Just Bought CP-251 from E-Bay. Working?

The Moog Forum Moogerfooger Forum
1

Hows it going? Hoping someone can help me out as not sure what to do in this circumstance. I’ve just received the CP-251 from a seller on eBay in the USA, delivered here to me in New Zealand.

Here’s what I’ve just written to the seller on e-bay:

CP-251

Hi there

Got the CP-251 today, thanks, set it up with my Minitaur and am new to CV. I have a Moog CP-251 power supply for use here in New Zealand, 100-240V 50/60Hz, 9V DC and 2A, all compliant with what’s in the Moog manual.

The CP-251 manual and also the sticker on the metal plate underneath say that the red light by LFO will come on when its powered, and also on various videos I’ve watched, however this light doesn’t come on and I notice its not on in your advertised photos either? I can hear my Minitaur through my monitors, and then patch in the Pitch CV to the LFO Square and attempt to turn the LFO knob. but I notice nothing. It doesn’t appear to be powered or working?

Can you guide me through any steps to see if the device is working as it doesn’t appear to be?

So I’m reaching out to you to ask for guidance on this or what we can do about it?Please allow me to re-iterate that I’m new to CV :slight_smile:

Thanks, Jon

Can anyone offer any advice of what I should patch to what to test to see if it’s working?

Most importantly can anyone confirm that when power is supplied to the CP-251 the LFO red light comes on? Always? And in sync with the LFO rte presumably? (Mine doesn’t come on at all?!) I’l obviously wait to hear what the seller has to say also.

What should I do in my circumstances? If it isn’t working am I best to lodge a complaint through my credit card company, paypal or e-Bay? I haven’t been impressed with previous complaints to eBay for fake trademarked items! And of course pal pal is owned by eBay…

Hopeing this is just simple and with the right assistance I can get it to work as it should?

Thanks in advance, J

2

I dont know the e-bay rules about what to do with stuff.

That said, open the back plate and make sure that the power jack is plugged into the pins on the board. They come loose sometimes.

The LFO light should always be on when power is applied, and by on, I mean flashing at the rate that the knob is set.

Otherwise double check that your power supply does in fact work.

Beyond that, get your money back.

3

What Alien8 said.

Although very unlikely that only the LFO section would not work (or a bad LED), you can insert a TRS (stereo) patch cable in any of the jacks with a white ring around them and measure voltage between the ring and the sleeve. It should read 5.6 (or just about) volts. It it does not and assuming your DC adapter is working ok, there are some problems with the unit.

4

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

I’ve checked the DC output of the power supply wall wart and confirmed 10v DC is being output. This is the power supply I bought, which has a negative tip centre:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JGSZP5C/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1

The CP-251 Manual States:

The CP251 is designed to operate on a conventional +9 volt power adapter with a current rating of 200 milliamperes or higher. If you wish to use a special power supply, it should deliver no less than +9.0 volts and no more than +12.0 volts, and have a
current rating of no less than 100 milliamperes

I’ve tried the rear and underneath DC input sockets on the CP-251 and no LED light.

I’ve tried plugging in a TS patch lead into the Red, powered sockets of this CP-251 and I can’t read any voltages, between the tip and the sleeve on all but the lower two powered sockets on the right, marked sample and hold in and trig. These both supply 2v ish when the DV input is connected to either the rear or underneath DC socket. All other Red powered sockets supply nothing.

I’ve carefully taken off the back plate and can see that the rear and underneath DC sockets are soldered to different parts of the PCB and internally I can’t see anything blindingly obviously, like cracked solder joints, but I’m no electronics engineer :slight_smile:

Looks like it’s dead on arrival? Am I missing anything here?

Boo. Ah the joys of ebay. Lets now see if I can get the $300 back.. :frowning:

5

Not so awesome.

Looks like the wall wart I purcahased off ebay as compatable with the CP-251 has the wrong polarity. It’s negative and the supplied USA 110v wall wart supplied has a positive polarity. Really?! Hoping I havent damaged the CP-251 and a replacement wall wart may be all that is required. Anyone know if it has polarity protection? I didn’t hear any pops or see any smoke?!!!

Feel like a numpty now for trusting the advertisement of the wall wart I purchased.

Can anyone else confirm that the CP-251 is positive polarity?

Thanks, J

6

So it was an incorrectly specified power supply. So a warning to anyone considering purchasing this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JGSZP5C/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1

It’s the wrong polarity. Needs to be positive, not negative. Lucky for me it didn’t blow up the CP-251 :slight_smile: phew.

Bought one and the CP-251 is working fine now. I was lucky.

Now I’m discovering the pleasure of patching :slight_smile:

Thanks for your input :slight_smile:

7

Yes, polarity came to my mind… the guitar world is all negative center tap while the fooger world is positive center tap, but you said your DC adapter was up to spec. I sometimes use “guitar” dc power supplies. No big deal, cut the wire and splice it reversed or use reversible connectors for more versatility :sunglasses:

So all is good in the end.