I've heard of people making or receiving cables with the connector backwards so that even with the shrouded connector they still wind up plugging them in the wrong way. https://www.reddit.com/r/modular/comments/kqcohn/always_check_your_ribbon_cables_before_using_them/
This. I blew a module a few years back because of a backwards keyed header on the cable. Never ever blindly trust cables. I always at least visually inspect to confirm -12v is being routed as expected
Last month I plugged a cable into the expander prongs instead of the power prongs on a module. Right next to the expander input it said RED STRIPE in big letters and “exp” in small illegible letters. The power input said “power” in small letters and was hidden in this shroud you speak of, where the expander input was exposed and the prongs were front and center. Anyways, it’s on me for moving too fast due to excitement and not using a magnifying glass and a more well lit space, but it was very painful in vaporize $300 in 30 seconds. Three years and 50 modules into eurorack thought it could never happen to me but it did.
Was it an Intellijel MIDI 1u? That module is notorious for this due to the MIDI ports connector being the same as the power. It also has no protection against that and will fry the USB chip if you do it.
A lot of modules don't have the keyed header you're used to, so you could plug the cable in either way. Generally, those modules are either reverse voltage protected (like mine), or they'll work with the cable in either orientation. Some don't have that kind of protection in place though, which is just weird to me. It's 2 cents in parts.
I think a combo of offering a lot of fairly hungry flagship modules (Spectraphon, Mimeophon, Morphagene, Rene) and also having a deep love for unstable analog tomfoolery that sometimes doesn’t play nicely with newer digital toys. The zones are pretty clever and it just makes sense that you’d need a very strong power source to make that whole concept work (since it’s effectively four separate supplies in there.
That case gets criticized for basically being an expensive mult, and I see the appeal of being able to cram a lot of 1u functionality into the intellijel case, but I think it’s brilliant ergonomics and definitely has an influence on how you think about building up a patch.
True, if I designed a module where supply voltage was that critical, I'd use a keyed header instead.
In reality there's a lot of variation between power supplies anyway, you'll find some at 11.5V and others at 12.3V, and some of them vary heavily depending on current draw. So a 0.3V drop for a Schottky shouldn't be an issue.
Beware that some ribbon cables are not made correctly. The ribbon cable that came with my doepfer A-111-5 was inverted on one end for which Doepfer assumed no responsibility. Check every ribbon cable that comes into your possession! I understand Cwejman modules used shrouded headers that were inverted (!). See: https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=178176
I have a few Doepfer modules with no markings whatsoever. General rule in that case is red stripe down, but refer to the manual if you don’t want to risk it all!
many of the modules i’ve gotten over time do not have shrouded headers (i think that’s what they’re called?) verbos and make noise in particular, and i think some of the smaller instruo ones where maybe there isn’t enough room like Ochd for example. The verbos are in a category of their own though because while at least the red stripe orientation is marked on the PCB, the cables they ship with aren’t keyed either so there’s extra opportunity to make a mistake when plugging the other end in to my power supply. i don’t really understand that one, it seems a little aggressively hostile when literally every other ribbon cable i’ve received with a module at least has keyed connectors.
Olfactory stimulus takes a very direct route to memory, and the brief, acrid smoke from a fried power input (or any unforeseen electronic debacle, as the unprovoked one I once had with a Row Power module, that 4MS did replace) sticks with one.
I have double checked my cable orientation more than a couple of times, then in a fit of inexplicable and unconscious contrariness, I have still plugged things in backwards.
This happened with an NLC module once, just bought from a builder, and thankfully, he was able to troubleshoot & repair it pretty quickly at very little cost.
Another aspect of this is how it effects the case power supply. I have seen my Doepfer cases blow fuses, and even seen all or some of the correctly powered modules along side a newly installed, misoriented one, go dark or start blinking madly.
But, that smell….
Many are keyed. A lot aren’t. I have a lot of Doepfer modules that aren’t keyed. Some don’t even mark the negative and you have to know Doepfer’s “convention” based on whether the plug is horizontal or vertical.
As others have stated:
Many modules don’t have keyed shrouds and are unlabeled with respect to orientation.
It’s usually not a big deal but when you do encounter such a module be sure to check the manual.
It’s very easy to do! I have an older intellijel case and many modules that do not have shrouded headers. I’ve emailed the manufacturer a few times before plugging in just to make sure. Also if you have spaces in your case and leave patch cables dangle and the touch the power supply it’s game over.
