[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Fix for spuriously rebooting Transporter

[mkbrucetx]

For a couple of months, my Transporter would spuriously reboot itself as
if it had lost power completely - relays clicking, logo scrolling, etc.

Not finding anything directly relevant through Google searches other
than a vague reference to the DC power supply being a cheap Chinese
switcher, I opened the cover and measured the PSU output - 5.1 V
unloaded, exactly what one might expect. However, plug in the front
panel, and the voltage dropped to 4.6 and wandered around between there
and 4.8-4.9 - the DC power supply was obviously hosed.

Searching around some more, I found a UK company that sells a rebranded
version of the exact same board from Unifive. I'll post a link in a
follow-on message (since this is my first post to this forum, I can't
post it here)

Confident in the fix, I ordered two ($8 each, but $31 shipping from the
UK to US). A few days later, the new supplies arrived at my door. Put
one in and checked voltage - 5.1V unloaded and 5.1V with the front panel
plugged in.

The Transporter is back in the rack and I'm hoping to not hear the
dreaded clicking of a reboot.

Hopefully this will help someone with a similar problem or a completely
dead front panel - check the DC supply between the front panel and the
main board in the back, but be careful. The back connector is 110VAC
when plugged in. The front connector is 4 pins but only the outer two
are used.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

Link to replacement power supply:

https://www.rapidonline.com/powerpax-uk-sw3376-mini-open-frame-psu-5vdc-2-3a-85-2251


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

Thanks for posting. I'm sure this will help some Transporter owner in
the future!



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

Thanks for the heads up. I have two myself, and I don't even have a
Transporter...yet.

Any chance I can have your old PSU? (I'll pay you to ship it to me) I'd
love to take a look at it with my magnifier. (If "yes", I'll PM you)


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

Fizbin wrote:
> Thanks for the heads up. I have two myself, and I don't even have a
> Transporter...yet.
>
> Any chance I can have your old PSU? (I'll pay you to ship it to me) I'd
> love to take a look at it with my magnifier. (If "yes", I'll PM you)

Sure - PM me your info and we can arrange something.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

Thanks! You'll have to turn your private message option ON. Right now
its disabled.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[drmatt]

It is quite normal for an unregulated power supply to drop output
voltage quite significantly when it's put under load. That may not be
your issue. It is a cheap test, however.




------------------------------------------------------------------------
drmatt's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=59498
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

drmatt wrote:
> It is quite normal for an unregulated power supply to drop output
> voltage quite significantly when it's put under load but I would have
> expected a regulated supply in that location. It is a cheap fix,
> however.

The 5VDC supply in the Transporter is load regulated to +/-5% and line
regulated to +/-1% according to the manufacturer specs.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

mkbrucetx: How is your Transporter doing since you replaced the PSU?


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

Fizbin wrote:
> mkbrucetx: How is your Transporter doing since you replaced the PSU?

Happy as a clam - no reboots or other weird behavior.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Dwaine]

I just replaced the 4 can caps with close capacitance and bump up the
voltage rating. The caps fit on the circuit board and the power supply
working great.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dwaine's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=61721
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

I'm getting a spurious Transporter reboot about once a day recently.
Looks like I need to install one of these new power supplies I bought a
while back.



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

garym wrote:
> I'm getting a spurious Transporter reboot about once a day recently.
> Looks like I need to install one of these new power supplies I bought a
> while back.

Very likely - it's a quick swap and your Transporter will be happy for
another 10+ years. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you could try
replacing the large electrolytic caps on the old supply and keeping it
for a spare....


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

mkbrucetx wrote:
> Very likely - it's a quick swap and your Transporter will be happy for
> another 10+ years. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you could try
> replacing the large electrolytic caps on the old supply and keeping it
> for a spare....

perfect. It'll be a week before I have time to take off case (any weird
thing about removing case? normal screws?).
p.s. I'm NOT handy with a soldering iron, but I purchased 3 of the
replacement power supplies so I should be good! I'm happy to mail the
old power supply to anyone that wants it though. just PM me.



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

garym wrote:
> perfect. It'll be a week before I have time to take off case (any weird
> thing about removing case? normal screws?).
> p.s. I'm NOT handy with a soldering iron, but I purchased 3 of the
> replacement power supplies so I should be good! I'm happy to mail the
> old power supply to anyone that wants it though. just PM me.

