Nord Lead 2X 115v to 220v conversion

[wells]

Hello everyone,

I purchased a 2nd hand Nord Lead 2X from the US, shipped to Australia as it was cheaper than buying over here, however overlooked the difference in voltages..
Basically I'm curious if anyone has experience in switching a Nord Lead 2X from 115v to 220-240v?

I emailed Clavia/Nord tech support asking how to go about switching it over, but they just put me onto their authorised service department Electric Factory in Melbourne, who in turn advised it would cost $150 plus shipping from Sydney to Melb & back. (according to ELFA "The unit needs to be modified by a technician. There are fuses and dip switches that need to be replaced")

I've read various things saying that Nord Lead 2X's can be switched over simply by opening the case, flicking a switch and changing the fuse. (unlike the Nord Lead 2, which requires soldering...)
If this is so, what fuse should be used and where can it be obtained from?

I really don't want to get an external power stepdown transformer as they're big, bulky & expensive!

Any advice would be much appreciated!

[WoutBlommers]

Welcome!
Take a look here:
http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/02 ... _versa.htm

Wout

[wells]

Thank you so much!
Just what I was after - saved me a lot of time & expense. You're a legend.

[WoutBlommers]

Oops...
Am I that old? (1951)

[wells]

Haha no! Intended as a compliment.

Now I've just gotta buy a fuse & switch this thing over. So glad I can do it myself.

[mjbrands]

Oops...
Am I that old? (1951)

I remember reading your helpful posts on some other forum back when I was still wearing diapers

Edit: maybe it was after the diaper stage, but certainly before I was able to ride my tricycle.

[WoutBlommers]

Were you ever on the NordModular list @ Wizoo etc?
Or just the Dutch Synth Forum...

[mjbrands]

Dutch SYnth forum and google

[wells]

Ok, so I've opened the case, flicked the switch over from 115 to 230.

Now there's the fuse: at the top it says "BUSS MDL 3/10 A" and at the bottom "250 V" (followed by a UL in a circle and a SP in a circle, which I'm guessing is a manufacturer logo).
It doesn't say anywhere on the fuse when it was manufactured.
I'm guessing 3/10 = 300mA (EDIT: is that right?), possibly indicating this model is a pre-2000 model. (unless the user manual copyright date of 2003 is anything to go by..) Is there any way the serial number would indicate the date of manufacture?

Can someone enlighten me as to whether this fuse needs to be replaced and if so, what fuse should replace it?

[mjbrands]

I'm guessing 3/10 = 300mA (EDIT: is that right?)

Yup, that's right.

Power = Volt x Current

115 Volt x 0.3 Amp = 34.5 Watt

Since you're doubling the voltage, you need to half the current (amps), so you'd need a 150 mA fuse. I think the default fuse for 230 Volt is actually 125 mA, but a 125 to 150 mA one should work fine.

While it would work, I wouldn't use the one you have now. With that fuse your Nord could almost pull 70 Watts before it blows. If your Nord starts pulling power like that, there's certainly something wrong as the normal power use is about 25 Watts (check the sticker on the back of your Nord or the manual). The fuse is there to protect both your Nord and you; use the right one, they shouldn't be very expensive (2-3 dollars max, though if you order them online, shipping might make it expensive).

Make sure you get a 'slow blow' fuse. This type of fuse allows short peaks of more power use than it is rated for; this is because when you power on your Nord, for a fraction of a second it will use more power than the fuse is rated for. If you use a regular fuse instead of a slow blow one, it might blow when you turn on your Nord. You won't damage your Nord, but you'll have to replace the fuse again.

possibly indicating this model is a pre-2000 model. (unless the user manual copyright date of 2003 is anything to go by..) Is there any way the serial number would indicate the date of manufacture?

The fuse or the Nord? I wouldn't be surprised if the fuse was replaced by a shop that had those fuses lying around since the dawn of time. As long as they don't start rusting old fuses should work just fine.

Can someone enlighten me as to whether this fuse needs to be replaced and if so, what fuse should replace it?

You should replace the fuse. If you happen to have a store that sells stuff like this (such as Jaycar), it might be easiest to just bring your old fuse and tell them you need a replacement (150 mA slow blow).

There are several sizes available and the most common types are 5x20 mm and 6x32 mm; you could just measure the length (and/or thickness) of your fuse with a ruler. I expect you'll need a 5x20-size one, so you'd need a 5x20 150 mA slow blow fuse.