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Issues with a Fender Passport PD-500

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  • #1

    Issues with a Fender Passport PD-500

    Hello All,

    Tonight a buddy of mine traded me his dead Fender Passport PD-500 for a cheap Epiphone acoustic I had kicking around. He bought the Passport about a year ago and he has only used it a handful of times. Last time it worked he was doing gig and the PA went dead between songs. At the moment the only life the PA has a green blinking power light. Also, the phantom power light comes on if you hit the button. One thing I noticed was that once the power switch was turned off, the green light would continue to flash. For the flashing light to shut off I would have to discount the power cable.

    Any tips, suggestions, etc?? I am in Costa Rica.. and good service is really tough to find here. If you can find someone to fix it... they are likely to do a bad job and/or charge insane prices due to costs of parts. I can find my way around a schematic. I am definitely not a trouble shooter BUT I am good with an iron and solder sucker. I have assembled a couple of tube amps and guitar pedals.. so.. I feel comfortable in at least giving it a shot in fixing this thing!!

    Thanks in advance!!

    Regards,

    Tim Dunford
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  • #2
    Hi Tim
    The Passport is a tough one to work on due to several problems in the layout. It is hard to work on any particular section because the many wires are too short to get access to any one board. The flashing light means it is in protect mode. That means either the switching power supply module is defective or more commonly, the power amp board has a high current draw. If you can open it, find the power cable/connector that runs between the power supply module and the power amp board. Unplug it and turn on the unit. There is a good chance it will come on and stay on..but the power amp will be dead. The power amp can be tested and repair like a conventional power amp, the D model is a digital amp which is more reliable than the old conventional amp used in the other Passports. The biggest problem with the amp, as I said is how it is assembled. One of the cable connectors, a small one leading up to the wireless board at the top requires surgical suture clamp to get the connector back in due to the short lengths and lack of access room for your hands.

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    • #3
      Hi km6xz,

      Thanks for the response. I am a little confused... if the GREEN POWER on light when flashing means it is in protect mode... what is the the RED protect light for? I just want to make sure that we are talking about the same light.

      Do you happen to know where I can get a schematic/layout for the PD-500? I have searched online and I can not find one anywhere. Thanks in advance for your reply!

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      • #4
        I believe the Green LED is Power On.
        Try this past post for the Passport 250.
        There is a link to schematics.
        Post: http://music-electronics-forum.com/t15428/

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        • #5
          Yes.. GREEN is power on.. and this is the LED that is flashing. It is not the typical problem people get with the PROTECT light flashing.

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          • #6
            IF your Passport power supply is the same as the P250, the green led is driven by a +15 volt regulator.
            So, either the regulator is at fault, it is being loaded down or the switcher is not functioning.
            Attached Files

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            • #7
              Sorry, I read the post too quickly and my mind went back to all those 150 and 250s I worked on a number of years go. The PA or Switching supply were always the problem, usually the PA.

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              • #8
                First things first, is the voltage selector set to the correct setting 120v or 220v.

                Have you tested each of the speaker cabinets with another amp or with a battery?

                Is there any sound at all coming out of the speakers? Hiss, hum, etc.?

                If you plug a signal source into the FX return or Power amp in jack will it make sound?

                Likewise, if you take a signal from the pre-amp out into another amp do you get a signal?

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                • #9
                  Did your buddy buy the Passport NEW? If so, it ought to have some warranty left. Look into having the buddy send it to Fender warranty. If this can be done, contact Fender first and find out their procedures where you are.
                  Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

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                  • #10
                    PASSPORT P-500

                    IIRC the green blinking light indicates a failure in the switching supply. Diodes D15 and D22 are covered with hot glue. You will likely find one or both shorted. They have shorted because the hot glue has caused them to overheat. When you replace them leave off the hot glue and it will be fine. The Mouser part # for the diode is 750-SB2100E-G. I have repaired several of these units with this problem. Your alternative is too contact Fender for a replacement unit. I don't think any of the PD-500 have been in production long enough to be out of warranty. The PD-500 is out of production but they will provide one of their newer Passport units as a sub.

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                    • #11
                      hi im having a little problem with my PD 500 too problem started with my master volume that didn't seem to work then after I played a bit with it now when I turn the power on the green light comes on and the fx light but all my input lights come on red for a second then the system seems to go on and off every second or two you can here the speakers ticking on and off and it doesn't detect my input no more other thing is I use to have three LEDs on the inside board that use to light up now just the two on the side edge light up and they go on and off every few seconds the same as the ticking sound of the speakers but the front green power light and fx light stay on steady ,does anybody have any ideas on this ? heres a link to my problem https://youtu.be/2jR8lLXGjkA

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by dan roy View Post
                        hi im having a little problem with my PD 500 too problem started with my master volume that didn't seem to work then after I played a bit with it now when I turn the power on the green light comes on and the fx light but all my input lights come on red for a second then the system seems to go on and off every second or two you can here the speakers ticking on and off and it doesn't detect my input no more other thing is I use to have three LEDs on the inside board that use to light up now just the two on the side edge light up and they go on and off every few seconds the same as the ticking sound of the speakers but the front green power light and fx light stay on steady ,does anybody have any ideas on this ? heres a link to my problem https://youtu.be/2jR8lLXGjkA
                        Welcome to the place.

                        My guess would be that the power supply has a problem and one side of the low voltage is turning on and off, which would cause the red channel leds to flash like that.

                        Working on switch mode power supplies is very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. What sort of skills do you have when it comes to high voltage electronics?

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