P Lyte Farting

[SuperSeagull]

Took my 1994 P Lyte to rehearsal tonight just for a change. After about 10 mins it made a rather distinct descending fart sound and then would only produce distorted notes. A new battery appeared to solve it but then it started again and carried on all evening. The only way to “fix” it was to unplug it and then plug back in again to get about one songs worth of playing time. I think I can safely rule out amp and anything else in the signal chain - I’m thinking something in the pre amp has gone, a capacitor maybe? Welcome some thoughts.

[PaulThePlug]

A new battery, or another battery?

Battery...

[SuperSeagull]

7 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

A new battery, or another battery?

Battery...

Brand new Procell and I’m betting that when I put a meter on both of them they will be fine. 

[casapete]

I had the same problem when I got my first P-Lyte, and it was the battery. Some distortion

for around 30 seconds and then nothing. Replacement battery sorted mine.

However, as you seem to have already ruled that out I can’t figure out what it could be - as

you say probably preamp components. A good tech should be able to help.

Good luck.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Too much fibre in its diet?

[SuperSeagull]

8 hours ago, casapete said:

I had the same problem when I got my first P-Lyte, and it was the battery. Some distortion

for around 30 seconds and then nothing. Replacement battery sorted mine.

However, as you seem to have already ruled that out I can’t figure out what it could be - as

you say probably preamp components. A good tech should be able to help.

Good luck.

Yes, familiar with the dead battery distortion on these but this is different. The descending fart noise, almost synth like is new to me and it works again fine when you unplug and plug a lead back in. 

[Woodinblack]

Really does sound like a defective battery or a high current drain. Switching it on again (by unplugging and plugging gives a higher voltage for a short while until it has got drained

[SuperSeagull]

Had a closer look this morning. Both batteries full of juice so it's not them. But as I went to replace one the red wire connecting to the battery clip dropped off. I'm guessing there was a dodgy joint on the clip so first step is to get a new clip sorted and see what that does. 

[Woodinblack]

4 minutes ago, SuperSeagull said:

Had a closer look this morning. Both batteries full of juice so it's not them. But as I went to replace one the red wire connecting to the battery clip dropped off. I'm guessing there was a dodgy joint on the clip so first step is to get a new clip sorted and see what that does. 

 

Well, that is going to cause a loss in performance, certainly!

[PaulThePlug]

Batt Snap Clip.... Good Darts! Well found... and by far the cheapest fix... cheaper than a battery... Fingers crossed for you...

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

My first guess was a bad battery connection somehow, and as I read on it seems like I was right (well that is almost right, my actual guess was that the jack socket battery ring connection didn't connect properly to the jack plug).

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[SuperSeagull]

And, despite my decidedly amateur soldering skills, it’s fixed. At least it’s working for now…..