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TPCrisis
Copper Member
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 02/19/2010 : 22:46:10
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| So I recently purchased and am awaiting a Boss BF-2 Flanger black label (Japan) manufactured between 1980-1984 and am confused on the adapter I�ll need. I keep reading it takes the ACA-120G but all I can find is the standard ACA-120 without the "G". My question is what does the �G� stand for and will the standard ACA-120 work with this pedal? Thanks in advance. |
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Joske Turbo
Silver Member
Belgium
412 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2010 : 22:54:49
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You can find some information here: http://www.bossarea.com/other/aca.asp
Based on that information I think the BF-2 can also be powered by a normal ACA adaptor. I power mine using a PSM-5 with a PSA adaptor and then daisy chain to the BF-2. |
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TPCrisis
Copper Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2010 : 23:12:30
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| Thanks for the response. It seems this pedal requires 12V unregulated power and the ACA-120 is only 9V. I'm still not certain this will work or not. |
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Miky
Silver Member
Czech Republic
184 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2010 : 13:04:12
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ACA-120 is a 9V power supply. It will work poorly with an old ACA 12V pedal and I don't recommend using it.
Either get a 12V power supply, or try daisychaining the pedal with another PSA (9V) pedal using a 9V regulated power supply. |
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TPCrisis
Copper Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 22:42:26
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UPDATE: I got my Boss Japanese BF-2 and it works fine with the ACA-120 adapter. The bottom of the pedal even lists the ACA-120 but not the "G" model.
Edit: included image, sorry for the crap quality. This is what is says for those that can't make it out:
AC Voltage Boss ACA adapter
117V ACA-120 |
Edited by - TPCrisis on 02/26/2010 22:53:57 |
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TPCrisis
Copper Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2010 : 23:00:01
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UPDATE: I got my Boss Japanese BF-2 and it works fine with the ACA-120 adapter. The bottom of the pedal even says "AC Voltage 117V-Boss AC Adapter ACA 120".
Edit: double posted |
Edited by - TPCrisis on 02/27/2010 01:24:33 |
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Disco Stu
Silver Member
USA
303 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 00:44:54
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Greetings TP Crisis --
I have both ACA and PSA versions of the BF-2 and all the different power options including PSA-based daisy chain.
So I'll experiment and report back in an hour or two.
Send a Fire Truck if you don't hear back !! |
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antag
Copper Member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 01:55:39
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I didn't bother trying to track down the right ACA adaptor for mine (partly because I also have a CE-3 & HF-2 to power too), but used a PSM-5 with with PCS-20A daisy chain cable & a PSA-type pedal first in the chain (MZ-2 in my case). Doing that allows the 9v to power the pedal correctly.
IIRC the LS-2, NS-2 & TU-2 also have a 9v out jack for the PCS-20A... |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 03:15:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Disco Stu
Greetings TP Crisis --
I have both ACA and PSA versions of the BF-2 and all the different power options including PSA-based daisy chain.
So I'll experiment and report back in an hour or two.
Send a Fire Truck if you don't hear back !!
Hi Disco Stu
Fire truck sent...
Regards Dr. Bob  |
Edited by - Dr. Bob on 02/27/2010 03:16:16 |
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TPCrisis
Copper Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 04:07:54
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I'm scared to use my BF-2 now until I hear back from Disco. I'm hoping his house didn't burn down.  |
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Disco Stu
Silver Member
USA
303 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 06:37:28
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Call off the Fire Truck !!
The test was conducted in a fire-proof chamber (lined with old burlap Coffee sacks soaked in Benzene).
So -- my BF-2, Japanese, is a Green Label, April 1985, with the ACA sticker near the power jack. (Why do I have two of these things ??)
Well, the other one's made in Taiwan and did not enter the test.
I used three different power supplies directly into the pedal, and a 9V battery also.
1) Boss ACA-120G (label says "output DC 9V 250 mA"; it reads 11.25 Volts with a voltmeter.)
2) Boss PSA-120T (label says "output DC 9.6 V 200 mA"; it reads 9.53 Volts with a voltmeter.)
3) Ibanez AC109 (label says "output DC 9V 200 mA"; it reads 9.04 Volts with a voltmeter.)
