The Immoral Mr Teas Posted May 21, 2020 Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Hi all, tried without luck to look for an answer in archive - just too much up there! I have come across an F8, running v2, that just doesn't power up from alkaline batteries. All is fine from the 12v mains adaptor. (Haven't been able to test from the hirose in). Looking at the power settings, when running from mains, the AA battery graphic registers as empty (ie not connected). I expect this is a hardware powering problem but wondered if it might be a software glitch or if anyone has experienced similar? Haven't (yet) tried rebooting nor installing current software. Half expect sadly that it has been running happily via hirose for years and the problem hasn't been noticed. But I'm still quietly hoping that it may be software and someone here might know something to get it up and working tomorrow! Cheers all, Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted May 21, 2020 Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 8 hours ago, The Immoral Mr Teas said: Hi all, tried without luck to look for an answer in archive - just too much up there! I have come across an F8, running v2, that just doesn't power up from alkaline batteries. All is fine from the 12v mains adaptor. (Haven't been able to test from the hirose in). Looking at the power settings, when running from mains, the AA battery graphic registers as empty (ie not connected). I expect this is a hardware powering problem but wondered if it might be a software glitch or if anyone has experienced similar? Haven't (yet) tried rebooting nor installing current software. Half expect sadly that it has been running happily via hirose for years and the problem hasn't been noticed. But I'm still quietly hoping that it may be software and someone here might know something to get it up and working tomorrow! Cheers all, Jez Hey Jez, any chance it's a dodgy connection with or within the battery sledge? A meter will tell you if it's the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Immoral Mr Teas Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Could easily be the sledge, but couldn't test at the studio today, nor the batteries - will take a tester in tomorrow. Curious (and in a funny way hopeful) that it could be software. Sledge has a 4 point output - which to me means zilch! It could be anything. Obviously nothing like this is covered in the manual for consumer gear. Cheers tho! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted May 21, 2020 Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 2 hours ago, The Immoral Mr Teas said: I have come across an F8, running v2, that just doesn't power up from alkaline batteries. Are you sure they're not flat, have you measured it yourself? I wouldn't recommend putting Alkaline batteries in anyway, as they'd be run down double quick fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Immoral Mr Teas Posted May 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2020 Hi Iron, the batteries were brand new, but no I didn't have a tester handy. Same result with the 8 part-used ones from my SQN though: the battery graphic on the power options window (when powered up by mains) empty inside. I'm assuming the sled is broken (which could maybe be fixed or replaced) or internally the hardware (ie back to the factory). But I hold out some hope it's a software bug ... or did til it didn't seem to be a known issue out there. cheers, J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Immoral Mr Teas Posted May 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 Fairly certain now it is the sled, although the sled was working fine a couple of days before. The last (or first- whichever way you look at it) battery contact seemed loose although I'm still dubious how I can test it since the whole thing is encased and ends in a 4 pin plug ... Any help from Zoom Official as to the wiring scheme of the battery pack would be most welcome! (I wouldn't want to guess and end up blowing up the innards of the actual machine)!!! It does look however that it is 8 batteries in series and thus 2 poles BUT there are clearly four poles on the connector which have metal and thus connection there - why??? If anyone here happens to have an F8 or F4 they could do me a favour: please load the battery sled with batteries EXCEPT for the first and last batteries (those two closest to the connector which will be in the middle of the machine). If you shake it DOES IT RATTLE? I'm hoping not and I need a new sled, but I'd like to know in advance, partly because the bit of cheap plastic costs quite a bit and partly because in the uk at least it seems to be a "we need to order this" item which in present times ...! It's the first time I've handled an F8 and was far more impressed by its build quality than I expected - only the sled inside was of far inferior quality: cheap thin plastic, connector box on the back not quite aligned correctly ... and ours now rattling ... clearly a weak point I didn't expect in an otherwise surprisingly well manufactured unit. Thanks if anyone can help - pin breakout or whether it should rattle - cheers! Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricphoto Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 Hi Jez... I have the newer F8n and they've changed out the battery "system" so it no longer uses the "sleds"...from what I gather frequency of exactly this kind of failure was the reason... Looked at BH and they have them in stock for $25.00...but as you mentioned shipping overseas is a mess right now...I'm 3 weeks into a pkg from Canada and 5 weeks into a pkg from Portugal...Maybe BH has a better relationship with the shipping companies... Good luck...and yes, they're really nice units for the cost ...Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent R. Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 8 hours ago, The Immoral Mr Teas said: clearly a weak point I didn't expect in an otherwise surprisingly well manufactured unit. Yes they updated the design in the F8n (mark II). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 11 hours ago, The Immoral Mr Teas said: It's the first time I've handled an F8 and was far more impressed by its build quality than I expected - only the sled inside was of far inferior quality I think it is par for the course. My Zaxcom Maxx also has a "flimsy AA battery sled"! (and let's not get started on the Sound Devices MixPre design....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred F8 Posted July 23, 2021 Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 Little Late to the conversation here, but I think you might be on to this being a software issue. I bought my F8 around 2 years ago. AA rechargeable (li-ion) worked like a champ and would keep my F8 powered for easily 4+hours including phantom power to a couple mics. I feel that each software update I've applied, the battery life halved, to the point where the unit refuses to turn on and I can only run AC power to use the machine. It really takes the F (Field) out of the F8. I too am curious to hear from the Zoom customer support about this issue. My sled it in perfect condition, no rattle, no poor contacts. It feels very much like a software issue at hand. I've attached a short video on Youtube of what happens when I try to power up with fully juiced up batteries... best, Fredhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8ydLNnJXdA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted July 24, 2021 Report Share Posted July 24, 2021 Have you tried brand new AA batteries? As rechargeable AA batteries do deteriorate over the years. (however for them to go that bad in just 2yrs is outrageously fast!! But then again, not totally outside the realms of possibilities if they are low quality ones that have been heavily used??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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