Case is secured with hex-head bolts on the sides of the case. Remove
them and slide the cover off. Power supply has two connections and is
secured by screws to the bottom of the case. The replacement supply is
an exact replacement so it drops right in.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

mkbrucetx wrote:
> Case is secured with hex-head bolts on the sides of the case. Remove
> them and slide the cover off. Power supply has two connections and is
> secured by screws to the bottom of the case. The replacement supply is
> an exact replacement so it drops right in.

thanks.



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

Just did the replacement. All working, but since the reboots were only
about once or twice a day, I won't know for sure that problem solved.
Regarding fix, it took about 10 minutes, and 9 minutes of that was
unscrewing the 8 screws that hold the case on (1/16" allen key/hex key)
and the 3 screws holding down the power supply (5/64 allen key/hex key).

I didn't notice anything odd on the old power supply (then again, it
wasn't completely broken....)



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

garym wrote:
> Just did the replacement. All working, but since the reboots were only
> about once or twice a day, I won't know for sure that problem solved.
> Regarding fix, it took about 10 minutes, and 9 minutes of that was
> unscrewing the 8 screws that hold the case on (1/16" allen key/hex key)
> and the 3 screws holding down the power supply (5/64 allen key/hex
> key).
>
> I didn't notice anything odd on the old power supply (then again, it
> wasn't completely broken....)

I have mkbrucetx's old PSU that he sent me. I can't find anything odd
looking about it either.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

Fizbin wrote:
> I have mkbrucetx's old PSU that he sent me. I can't find anything odd
> looking about it either.

I too looked for obviously bulging caps or burned traces/components, but
didn't see any. Since I found replacements, I didn't bother pulling and
testing individual components - but kind of wished I had. The large
electrolytic caps are likely the culprits.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

I can send it back if you want. :)


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[RonM]

The thread got me thinking. . .

I bought two of these, put them in a labelled plastic ziplock bag for
safe-keeping, but have no actual idea where I put them. And it's only
been a couple of months. Imagine the situation in a couple of years.

I'm sure they are somewhere obvious and I can find them, but it is a
reminder for systematic storage.



LMS on a dedicated server (FitPC3)
Transporter (Ethernet) - main listening, Onkyo receiver, Paradigm
speakers
Touch (WiFi) - home theater 5.1, Sony receiver, Energy speakers
Boom 1 (WiFi) - work-space
Boom 2 (WiFi) - various (deck, garage, etc.)
Radio (WiFi) - home office
Control - Squeeze Control (Android mobile), 2 Controllers (seldom used),
Squeeze Remote (on Surface Pro 4)
Touch x 1 - spare
UE Radio x 1 - spare
Boom x 1 - spare
Controller x 1 - Spare
Duet Receiver (backup)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RonM's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17029
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

RonM wrote:
> The thread got me thinking. . .
>
> I bought two of these, put them in a labelled plastic ziplock bag for
> safe-keeping, but have no actual idea where I put them. And it's only
> been a couple of months. Imagine the situation in a couple of years.
>
> I'm sure they are somewhere obvious and I can find them, but it is a
> reminder for systematic storage.

Funny, I bought 3, and when I actually needed one I had to look in 4 or
5 places before I found them. And they don't "look" like anything in
particular, wrapped in plastic and are small!



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[mkbrucetx]

garym wrote:
> Funny, I bought 3, and when I actually needed one I had to look in 4 or
> 5 places before I found them. And they don't "look" like anything in
> particular, wrapped in plastic and are small!

I thought about taping the spare inside the Transporter, but didn't.
Now, where is that thing????


------------------------------------------------------------------------
mkbrucetx's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=65854
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

mkbrucetx wrote:
> I thought about taping the spare inside the Transporter, but didn't.
> Now, where is that thing????

Actually that's an excellent idea (but of course I'm too lazy to remove
the TP from the stack and open up again).



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Julf]

garym wrote:
> Actually that's an excellent idea.

Not sure. Especially electrolytic capacitors don't like to be stored in
a warm place.



