips/ideas! I've already tried
the "oldsynth" group for help, but no luck yet.

Thanks in advance,
Einar

P.S. I found most of the schematics for the Source on the Encore
electronics web site, but ironically the power supply wasn't included.

Surely it is easier to use a step-down transformer to convert the 
power supply. Probably safer as well.

--- In vintagesynthrepair@y..., "einarekstrom" <einarekstrom@y...> 
wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I recently purchased a Moog Source from the U.S., but I live in 
Europe
> where the electric current is around 230V/50Hz, as opposed to the
> current in the U.S. which is 110V/60Hz.
> I've understood that the convertion of a Moog Source to 230V is a
> rather simple procedure, just rewiring something in the power 
supply,
> but I guess I would need the schematics to do so.
> So, does someone have, or know where to find the schematics for the
> power supply, or does someone have ANY information on the subject 
that
> would help making the convertion?
> 
> Please contribute with any info/advice/tips/ideas! I've already 
tried
> the "oldsynth" group for help, but no luck yet.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Einar
> 
> P.S. I found most of the schematics for the Source on the Encore
> electronics web site, but ironically the power supply wasn't 
included.

> Surely it is easier to use a step-down transformer to convert the 
> power supply. Probably safer as well.
> 
> --- In vintagesynthrepair@y..., "einarekstrom" <einarekstrom@y...> 
> wrote:
> > Hi all,
> > 
> > I recently purchased a Moog Source from the U.S., but I live in  Europe
> > where the electric current is around 230V/50Hz, as opposed to the
> > current in the U.S. which is 110V/60Hz.
> > I've understood that the convertion of a Moog Source to 230V is a
> > rather simple procedure, just rewiring something in the power 
> > supply, but I guess I would need the schematics to do so.
> > So, does someone have, or know where to find the schematics for the
> > power supply, or does someone have ANY information on the subject 
> > that would help making the convertion?
> > 
> 
I respectfully disagree.  I'm in the US and I've purchased gear from
all over the world.  Whenever I have the service manual and can
easily change the power over to 110v, I do it.  even so, I still
have a number of 240v only pieces.  My solution for those was to either
buya small Radio Shack step-up transformer ($40 each) or a larger
300/500 watt step up transformer and a European power strip and plug
multiple devices into that.  The problem is that this solution requires
that all your "non-standard" power gear is in the same general
location.

It also can lead to stupid mistakes that you make when you're tired or
in a hurry:  I have 2 Bel delays one is still 240v and the other is 120v.
Both use an IEC connector in the back.  I had them racked up and was
in the process of making cables and testing out all my effects.  I
had a step-up transformer to test Bel unit #1 (240v) and after checking it
out, I powered it down and moved the power cord to the next unit.
Powered it up and found out what happens to power supply caps when an
overvoltage is applied (smoke, noise, and electrolytic fluid leaking
all over the circuit board).  Fortunately, the unit still works after
this experience (although I'm still recapping the PS board and checking out
the regulators).
-- 

_______________________________________________________________________
Tom Moravansky                                    tom@...

Buying a step-down transformer is my last resort, if I can't find any 
other solution. 
But still I would prefer getting the power supply permanently 
converted to 230V. 
There's a potential problem in using a step-down transformer. If I 
remember correctly it says on the back panel of the Source that it 
accepts 110V/60Hz and 120V/50Hz, but the ónly converter I can find in 
the shops in here is 110V/50Hz, which apparently doesn't fit the 
Source then(?).

Anyway, as i understood, the power supply of the Source is built in 
such a way that this convertion should be easy to make, I just need 
the schematics...

