Dead Stage 3 88

[FZiegler]

Interesting! I retried about 15 times. Only 4 times I got a slight and short shimmering up. No real blinking. And some LEDs only, not all. So, it's not sure you get a signal for debugging every single unit. Most of the time, I didn't see anything - just as reported first. I couldn't find a pattern pressing fast or slow.

[pterm]

FZiegler - Thanks again for your efforts. I agree, for debugging, this makes a poor candidate.

[Hlaalu]

I guess you don't really notice it unless the room is fairly dark.
By the way I am not sure what that flash is supposed to mean in electronic terms, whether it's "doing" some kind of boot test or what. @pterm: since you asked the OP, perhaps do you know the answer?

[pterm]

Hi Hlaalu,
Yes, I hoped to find a "boot test" signal, switched by the NS3's microprocessor of sufficient length (>0.5 seconds) so the OP could measure the transitions (OFF-ON-OFF) with a multimeter.
The power board on the OPs board appears to work. I hoped to use this signal to try to isolate the problem to the main processor board or to the panel (LEDs, knobs) board.

The OP's main board's audio path relays do not "click" after power on. I assume the NS3 does this as this occurs on my NE3 and similar relays appear on the NS3. If listing on headphones, there's a soft "pop: sound at the same time as the relay click. Can you or any other NS3 owner confirm that audio relays normally click after the NS3 boots?

[FZiegler]

Yes, you can hear a sound like an electric relay switching after boot-up process. It's at the same time as the NS3 gets into usable mode when the "load OS"-progression bar is finished and the program in use is shown. It's clearly audible.

[tuejan]

yup, that's the click i'm listening for, but no luck.

[NORD_Hammond]

<<So is it the On-Off switch the problem?>>

Is it or is it not? Does anybody have any word from Clavia?
Regards
Tilman

[pterm]

<<So is it the On-Off switch the problem?>>
Is it or is it not?

Hi Tilman, In the original poster's case, no, the On-Off switch is not the problem. His entire power supply board appears to work correctly.

[tuejan]

Ok folks, sorry about the long delay but I just got a new job so the last 10 weeks sort of dissapeared. I had the unit repaired at NightLife Electronics in Vancouver. Just want to thank Peter (pterm) again for all his excellent help and patience. The upshot was that the power board was fine, the motherboard got power correctly. The motherboard did not seem to have any obvious problems but just would not boot. So a new motherboard was installed and it worked. I have the board that was removed and I'd love to send it to Nord to see what was wrong with it as this may inform future design decision, I'd be more than happy to pay for the shipping to Europe for this. Overall cost then was $1300 Canadian. Not the best to have an item classed as a stage piano just have a failed motherboard for no apparent reason in it's first couple of years of life. It certainly wasn't a handling or misuse issue. So can only be a faulty part, insufficiently robust part, a design oversight, or a manufacturing defect and should honestly be covered by the manufacturer. No crying over spilt milk and now I have a job I can afford to fix it. It doesn't put me off buying Nord products in the future. Thanks for all you help, interest, and advice.

[Hlaalu]

Thanks for the update on the issue. 1,300 isn't cheap but... you didn't have much choice it seems. If any sort of information from Nord regarding what actually went broken should ever come to you, please let us know.