Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

I am having problems with a Sipura SPA 2000 ATA. It is dead apart from the
mains power light, which glows bright for a second when turning on the
power, then immediately reduces to about half the original glow, the status
light does not glow at all. The power supply is rated at 5 volt, 1 amp, and
when I tested the power supply voltage at the output end, it was 5.1 volts,
but when I plugged it in and tested internally at the plug/socket
connections on the circuit board, the voltage had dropped to about 2.4
volts, suggesting that as soon as the power supply is under load, it is
failing and only supplying half its voltage, this seems to be backed up by
the mains power light reducing to half brightness. Has anyone had this
problem before, or could anyone tell me if my guess at the power supply
fault is probably right. I have numerous power supplies which I have saved,
'just in case' but unfortunately, none of these match the Sipura, but I do
not want to risk buying a new power supply unless I am pretty sure it will
cure the problem. I had thought of the universal power supplies, but I am
not sure if they are up to the job, any suggestions welcomed.

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

"Dave {Reply Address In.Sig}" <noone$$@llondel.org> wrote in message
news:9ot7n6-9be.ln1@llondel.org...
> Harry Stottle wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I am having problems with a Sipura SPA 2000 ATA. It is dead apart from
>> the
>> mains power light, which glows bright for a second when turning on the
>> power, then immediately reduces to about half the original glow, the
>> status light does not glow at all. The power supply is rated at 5 volt, 1
>> amp, and when I tested the power supply voltage at the output end, it was
>> 5.1 volts, but when I plugged it in and tested internally at the
>> plug/socket connections on the circuit board, the voltage had dropped to
>> about 2.4 volts, suggesting that as soon as the power supply is under
>> load, it is failing and only supplying half its voltage, this seems to be
>> backed up by the mains power light reducing to half brightness. Has
>> anyone
>> had this problem before, or could anyone tell me if my guess at the power
>> supply fault is probably right. I have numerous power supplies which I
>> have saved, 'just in case' but unfortunately, none of these match the
>> Sipura, but I do not want to risk buying a new power supply unless I am
>> pretty sure it will cure the problem. I had thought of the universal
>> power
>> supplies, but I am not sure if they are up to the job, any suggestions
>> welcomed.
>
> Just stick a 5.1 ohm resistor (preferably at least 5W rating) across the
> PSU
> output. If it'll supply an amp into that (which will get very hot quite
> quickly, so don't hold it with fingers) then it's not the external PSU.
>
Thanks Dave, good suggestion, but unfortunately my obsession for saving
power supplies has not stretched to resistors ;-)
Looks around for an old TV set to dismantle, no all at the tip now.

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

On Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:26:25 +0100, Dave {Reply Address In.Sig} wrote:

> Harry Stottle wrote:
>
>
>>
>> "Dave {Reply Address In.Sig}" <noone$$@llondel.org> wrote in message
>> news:9ot7n6-9be.ln1@llondel.org...
>>>
>>> Just stick a 5.1 ohm resistor (preferably at least 5W rating) across
>>> the PSU
>>> output. If it'll supply an amp into that (which will get very hot
>>> quite quickly, so don't hold it with fingers) then it's not the
>>> external PSU.
>>>
>> Thanks Dave, good suggestion, but unfortunately my obsession for saving
>> power supplies has not stretched to resistors ;-) Looks around for an
>> old TV set to dismantle, no all at the tip now.
>
> You might manage to get it to do something with a 4.5V or 6V torch bulb
> of suitable rating, if you can get one in the 5W range. However, because
> they start with a low cold resistance, it's possible that the supply
> will just shut down and sulk, so it's not as valid a test as with a
> resistor if it doesn't work. If it does work, then the PSU can obviously
> drive something close to rated load.
>
> Do you have a USB mains charger? Some of those will give 5V@1A.
You don't need to draw the full current to test your PSU. Just put some
sort of reasonable load on it and see if the voltage drops at all. If it
stays reasonably OK then you can assume that there is something wrong
with the SPA-2000.
As suggested, you could try another power supply but, unless you
determine first which is the faulty item, you risk damaging another
supply. Further, even if you find the supply is faulty it still could be
the SPA-2000 that has caused it to be so - so proceed with caution.
Ideally, if you had a suitable PSU with a current limiter on it then that
would be useful.