"To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this
fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt
edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Julf's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=42050
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[garym]

Julf wrote:
> Not sure. Especially electrolytic capacitors don't like to be stored in
> a warm place.

aha. so good thing I didn't. :cool:



*Home:* VortexBox 4TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio
(all ethernet)
*Cottage:* VBA 3TB (2.3) > LMS 7.8 > Touch > Benchmark DAC I, Boom,
Radio w/Battery (all ethernet except Radio)
*Office:* Win8(64) > LMS 7.9 > Squeezelite
*Spares:* Transporter, Touch(3), Radio(3), Boom, SB3, CONTROLLER
*Controllers:* iPhone6 & iPadAir2 (iPeng8 & Squeezepad), CONTROLLER, or
SqueezePlay 7.8 on Win7(64) laptop
*Files:* ripping: dbpoweramp > FLAC; post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes;
Streaming: Spotify
------------------------------------------------------------------------
garym's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=17325
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[golddustpeak]

Thank you, Thank you Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to this topic there is one more Transporter back in service.



Squeezebox Duet, Squeezebox Boom, Transporter, Squeezebox Classic, Radio
------------------------------------------------------------------------
golddustpeak's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=29012
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[arkadi58]

So my transporter started to reboot once or twice a day, and since
yesterday it is dead. It does reset itself when I hold down the POWER
button for several seconds.
Measured the voltages, the audio section looks fine, but that extra 5V
PS seems bad. The test point on the front panel PCB next to the power
connection drops to 3.1 V when operational, the idle voltage of the PS
is 5V.
There is another test point on the main board next to the ribbon
connector the front panel. Same thing: 3.1V instead of 5V.

So it looks like another one of these PS. No visual clues as to which
component is bad, but I think it is worth getting a replacement and
trying it out.

thanks for the info.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
arkadi58's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=21158
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

arkadi58 wrote:
> So my transporter started to reboot once or twice a day, and since
> yesterday it is dead. It does reset itself when I hold down the POWER
> button for several seconds.
> Measured the voltages, the audio section looks fine, but that extra 5V
> PS seems bad. The test point on the front panel PCB next to the power
> connection drops to 3.1 V when operational, the idle voltage of the PS
> is 5V.
> There is another test point on the main board next to the ribbon
> connector the front panel. Same thing: 3.1V instead of 5V.
>
> So it looks like another one of these PS. No visual clues as to which
> component is bad, but I think it is worth getting a replacement and
> trying it out.
>
> thanks for the info.

A few members here had the same problem with their Transporter's. The
new PSU corrected it.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[arkadi58]

arkadi58 wrote:
>
> So it looks like another one of these PS. No visual clues as to which
> component is bad, but I think it is worth getting a replacement and
> trying it out.
>
> thanks for the info.

I got a comparable PS from a local source; the size is different, so the
result is not that pretty, but an immediate success.
22124
Here is a picture of the old PS; there are some signs of heat damage,
right opposite the voltage regulator.
22125


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: 20170214_113528.jpg |
|Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22125|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

------------------------------------------------------------------------
arkadi58's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=21158
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[Fizbin]

Just curious... What's the make and model number of that PSU?


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fizbin's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58734
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[arkadi58]

Fizbin wrote:
> Just curious... What's the make and model number of that PSU?

Mean Well PS-15-5, ***@5V; I got it from 'Distrelec'
(https://www.distrelec.ch/de/schaltnetzteil-14-ausgang-mean-well-ps-15/p/16994624).
As the terminals are different, I got a couple of crimp contacts,
'SVH-21T-P1.1'
(https://www.distrelec.ch/de/crimpkontakt-female-22-18-awg-jst-svh-21t-p1/p/30021734),
which I soldered onto the wire ends.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
arkadi58's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=21158
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822

[arnyk]

arkadi58 wrote:
> I got a comparable PS from a local source; the size is different, so the
> result is not that pretty, but an immediate success.
> 22124
> Here is a picture of the old PS; there are some signs of heat damage,
> right opposite the voltage regulator.
> 22125

Glad it was the fix. The symptoms were classic.

Point of interest is that in switchmode power supplies like this, there
is usually no single voltage regulator. Most of the active parts are
inside a feedback loop that couples back to the power line side with an
opto-isolator.

The slippery slope to failure usually starts with a slowly partially
failing electrolytic cap or transistor. its internal resistance
increases a little at a time. The power supply may still measure OK
with no load, but in use, some voltage output is well below spec.

For example, the spec for 5 volts is on the order of 4.75 volts minimum.
So the 3-ish volts that was observed was solidly in failure territory.
Given the low costs and possibility of multiple degraded components, a
total replace makes a ton of sense.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
arnyk's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=64365
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=105822