Switching Maestro batteries using AC brick for holdover causes Maestro to stop

Ronald Panetta

New to Flex and Maestro so maybe this is operator error. I have 2 Mogix batteries. When one battery nears exhaustion, I connect the Maestro to AC power via the supplied power brick. I then disconnect the exhausted Mogix and connect the fully charged Mogix. AC brick is used for holdover during the switch. All goes well to this point. The issue arises when I  dosconnect the AC power brick from the back of the Maestro (12V DC coaxial connector). 

At that  point, the right side of the Maestro goes dark (buttoms), the display freezes and a short time later a Windows dialog box pops up stating "Maestro has stopped working... Check online for a solution... Close the program... View problem details."

I believe the internal battery can be used for holdover but having the AC brick handy, I plug it in to avoid internal battery exhaustion so as to not interrupt any QSOs. It seems that once the brick is plugged in, there is no way to  transition to external battery.

Running V2.2.8.40.  Maestro SN 2118-3389-0100-1234 (power button on side). 

73, Ron WB2WGH

KY6LA_Howard

IIRC using the AC Brick disconnects the battery input So you should not have the brick connected when switching batteries as the internal battery will easily hold the radio while you switch batteries

Ronald Panetta

So once the Maestro is connected to 12VDC via the coaxial connector (via battery or AC brick) there is no way to transition to USB power pack only power. So if I normally have the Maestro connected in the shack to 12VDC, there is no way to then move the Maestro to a different location in the house via USB power without interrupting operation. 

So if one plans to move the Maestro around in the house, one should never connect power via the 12VDC coaxial connector but rely solely on USB power packs. Of course, if one wants to shut down the Maestro in the interim, no issues.

Ron, WB2WGH

Tim - W4TME

You are incorrect.  Connect the battery and unplug the coaxial power connector.

Ronald Panetta

Tim, On several occasions per the my original post in this thread I had the Windows "Maestro has stopped working" dialog box pop up. I will try and recreate that scenario.

I did just execute the following sequence with no adverse effects other than the right side lights and the speaker go out briefly after pulling the coaxial connector

If I continue to have issues I will try and reconstruct the scenario and update the thread.

Thanks,
Ron

1) Boot on external USB Mogix batter (fully charged)
2) Maestro shows battery icon to right of A flag
3) Plug AC connected Maestro brick 12VDC coaxial plug to Maestro 
4) Maestro shows "plug" icon to right of A flag
5) Unplug Mogix 
6) Maestro continues to function nominally
7) Plug Mogix back in
8) Maestro shows "plug" icon to right of A flag

9) Disconnect 12VDC coaxial connector from  back of Maestro
10) All display indicators on the right side of the display and speakers go off
11) After about a minute the right side indicators came back on and Maestro returned to normal operation
12) Maestro shows "battery" icon to right of A flag
13) Plug AC connected Maestro brick 12VDC coaxial plug to Maestro
14) Maestro shows "plug" icon to right of A flag

15) Disconnect 12VDC coaxial connector from  back of Maestro
16) All display indicators on the right side of the display and speakers go off
17) After about 15 seconds the right side indicators came back on and Maestro returned to normal operation
18) Maestro shows "battery" icon to right of A flag
19) Plug AC connected Maestro brick 12VDC coaxial plug to Maestro
20) Maestro shows "plug" icon to right of A flag

21) Disconnect 12VDC coaxial connector from  back of Maestro
22) All display indicators on the right side of the display and speakers go off
23) After about 30 seconds the right side indicators came back on and Maestro returned to normal operation. Several "clicks" from inside the Maestro.
24) Maestro shows "battery" icon to right of A flag
25) Plug AC connected Maestro brick 12VDC coaxial plug to Maestro
26) Maestro shows "plug" icon to right of A flag

27) Disconnect 12VDC coaxial connector from  back of Maestro
28) All display indicators on the right side of the display and speakers go off
29) After about 30 seconds the right side indicators came back on and Maestro returned to normal operation. Several "clicks" from inside the Maestro.
30) Maestro shows "battery" icon to right of A flag
.
.
.

Tim - W4TME

Correct.  When you change power sources, the Maestro is temporarily powered from the internal display battery.  The software does a search for a valid power source and once it finds one, it uses that source and runs the power management logic associated with that source.