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

"brian" <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Zkeom.75604$OO7.73659@text.news.virginmedia.c om...
> On Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:26:25 +0100, Dave {Reply Address In.Sig} wrote:
>
>> Harry Stottle wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> "Dave {Reply Address In.Sig}" <noone$$@llondel.org> wrote in message
>>> news:9ot7n6-9be.ln1@llondel.org...
>>>>
>>>> Just stick a 5.1 ohm resistor (preferably at least 5W rating) across
>>>> the PSU
>>>> output. If it'll supply an amp into that (which will get very hot
>>>> quite quickly, so don't hold it with fingers) then it's not the
>>>> external PSU.
>>>>
>>> Thanks Dave, good suggestion, but unfortunately my obsession for saving
>>> power supplies has not stretched to resistors ;-) Looks around for an
>>> old TV set to dismantle, no all at the tip now.
>>
>> You might manage to get it to do something with a 4.5V or 6V torch bulb
>> of suitable rating, if you can get one in the 5W range. However, because
>> they start with a low cold resistance, it's possible that the supply
>> will just shut down and sulk, so it's not as valid a test as with a
>> resistor if it doesn't work. If it does work, then the PSU can obviously
>> drive something close to rated load.
>>
>> Do you have a USB mains charger? Some of those will give 5V@1A.
> You don't need to draw the full current to test your PSU. Just put some
> sort of reasonable load on it and see if the voltage drops at all. If it
> stays reasonably OK then you can assume that there is something wrong
> with the SPA-2000.

Thanks, that appears to be what happens when a load (the SPA-2000) is
connected, the supply voltage drops by about half, from 5.1 volts to 2.4
volts, suggesting the power supply.

> As suggested, you could try another power supply but, unless you
> determine first which is the faulty item, you risk damaging another
> supply. Further, even if you find the supply is faulty it still could be
> the SPA-2000 that has caused it to be so - so proceed with caution.
> Ideally, if you had a suitable PSU with a current limiter on it then that
> would be useful.
>
I started checking my existing equipment to see if any items had a 5v, one
amp, power supply, but then thought the better of it because of the risk of
damaging a good power supply, (although none of my existing supplies were
suitable anyway), and I don't have a potentially disposable USB mains
charger. I have had the circuit board out of the Sipura, and there are no
visible signs of overheating, tracks burnt, or capacitors blown, which I
would have expected if the unit had blown the power supply, and a Google
search doesn't find any other similar faults with Sipura units, or Sipura
power supplies, which is more worrying than finding them :-)

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

In message <Zkeom.75604$OO7.73659@text.news.virginmedia.com >
brian <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:

> You don't need to draw the full current to test your PSU. Just put some
> sort of reasonable load on it and see if the voltage drops at all. If it
> stays reasonably OK then you can assume that there is something wrong
> with the SPA-2000.

Not so. A problem with my wife's LCD monitor turned out to be that
the in-line brick would no longer give its full rated current. In
the case of the OP, there is very good reason to suspect that the
PSU may have developed a similar fault.

> As suggested, you could try another power supply but, unless you
> determine first which is the faulty item, you risk damaging another
> supply. Further, even if you find the supply is faulty it still could be
> the SPA-2000 that has caused it to be so - so proceed with caution.
> Ideally, if you had a suitable PSU with a current limiter on it then that
> would be useful.

All power supplies on sale have current limiting of one sort or
another. It would not be legal to sell them otherwise, as they
would not meet the mandatory safety standards. Substituting
another power supply of compatible ratings is a sensible move.
If it doesn't cure the problem, I wouldn't keep it connected
for a long time, though - I'd agree with you just that far.

Dave

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

"Dave Higton" <davehigton@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:0cadae9550.davehigton@dsl.pipex.com...
> In message <Zkeom.75604$OO7.73659@text.news.virginmedia.com >
> brian <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> You don't need to draw the full current to test your PSU. Just put some
>> sort of reasonable load on it and see if the voltage drops at all. If it
>> stays reasonably OK then you can assume that there is something wrong
>> with the SPA-2000.
>
> Not so. A problem with my wife's LCD monitor turned out to be that
> the in-line brick would no longer give its full rated current. In
> the case of the OP, there is very good reason to suspect that the
> PSU may have developed a similar fault.
>
I have just been on the phone to my nephew, (he is into electronics a lot
more than me), he said that to test the power supply properly, the voltage
and the current have to be tested at the same time, whilst plugged into the
Sipura to determine what exactly has failed, luckily he has the proper
equipment to do this, so I will pop round tomorrow and let him test it. I
will update the thread later with the results, just in case anyone else gets
the same problem.

