Rotary Encoder broken?

[streamfuchs]

Are you sure you want to spray contact cleaner on an optical device?

No, I am absolutely not shure.

The other thing is that yout mentioned that in your case the faulty encoder was case sensitive.
For me that sounds like a software problem. In some menus it worked for you, in some it was "slowly".
I do not know whether we have got the same sort of problem but it is very strange to me that the encoder is doing absolutely nothing when rotating it.

So you said that the encoder is an optical device? Do you know anything more about the way it works normally?

[GaryH]

I have older EMU command stations that had similar encoder issues, was a common problem with them. The short term common knowledge fix for this was indeed spraying them with some contact cleaner-which did help. That said these were not completely "dead" they were sort of intermittent. I am no electronic device expert but the encoders supposedly had 'wipers' that got worn down and dirty over time. The design however being newer may be totally different. I am not saying this should be done but I don't really think it will cause further harm to try it either. More than likely it will need to be replaced. My bet is you can order the part and have it replaced more locally to you since it's not warranty related.

[MJKlein]

Are you sure you want to spray contact cleaner on an optical device?

No, I am absolutely not shure.

The other thing is that yout mentioned that in your case the faulty encoder was case sensitive.
For me that sounds like a software problem. In some menus it worked for you, in some it was "slowly".
I do not know whether we have got the same sort of problem but it is very strange to me that the encoder is doing absolutely nothing when rotating it.

Mine got worse over time. I have no explanation for it's behavior.

So you said that the encoder is an optical device? Do you know anything more about the way it works normally?

The encoders create pulses and the system just counts the pulses and adds or subtracts to/from the current value. But the encoders themselves don't have an actual value per setting like a potentiometer. The encoders that are on the screen assembly seem to have mechanical steps (more on the other message).

[MJKlein]

I have older EMU command stations that had similar encoder issues, was a common problem with them. The short term common knowledge fix for this was indeed spraying them with some contact cleaner-which did help.

That works if they are wafer devices and not something like laser or magnetic. I suppose that if the encoder is already going bad there probably isn't anything to lose by giving it a spray.

[MJKlein]

I asked Dennis about the encoders in the X32 and this is his response after examining the schematics:

Schematically all the, "encoders" are drawn the same, with no device part number. They are annotated as a what I'll call bi-phase opto encoder. The MCU can determine if you are rotating CW or CCW and how many turns based on the lead lag phase and the number of pulses. So most likely opto coupler. We need the part number on the device. Don't wash them, put a logic probe or hi z meter to A and B can see what you get, if they are all dead see, 74H165 data sheet.

[streamfuchs]

I decided to get the encoder changed and found a maintenance center for behringer two hours away from my home town.
So today I made a trip over there with my mixer, they changed all 6 rotary encoders underneath the menu panel, and one fader which was a little bit grinding.
Everything is working well now, I hope for some time.

[MJKlein]

I decided to get the encoder changed and found a maintenance center for behringer two hours away from my home town.
So today I made a trip over there with my mixer, they changed all 6 rotary encoders underneath the menu panel, and one fader which was a little bit grinding.
Everything is working well now, I hope for some time.

If you don't mind, about what did that cost to get done? Good call on replacing all of them at one go.

[streamfuchs]

I decided to get the encoder changed and found a maintenance center for behringer two hours away from my home town.
So today I made a trip over there with my mixer, they changed all 6 rotary encoders underneath the menu panel, and one fader which was a little bit grinding.
Everything is working well now, I hope for some time.

If you don't mind, about what did that cost to get done? Good call on replacing all of them at one go.

They replaced all 6 encoders (they adviced me to do so) and one fader, which obviously was grinding a little bit.
I had not asked for the fader replacement because I had not noticed a problem with that fader so far but I appreciated that they have done it.
Obviously the problem became visible when the desk was open.

So one encoder costs about € 6,25 and the fader costs € 22,65. (+ VAT)
Together with the wages I paid € 260,15 (+ VAT)

[MJKlein]

I finally decided to give the #1 encoder under the display, a shot of cleaner. It's a German brand that we have here in Taiwan and it smells exactly like Cramolin R5 from Caig Laboratories, circa 1985. I didn't crack the case, I just used the tube and sprayed it down the shaft and into the body (presumably). I used a clean cloth to control the overspray/dripping. After 3 shots (I was very conservative) and working the control, I found that it made such a dramatic difference that I sprayed all of them. #1 was getting so unreliable that it was hard to scroll through lists. Now it's 100% reliable. So, there you go.

[pvannatto]

I finally decided to give the #1 encoder under the display, a shot of cleaner. It's a German brand that we have here in Taiwan and it smells exactly like Cramolin R5 from Caig Laboratories, circa 1985. I didn't crack the case, I just used the tube and sprayed it down the shaft and into the body (presumably). I used a clean cloth to control the overspray/dripping. After 3 shots (I was very conservative) and working the control, I found that it made such a dramatic difference that I sprayed all of them. #1 was getting so unreliable that it was hard to scroll through lists. Now it's 100% reliable. So, there you go.

Well, I guess I'm not as dumb as I look (as my dad use to tell me)