Thanks,
Einar


--- In vintagesynthrepair@y..., Tom Moravansky <tom@s...> wrote:
> > Surely it is easier to use a step-down transformer to convert the 
> > power supply. Probably safer as well.
> > 


> > 
> I respectfully disagree.  I'm in the US and I've purchased gear from
> all over the world.  Whenever I have the service manual and can
> easily change the power over to 110v, I do it.  even so, I still
> have a number of 240v only pieces.  My solution for those was to 
either
> buya small Radio Shack step-up transformer ($40 each) or a larger
> 300/500 watt step up transformer and a European power strip and plug
> multiple devices into that.  The problem is that this solution 
requires
> that all your "non-standard" power gear is in the same general
> location.
> 
> It also can lead to stupid mistakes that you make when you're tired 
or
> in a hurry:  I have 2 Bel delays one is still 240v and the other is 
120v.
> Both use an IEC connector in the back.  I had them racked up and was
> in the process of making cables and testing out all my effects.  I
> had a step-up transformer to test Bel unit #1 (240v) and after 
checking it
> out, I powered it down and moved the power cord to the next unit.
> Powered it up and found out what happens to power supply caps when 
an
> overvoltage is applied (smoke, noise, and electrolytic fluid leaking
> all over the circuit board).  Fortunately, the unit still works 
after
> this experience (although I'm still recapping the PS board and 
checking out
> the regulators).
> -- 
> 
> 
______________________________________________________________________
_
> Tom Moravansky                                    tom@s...

Einar,

You may want to check with digikey.com for the Power-One internal 
PSUs.  I'm not sure what the power requirements for the Source are, 
as mine's somewhere int the basement. I used a Power One on my ARP 
2600 and it supports both voltages.  It may be too big to fit in the 
case though.  I'm not too sure of the dimensions for the required 
power output.

Good luck!

Guv


--- In vintagesynthrepair@y..., "einarekstrom" <einarekstrom@y...> 
wrote:
> Buying a step-down transformer is my last resort, if I can't find 
any 
> other solution. 
> But still I would prefer getting the power supply permanently 
> converted to 230V. 
> There's a potential problem in using a step-down transformer. If I 
> remember correctly it says on the back panel of the Source that it 
> accepts 110V/60Hz and 120V/50Hz, but the ónly converter I can find 
in 
> the shops in here is 110V/50Hz, which apparently doesn't fit the 
> Source then(?).
> 
> Anyway, as i understood, the power supply of the Source is built in 
> such a way that this convertion should be easy to make, I just need 
> the schematics...
> 
> Thanks,
> Einar
> 
> 
> --- In vintagesynthrepair@y..., Tom Moravansky <tom@s...> wrote:
> > > Surely it is easier to use a step-down transformer to convert 
the 
> > > power supply. Probably safer as well.
> > > 
> 
> 
> > > 
> > I respectfully disagree.  I'm in the US and I've purchased gear 
from
> > all over the world.  Whenever I have the service manual and can
> > easily change the power over to 110v, I do it.  even so, I still
> > have a number of 240v only pieces.  My solution for those was to 
> either
> > buya small Radio Shack step-up transformer ($40 each) or a larger
> > 300/500 watt step up transformer and a European power strip and 
plug
> > multiple devices into that.  The problem is that this solution 
> requires
> > that all your "non-standard" power gear is in the same general
> > location.
> > 
> > It also can lead to stupid mistakes that you make when you're 
tired 
> or
> > in a hurry:  I have 2 Bel delays one is still 240v and the other 
is 
> 120v.
> > Both use an IEC connector in the back.  I had them racked up and 
was
> > in the process of making cables and testing out all my effects.  I
> > had a step-up transformer to test Bel unit #1 (240v) and after 
> checking it
> > out, I powered it down and moved the power cord to the next unit.
> > Powered it up and found out what happens to power supply caps 
when 
> an
> > overvoltage is applied (smoke, noise, and electrolytic fluid 
leaking
> > all over the circuit board).  Fortunately, the unit still works 
> after
> > this experience (although I'm still recapping the PS board and 
> checking out
> > the regulators).
> > -- 
> > 
> > 
> 
______________________________________________________________________
> _
> > Tom Moravansky                                    tom@s...