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

Harry Stottle brought next idea :
> "Dave Higton" <davehigton@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
> news:0cadae9550.davehigton@dsl.pipex.com...
>> In message <Zkeom.75604$OO7.73659@text.news.virginmedia.com >
>> brian <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You don't need to draw the full current to test your PSU. Just put some
>>> sort of reasonable load on it and see if the voltage drops at all. If it
>>> stays reasonably OK then you can assume that there is something wrong
>>> with the SPA-2000.
>>
>> Not so. A problem with my wife's LCD monitor turned out to be that
>> the in-line brick would no longer give its full rated current. In
>> the case of the OP, there is very good reason to suspect that the
>> PSU may have developed a similar fault.
>>
> I have just been on the phone to my nephew, (he is into electronics a lot
> more than me), he said that to test the power supply properly, the voltage
> and the current have to be tested at the same time, whilst plugged into the
> Sipura to determine what exactly has failed, luckily he has the proper
> equipment to do this, so I will pop round tomorrow and let him test it. I
> will update the thread later with the results, just in case anyone else gets
> the same problem.

What, with his name, address and postcode?

:-)

Re: Problem with Sipura SPA 2000
 

"Jono" <nothanks@blueyonder.invalid> wrote in message
news:_1pom.75703$OO7.65627@text.news.virginmedia.c om...
> Harry Stottle brought next idea :
>> "Dave Higton" <davehigton@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in message
>> news:0cadae9550.davehigton@dsl.pipex.com...
>>> In message <Zkeom.75604$OO7.73659@text.news.virginmedia.com >
>>> brian <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> You don't need to draw the full current to test your PSU. Just put some
>>>> sort of reasonable load on it and see if the voltage drops at all. If
>>>> it
>>>> stays reasonably OK then you can assume that there is something wrong
>>>> with the SPA-2000.
>>>
>>> Not so. A problem with my wife's LCD monitor turned out to be that
>>> the in-line brick would no longer give its full rated current. In
>>> the case of the OP, there is very good reason to suspect that the
>>> PSU may have developed a similar fault.
>>>
>> I have just been on the phone to my nephew, (he is into electronics a lot
>> more than me), he said that to test the power supply properly, the
>> voltage and the current have to be tested at the same time, whilst
>> plugged into the Sipura to determine what exactly has failed, luckily he
>> has the proper equipment to do this, so I will pop round tomorrow and let
>> him test it. I will update the thread later with the results, just in
>> case anyone else gets the same problem.
>
> What, with his name, address and postcode?
>
He is well worth knowing as the problem is now sorted :-)

It was the power supply at fault as suspected, he connected his box of
electronic tricks outputting exactly 5v and one amp rating, directly to the
circuit board of the Sipura, and the power light glowed bright, with the
status LED flashing as it should. He then dug out an old Nokia mobile phone
power supply rated at 5.7 volts, 800ma, he cut off the incorrect size
connector and replaced it with the connector from the Sipura power supply
and plugged in, but the power light flashed very briefly and extinguished.
He then made a couple of more checks and decided it was the over voltage
that was the problem, (which we both assumed it wouldn't be), so he soldered
a S1 diode in line to reduce the voltage to 5v approx, (he said that he
would have normally used a 1N 4000 diode but he didn't have any). Powering
up the Sipura with the newly adapted power supply then gave the correct
status light flashing, and when I got it home and connected it to the phone
and router, everything is working as it should. :-)

I realize this thread is super old, but wanted to drop a line and thank you all for helping me solve my issue with a spa 2000, as it was having the exact problem as the original poster. Unfortunately, I do not own any testing equipment for verifying a faulty PSU, but luckily (and I cringe at the thought of saying "luckily" here), my parents are hoarders and thus have a ton of spare power supplies from various electronic devices throughout the years. I was able to find one with a close rating and equal polarity, and voila! Back to business.

Cheers!