Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

Anyone with 2 stage racks ever have troubles with losing the stage link to one rack or the other?
Here's my best description:
I have everything on APC S15 pro power conditioner/battery backup, and the racks are also plugged into a relay - sequenced to power up from FOH, with the same pro conditioner/backup model.
It only happens at boot up. And it only happens randomly. I don't think it has ever happened consecutively. No specific regularity, but if I had to categorize it - its a recurrence of roughly once a month, or sooner, or about once every 20-25 boots.
The stage link LED on the console blinks yellow instead of staying on constant green. The 1st stage rack is connected fine, passes audio, and shows up in the "devices" GUI - also at the stage shows a fast flashing green link indicator on the rack at the stage Meanwhile, the 2nd stage rack does not show up in the "devices" GUI and the "link" LED on the 2nd rack at the stage flashes slower than the 1st rack, and does not pass audio.
At first I would try to reboot the whole system, but found that it doesn't help it to link back up. However, the quickest fix I've found is to reboot the 2nd stage rack (both power supplies). When that rack reboots, it automatically relinks to FOH everytime (I think - I haven't been there for each and every occurrence of this problem, so thats not a controlled report at all).

Any ideas?

Its been doing this - pretty much since we first got it (last April), so we've had it almost 1 year. We did get struck by lighting, and we discovered one week that we had a bad snake card (presumably from the lighting strike indirectly traveling up the RG-6?). That bad snake card issue caused the 2nd stage rack (or the 1st when switching cables) to erratically connect and disconnect, intermittently passing audio.

This thing tends to bite me when a volunteer shows up to use it and I'm not here - prompting a phone call on my day off :(.

When it happens when I'm here, its not that big a deal. I know exactly where to go, and it only takes a second to reboot the 2nd rack. The second rack is where a lot of the wireless equipment is routed, the 1st rack has stage lines patched 1 to 1 for simplicity. So, when someone comes to do a 'simple' event with just 2 or 3 wireless mics... its not so simple when that 2nd rack doesn't link up.

Help...
:confused:

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

Hi Eric,

Here are a few things to try:

• Power up the stage racks first, then the FOH Rack. It shouldn't make a difference, but this guarantees all connected devices are ready to go when the FOH Rack boots up.

• Try swapping the snake cable connections (all of them) at the FOH Rack end only. I.e., plug stage 2 into snake card 1, and vice versa. This will help determine if the problem is with the stage rack itself or possibly the cable or FOH snake card.

Also, what version of software is installed? (Look in the bottom right corner of the Options>System tab).

Sheldon

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

I finally had this problem "present itself" in a catastrophic way over the weekend. Turns out it is my power sequencing system. After the THIRD relay has gone out on the same sequencing channel (taking an expensive APC S15 out with it catastrophically), I've finally been able to determine that the aging Furman Power sequencer must go.
Second Stage Rack wouldn't boot, went to check at the stage and the APC had a "Fault Condition Transfer Relay Weld" message on the screen and it was intermittently firing on/off. I quickly turned off the power supplies to the second Stage Rack and jerked the power out of the APC.
Problem diagnosed. Finally.
Gonna turn everything on manually (straight power) this week for rehearsals and productions, then forklift the Furman junk outta there and put in some Middle Atlantic Sequencing/Relays.

whew!

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

OK - after replacing the power sequencing system, I'm still having the problem with the 2nd Stage Rack not connecting every time, and needing to take a walk to reboot the 2nd Stage Rack before it will connect.

Like I mentioned in my first post about this...
Its been doing this - pretty much since we first got it (last April), so we've had it almost 1 year. We did get struck by lighting, and we discovered one week that we had a bad snake card (presumably from the lighting strike indirectly traveling up the RG-6?). That bad snake card issue caused the 2nd stage rack (or the 1st when switching cables) to erratically connect and disconnect, intermittently passing audio.

Any ideas?
Main board in the stage rack has been suggested. Any idea what that would cost?

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

Hi Eric,

Have you had a chance to try some of the suggestions from my previous post? If so, what were the results? Knowing this would help guide the troubleshooting.

Sheldon

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

Hi Sheldon,
answers...
1. - We always power up the Control Surface (D-Show) 1st, Stage Racks 2nd, FOH rack 3rd. I've tried other sequences.

2. I've swapped around the cabling in the past as you've mentioned... problem is that this only happens once in a RARE blue moon. Not often enough to think that any of the troubleshooting steps like this are making any impact.

Software version is 2.7.1.6

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

Hi Eric,

'once in a rare blue moon' ones that are a bit of a hassle to solve as well.

Is your system a fix installation ? Just wondering and at the same time trying to get an idea if those BNC's are always in the same place or get connected / disconnected on a daily basis.

I know you mention that you've seen this since first getting the system a year ago. Have the BNC's on the cables ever been replaced ? For what they are worth money wise I think it is worth a try. It won't harm to replace them / it's pretty easy to do and if you stick to decent quality ones you eliminate the fact that they may be the cause of the issues your seeing. Humidity / corrosion / intermittent bad contact and there you go ...

As for the Stage Rack Main Board ... yes ... possibly a or one of the cause(s). Try to get in touch with the Venue Support guys over there. You mention you got it less then a year ago. The lighting thingy doesn't exactly help possible warranty status situations but at least you should be able to get a proper idea of what your options are and which is the quickest way to deal with them.


Chris

Re: Losing stage link to 2nd stage rack
 

It is a fixed install. We replaced the BNC ends early on when we started having this trouble.
I found out that replacing the main board in that Stage Rack isn't very costly at all. I think its only about $400. So, I'll connect with Tech Support Hotline again and get that process started.