Powering multiple Foogers

[ark]

Please fill us in why there is a absence in the Moog product line of a power supply for multiple Moogerfoogers including the MP-201.

The short answer is that we could not engineer a solution that was more economical than the Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2+.

I looked at the specs for the current line of Voodoo Labs power-supply products. One of them produces AC output, so that's not suitable. A second one, Pedal Power 2 Plus, has no outputs rated at 300 mA -- it has four outputs at 100 mA and two at 250 mA. The third, Pedal Power ISO-5, has three 100 mA outputs and one 300 mA output.

So of all their products, only the ISO-5 produces enough output for Moogerfoogers, and that one can power only a single Fooger. Is it possible that they have discontinued the only product that is useful for this purpose?

[latigid on]

Hi,

Have a read back through this thread, especially at DBTH's posts as he has a working solution for multiple 'foogers and Voodoo Labs PSUs. It isn't necessary to give everything 300 mA; that is a relatively large current. My measurements:

MF101 40-50 mA
MF102 40-50 mA
MF103 70-90 mA
MF104SD 130-150 mA (long delay setting), 140-160 mA (short delay setting)
MF105 210 mA
MF105B 220 mA
MF107 100-130 mA
CP-251 40-50 mA, but it wasn't processing anything.

So 100 mA outputs are plenty sufficient for most MFs.

[EricK]

Ive posted on this before, but I really wish that there was an easy solution to power multiple foogers.

Heres my problem:

To this picture you can add a Phaser and 101 Filter and other things that need to be plugged in.

My solution was to spend about 100 bucks on 2 power strips and 40 feet extension cords. I have two Fogers plugged into 1 strip the other fooger and cp and the mixer plugged into the second. With my extension cords I can put one plug on one outlet and another plug on an outlet in a different location (not on the same breaker) to eliminate ground noise. Frankly, this method sucks.

The real villain here are the wall warts that power the foogers. These pretty much demand that any power conditioner that I get has enough space between the outlets to house them all.

Im really curious to know what kind of methods do people who have LOTS of rack mounted gear in their studios use, when coupled with other gear like huge boards and monitors and everything else that needs to be plugged in.

My initial plan was to have a sister rack cabinet for the remaining foogers and additional cp sized units.....and synth modules in the remaining rack spaces on both cabinets. This would mean two more power strips and another 80 feet of extension cords. This is not economical, captain.


Eric

[latigid on]

With my extension cords I can put one plug on one outlet and another plug on an outlet in a different location (not on the same breaker) to eliminate ground noise. Frankly, this method sucks.

Do you really get ground noise? The wall wart transformers used to power 'foogers are not (normally) earthed: do you have three-pin connectors on yours? If not, this would preclude any measures taken to draw from different AC lines.

If you are really having issues, you could try "Star Grounding". You basically choose a central hub for your equipment e.g. a mixing console and only connect the shields of cables to this site. So, the ground/shield is not connected when plugged into instruments and effects.

The real villain here are the wall warts that power the foogers. These pretty much demand that any power conditioner that I get has enough space between the outlets to house them all.

How about power squids? You know, the little power connectors with a few inches of cable between them.

Im really curious to know what kind of methods do people who have LOTS of rack mounted gear in their studios use, when coupled with other gear like huge boards and monitors and everything else that needs to be plugged in.

Lots and lots of power strips

My initial plan was to have a sister rack cabinet for the remaining foogers and additional cp sized units.....and synth modules in the remaining rack spaces on both cabinets. This would mean two more power strips and another 80 feet of extension cords. This is not economical, captain.

The best way to power things, I've found, is to power off one AC line/power outlet. It's when you start plugging into multiple ones that things get complicated and ground-y. When you connect two pieces of gear plugged into different outlets you bridge a gap between them and form a lovely loop or antenna which is great for picking up noise. If the potential difference in the lines is not equal, thats where the ground loop buzz comes from.

As long as you're not trying to power big tube amps or a radio broadcast tower the current draw should be tolerated by your circuit breaker.

[Sir Nose]

I daisy chain power strips into one outlet. I have not had a breaker blow, yet... I do not get a ground loop. I do get nasty noise on my boss pedals if a use a power supply that is rated for a much higher current, 1A when they call for .5A. It was explained to me that power supplies do not supply the correct voltage when they are seriously under drawn. I have also heard of people trying power supplies that are rated the same but manufactured by different companies to try to reduce noise. They keep swapping till they find one that jives with a particular effect.

[EricK]

Yeah I have had some problems, and not knowing jack about electronics doesn't help much either. I have noticed that it depends on what I have plugged in....such as the roland vs840 which writes to a zip disc I might get more noise in the lines with that going.....but this was when I was in the old room with everything generally pluged into one room.

Its hard to determine if its a bad cable versus too much stuff plugged in when you remove the cable or remove the plug the noise dissappears lol. I came up with the power strip and extension cord idea becuse in addition to all my moog stuff, I had the roland and Rhodes and a fan plugged in with the ceiling fan running also. I don't think anyone has a 3 grounded fooger plug lol. I didn't even thinkabout bridging the gap between different ac lines......reasons like these why you don't see me soldering a bunch of stuff together like you are lol.

Now Im in a house wired in the mid 70's so if I get too much going I will throw a breaker somewhere, usually in the garage, on the same line with the microwave and freezer. For the most part the Foogers are quiet though....a fact which I had attributed to me running extension cords all over the house lol.


Eric