I fried a module not from an incorrect ribbon cable header, but from only half powering, or incorrectly powering up my 12u folding case. It's a bit of a rite of passage for a eurorack modular enthusiast to fry a module at some point.
I've recently started switching from 4x RB 6U's to a set of Mantis cases. I haven't had any faulty modules or fried any (touchwood!) but changing to Mantis made me realize something I'd never noticed or thought about before - The led's on the case power boards. You barely notice them on the RB, but in the Mantis, they're very prominent - One each for the 3 separate +12V rails, one for the collective -12V rail, and one for the +5V rail. The FAQ's on the Tiptop site also recommend installing one module at a time, carefully checking that the red stripe is downwards on the A/B power zone headers, and facing to the right on the C power zone.
Despite the notches on the bus board, and most modules, I've started checking for that orientation too. Attach the power cable with the red strip at the marker on the modules rear board, and make sure that fits the Mantis orientation. One module at a time, plug it in, power up and watch the LED's for the separate rails. If there are any issues, the LED's will behave differently and you can pinpoint the problem down to the module you just installed. If all is ok, power off, and repeat with the next module.
My 2nd Mantis case arrived a couple of days ago, along with a couple of new modules today, so I'm in the middle of a pretty laborious re-rack, and I'm going through this process at the moment. Takes longer, but I think it's good advice. If anything is sketchy, I catch it right away.
I've heard of people making or receiving cables with the connector backwards so that even with the shrouded connector they still wind up plugging them in the wrong way. https://www.reddit.com/r/modular/comments/kqcohn/always_check_your_ribbon_cables_before_using_them/
This. I blew a module a few years back because of a backwards keyed header on the cable. Never ever blindly trust cables. I always at least visually inspect to confirm -12v is being routed as expected
I think you have to fry a module to develop that kind of dedication.
Yep, it’s like the one time you have to fall over at a traffic light when you learn to use clipless shoes on your bicycle.
I learned a similar lesson completely botching a DIY build.
I mean, I wish I was more careful prior obviously. But yeah you’re probably right. It’s also a bit less of the Wild West these days.
Last month I plugged a cable into the expander prongs instead of the power prongs on a module. Right next to the expander input it said RED STRIPE in big letters and “exp” in small illegible letters. The power input said “power” in small letters and was hidden in this shroud you speak of, where the expander input was exposed and the prongs were front and center. Anyways, it’s on me for moving too fast due to excitement and not using a magnifying glass and a more well lit space, but it was very painful in vaporize $300 in 30 seconds. Three years and 50 modules into eurorack thought it could never happen to me but it did.
Might be helpful to let everyone know what module it was, you might save someone else from making the same mistake.
It was the Shakmat Bard Quartet. I rebought it and the new version was labeled waaaay better, so clearly I wasn’t the only one who made this mistake.
Was it an Intellijel MIDI 1u? That module is notorious for this due to the MIDI ports connector being the same as the power. It also has no protection against that and will fry the USB chip if you do it.
A lot of modules don't have the keyed header you're used to, so you could plug the cable in either way. Generally, those modules are either reverse voltage protected (like mine), or they'll work with the cable in either orientation. Some don't have that kind of protection in place though, which is just weird to me. It's 2 cents in parts.
Make noise has entered the chat
It is a weird choice, but I love that case and its wildly overpowered unshrouded headers are fine, especially in a performance case.
Why do you think they overpowered it so much?
I think a combo of offering a lot of fairly hungry flagship modules (Spectraphon, Mimeophon, Morphagene, Rene) and also having a deep love for unstable analog tomfoolery that sometimes doesn’t play nicely with newer digital toys. The zones are pretty clever and it just makes sense that you’d need a very strong power source to make that whole concept work (since it’s effectively four separate supplies in there. That case gets criticized for basically being an expensive mult, and I see the appeal of being able to cram a lot of 1u functionality into the intellijel case, but I think it’s brilliant ergonomics and definitely has an influence on how you think about building up a patch.
Only explanation I can think of is the diode voltage drop.
True, if I designed a module where supply voltage was that critical, I'd use a keyed header instead. In reality there's a lot of variation between power supplies anyway, you'll find some at 11.5V and others at 12.3V, and some of them vary heavily depending on current draw. So a 0.3V drop for a Schottky shouldn't be an issue.
