Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

when i turn my board on  it comes up warning low battery voltage.  can anyone tell me what this means and how to fix it.  thanks


---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search

There is a backup rechargeable battery that keeps all your RAM memory, 
when the power is off.
This has a life of five years, after which you get a new one.
I don't know, where you can buy one, but it may be a standard one, if 
you know the type, size, voltage, etc.
In other products, like TVs, the battery is soldered at both ends, and 
you unsolder it, then solder a new one on it. Maybe your VFX is similar.
I have had my SD1 32voice around 10 years, plus, and haven't reached 
that point.
If you haven't used the keyboard for a long time, maybe the power needs 
left on for a while to recharge the battery, but if not, and the battery 
dies, the keyboard does not retain the memory when switched off. That 
means, after each power up, you must reload the sequencing operating 
software, the sounds, presets, sequences, etc., and it is advisable, 
from now on to save everything before turning the power off.

Good Luck

Ralph :-)



roger mo wrote:

> when i turn my board on  it comes up warning low battery voltage.  can 
> anyone tell me what this means and how to fix it.  thanks.
>

Replacement batteries can be special ordered through Radio Shack. I got mine off the shelf from a local electronics supply house. The kind folks at Route 66 also have them. Theirs comes with a battery holder that can be soldered in place so the next time the battery dies, you won't have to resolder battery leads.
Make sure you are comfortable soldering or don't try this at home. This would not be a good place to try to learn to solder.

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

If you spring for a battery holder, then the battery is an off the shelf
item.  
I believe a battery hoder and a lithium CR2032 battery will fix you up
fine.
There's lots of info on the net about changing the VFX's battery.  The
archives of this group should help you find said info.
Make a joyful noise,
Nathan

------------------------------------------------------------

For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the
dry?
-Jesus

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

Bear in mind, Ensoniq, and other manufacturers, chose not to have a pull 
out battery due to the high level of dust, and mould that can have 
effect on the performance and safety (Sparks in a dusty environment is 
not healthy), and four or five users saying they haven't had a problem, 
to their knowledge, doesn't help the two or three who have. As mould and 
deposits build up on all four terminals, the greater the risk of 
malfunction, randomly loosing your data on power off, and eventually, 
after rotating the battery, every so often, may eventually require a 
wire brush to all terminals.

However, maybe the proper batteries will be unavailable soon, and this 
is the only solution.

If you do use the cradle (Which I have not seen) I would suggest 
ensuring contacts are good, and that the elasticity is tight to ensure a 
firm connection, and reduce the risks of sparks.

Good Luck.

Ralph :-)



Nathan I Smutz wrote:

> If you spring for a battery holder, then the battery is an off the shelf
> item. 
> I believe a battery hoder and a lithium CR2032 battery will fix you up
> fine.
> There's lots of info on the net about changing the VFX's battery.  The
> archives of this group should help you find said info.
> Make a joyful noise,
> Nathan
>

One thing that might be easier for everyone, and has worked nicely on 
my SD-1/32 is to purchase from R.S. a 2-AA battery holder, the 
connector clip, and solder the leads from the connector clip to the 
main board.  Use Lithium "AA" batteries, and they are quickly 
replaceable, and easily found almost anywhere.  My board has worked 
flawlessly since doing this, and you have the required 3 volts with 
this setup.

- Jeremy.


--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, Ralph Stokes <keysralph@y...> 
wrote:
> Bear in mind, Ensoniq, and other manufacturers, chose not to have a 
pull 
> out battery due to the high level of dust, and mould that can have 
> effect on the performance and safety (Sparks in a dusty environment 
is 
> not healthy), and four or five users saying they haven't had a 
problem, 
> to their knowledge, doesn't help the two or three who have. As 
mould and 
> deposits build up on all four terminals, the greater the risk of 
> malfunction, randomly loosing your data on power off, and 
eventually, 
> after rotating the battery, every so often, may eventually require 
a 
> wire brush to all terminals.
> 
> However, maybe the proper batteries will be unavailable soon, and 
this 
> is the only solution.
> 
> If you do use the cradle (Which I have not seen) I would suggest 
> ensuring contacts are good, and that the elasticity is tight to 
ensure a 
> firm connection, and reduce the risks of sparks.
> 
> Good Luck.
> 
> Ralph :-)
> 
> 
> 
> Nathan I Smutz wrote:
> 
> > If you spring for a battery holder, then the battery is an off 
the shelf
> > item. 
> > I believe a battery hoder and a lithium CR2032 battery will fix 
you up
> > fine.
> > There's lots of info on the net about changing the VFX's 
battery.  The

> > archives of this group should help you find said info.
> > Make a joyful noise,
> > Nathan
> >