Sigh. My Mk2 was sent across the pond to have the adaptor plug fixed when it would no longer detect that it was in the car. I figured that the Mk2a I ordered would have this problem licked, but apparently not. Today I got into my car and saw the Home visual on my Empeg.

I am fscking pissed off right now.

I'd like to know from some Empeg guys if anything was done to address this problem in the mk2a hardware revision. Clearly this is a pervasive problem. I am not happy about the thought of sending it out for repairs again.

Sure you didn't just "force AC/home mode" with Mlord's kernel?

First thing I thought of. Nope, that's not it. But I plan on flashing to an Empeg stock kernel just to make sure.

Today I got into my car and saw the Home visual on my Empeg.

Is there any chance that the plug on your AC (home) adapter is the wrong size? There are a lot of different plugs out there that are similar but not the same size, and the wrong size plug can and will damage your empeg's plug-in socket.

I plug/unplug my empeg on average 10 times per week, no problems in the last year and a half.

tanstaafl.

I don't think so, I think the plugs are identical size. But I will take a look at it.

The thing is, I'm posting here more to ask why Empeg wouldn't go about a better way of detecting home/car for the Mk2a hardware revision. Since the problem is certainly not limited to the two Empegs I own.

Well I just took my Empeg out to the car and I noticed something that pretty much tells me the adaptor plug is broken... When I plug the Empeg into the car, it immediately turns on. It isn't waiting for the Accessory line to become active. That tells me it's not the kernel or anything else.

This is definitely the broken adaptor plug problem, AGAIN.

Hugo, if this is the case, what can I do to diagnose the problem and possibly fix it myself? Is it usually the same problem when this happens?

Are you actually using the standard power adapters? Or are you using different ones you have bought?

One thing that will always kill an in-line power receptacle is any sideways stress during insertion or removal. You should ALWAYS pull it out in a straight line, perpendicular to the case. If there has ever been more than the amount of effort you would use to remove a cigarette from a packet, then it is more likely to be the incorrent external diameter of plug. There are three types around this sixe, 2.75 mm, 3 mm and 3.5 mm. You would be best advised using the empeg supplied one.

The plastic of the power receptacle is a semi-flexible one which doesn't break easily. The problem is a tiny switch leaf inside the assembly, which can be either bent permanently over against the contact, or crushed against it if you use an oversize connector. Turn your empeg around and look into the power receptacle; at the bottom you should see a small, curved metal leaf. It should protrude about 1.5 mm into the socket hole. If not, then it has been crushed.

The only way to fix it is to desolder it from the motherboard and replace it; it really does mean a return. Too be honest though, for it to happen twice on a relatively reliable component does tend to imply you are either being too heavy-handed or you are using the wrong plug in the socket...

I'm definitely using the correct size plug. I have two adaptors I use, one at home and one at work. The one at work is the one that was supplied with my original Mk2. The one I use at home came recommended in this thread and a few others. Both adaptors have been in use for quite some time, are the exact same size, and require the same amount of "effort" to insert and remove (i.e. not much at all.) No other adaptors other than these two have been used at any time. So that rules out the wrong plug.

As to being "heavy handed"... The geometry of the plug doesn't really allow you to put any excess pressure on the leaf switch itself. Lateral movements of the plug while connected will probably break the adaptor plug off of the board or something, but because the plug fits snugly into the socket, it seems pretty impossible to break the leaf switch with lateral movement (unless the adaptor was halfway-inserted and you used the plug as a "lever" to put excess pressure directly on the leaf switch.) So the only real-world scenario that it seems could break the switch is, as you said, a larger adaptor, and that's not the case.

In any event I can assure you I am careful when inserting the plug, especially having sent one back for this problem before. However the switch has still failed. I can see the switch in there but it's hard to tell if it's making contact, it must be, or I wouldn't be having this problem. So unless there was a way for me to "bend back" the leaf, it sounds like I'm sending this thing back for repairs. I'm just frustrated that a flimsy leaf switch was chosen to detect AC or DC power, there MUST be a more robust solution.