Beware that some ribbon cables are not made correctly. The ribbon cable that came with my doepfer A-111-5 was inverted on one end for which Doepfer assumed no responsibility. Check every ribbon cable that comes into your possession! I understand Cwejman modules used shrouded headers that were inverted (!). See: https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=178176
Yeah sadly a lot of modules dont have shrouded headers making it unnecessarily possible to fry it by plugging it in the wrong way.
There's usually still some marking on the PCB where the red stripe is supposed to be.
I have a few Doepfer modules with no markings whatsoever. General rule in that case is red stripe down, but refer to the manual if you don’t want to risk it all!
I think I read that doepfer considers it the biggest mistake he made when designing the eurorack standard.
I think having a red (typically positive or live in most electrical circles) stripe indicate the negative rail is pretty well up there too!
many of the modules i’ve gotten over time do not have shrouded headers (i think that’s what they’re called?) verbos and make noise in particular, and i think some of the smaller instruo ones where maybe there isn’t enough room like Ochd for example. The verbos are in a category of their own though because while at least the red stripe orientation is marked on the PCB, the cables they ship with aren’t keyed either so there’s extra opportunity to make a mistake when plugging the other end in to my power supply. i don’t really understand that one, it seems a little aggressively hostile when literally every other ribbon cable i’ve received with a module at least has keyed connectors.
Olfactory stimulus takes a very direct route to memory, and the brief, acrid smoke from a fried power input (or any unforeseen electronic debacle, as the unprovoked one I once had with a Row Power module, that 4MS did replace) sticks with one. I have double checked my cable orientation more than a couple of times, then in a fit of inexplicable and unconscious contrariness, I have still plugged things in backwards. This happened with an NLC module once, just bought from a builder, and thankfully, he was able to troubleshoot & repair it pretty quickly at very little cost. Another aspect of this is how it effects the case power supply. I have seen my Doepfer cases blow fuses, and even seen all or some of the correctly powered modules along side a newly installed, misoriented one, go dark or start blinking madly. But, that smell….
Many are keyed. A lot aren’t. I have a lot of Doepfer modules that aren’t keyed. Some don’t even mark the negative and you have to know Doepfer’s “convention” based on whether the plug is horizontal or vertical.
As others have stated: Many modules don’t have keyed shrouds and are unlabeled with respect to orientation. It’s usually not a big deal but when you do encounter such a module be sure to check the manual.
It’s very easy to do! I have an older intellijel case and many modules that do not have shrouded headers. I’ve emailed the manufacturer a few times before plugging in just to make sure. Also if you have spaces in your case and leave patch cables dangle and the touch the power supply it’s game over.
I’ve plugged in several modules incorrectly a few times (yes, I’m slow). So far I’ve been lucky and haven’t fried anything…. Yet.
There’s been an increase in builders using keyed headers over the past decade.
And sometimes the power strip sent with the module was made incorrectly. This happened to me a couple of weeks ago
I fried a module not from an incorrect ribbon cable header, but from only half powering, or incorrectly powering up my 12u folding case. It's a bit of a rite of passage for a eurorack modular enthusiast to fry a module at some point.
I've recently started switching from 4x RB 6U's to a set of Mantis cases. I haven't had any faulty modules or fried any (touchwood!) but changing to Mantis made me realize something I'd never noticed or thought about before - The led's on the case power boards. You barely notice them on the RB, but in the Mantis, they're very prominent - One each for the 3 separate +12V rails, one for the collective -12V rail, and one for the +5V rail. The FAQ's on the Tiptop site also recommend installing one module at a time, carefully checking that the red stripe is downwards on the A/B power zone headers, and facing to the right on the C power zone. Despite the notches on the bus board, and most modules, I've started checking for that orientation too. Attach the power cable with the red strip at the marker on the modules rear board, and make sure that fits the Mantis orientation. One module at a time, plug it in, power up and watch the LED's for the separate rails. If there are any issues, the LED's will behave differently and you can pinpoint the problem down to the module you just installed. If all is ok, power off, and repeat with the next module. My 2nd Mantis case arrived a couple of days ago, along with a couple of new modules today, so I'm in the middle of a pretty laborious re-rack, and I'm going through this process at the moment. Takes longer, but I think it's good advice. If anything is sketchy, I catch it right away.