I also tried both the Boss PSA and the Ibanez AC109 through an LS-2 and a daisy chain cable; the voltage from the daisy-chain tip read the same as directly from the tip of the power supply with no LS-2 and daisy-chain cable in both cases.
Of course, these measurements were made without the BF-2 pedal attached and I don't know how to take apart the thing and test it with it powered up.
Results: With a cheapo Squier Strat and a Crate transistor amp, each power supply made the BF-2 power up, and they all sounded the same... could not hear any difference at all.
There was no discernible difference with any one of the three, or compared to just a 9V battery.
I did not plug the ACA-120G into the LS-2 and daisy chain, as the voltage is higher, and I did not want to start a fire or ruin my LS-2.
My conclusion: If your black label MIJ BF-2 behaves in the same manner as my green label MIJ BF-2, use whatever Boss or Ibanez 9 Volt adapter you like and you won't hear any difference.
YMMV 
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Dirk
Platinum Member
Netherlands
1309 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 11:23:28
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I always mod my ACA pedals to PSA conversion, and use a homebuild PSA style powersupply with 5 outputs to power my pedals.
Because daisychaining from an ACA induces hum, from a PSA it doesn't.
Now all I have to figure out is how I can convert my old ACA adaptors to PSA, those buggers won't open, they're glued tight, but in theory all it takes is a 390 ohm resistor and a 4148 diode in series in the positive lead, just as in the old style pedals.
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 15:13:27
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| PSA adapters are actually regulated. I'm guessing there is a (some type of) 3 terminal regulator inside. I've never cracked one open to have a look... |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 16:44:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Laurie
PSA adapters are actually regulated. I'm guessing there is a (some type of) 3 terminal regulator inside. I've never cracked one open to have a look...
Hi Laurie & Guys
The PSA uses the old faithful LM7909 +9V regulator.
RRV-10 posted there in the link below.
But unfortunately the Picture/s were on photobucket & have been disabled.
http://www.bossarea.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2689
I found this other post by Ptero
that seem to have a few picture links.
http://www.bossarea.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2043
I think I'll relink the pictures into the "Pedal Internals thread"
Unless you want to do it for me Laurie.
If not leave it, Ill do it when I get up in a few hours.
I'm just about ready to go get some Zzzz's.
On page (15) of the internals thread,
you will also find the SMPS PSC-240A pics I uploaded.
I hope this helped.
Regards Dr. Bob 
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TPCrisis
Copper Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2010 : 18:07:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Disco Stu
Call off the Fire Truck !!
The test was conducted in a fire-proof chamber (lined with old burlap Coffee sacks soaked in Benzene).
So -- my BF-2, Japanese, is a Green Label, April 1985, with the ACA sticker near the power jack. (Why do I have two of these things ??)
Well, the other one's made in Taiwan and did not enter the test.
I used three different power supplies directly into the pedal, and a 9V battery also.
1) Boss ACA-120G (label says "output DC 9V 250 mA"; it reads 11.25 Volts with a voltmeter.)
2) Boss PSA-120T (label says "output DC 9.6 V 200 mA"; it reads 9.53 Volts with a voltmeter.)
3) Ibanez AC109 (label says "output DC 9V 200 mA"; it reads 9.04 Volts with a voltmeter.)
I also tried both the Boss PSA and the Ibanez AC109 through an LS-2 and a daisy chain cable; the voltage from the daisy-chain tip read the same as directly from the tip of the power supply with no LS-2 and daisy-chain cable in both cases.
Of course, these measurements were made without the BF-2 pedal attached and I don't know how to take apart the thing and test it with it powered up.
Results: With a cheapo Squier Strat and a Crate transistor amp, each power supply made the BF-2 power up, and they all sounded the same... could not hear any difference at all.
There was no discernible difference with any one of the three, or compared to just a 9V battery.
I did not plug the ACA-120G into the LS-2 and daisy chain, as the voltage is higher, and I did not want to start a fire or ruin my LS-2.
My conclusion: If your black label MIJ BF-2 behaves in the same manner as my green label MIJ BF-2, use whatever Boss or Ibanez 9 Volt adapter you like and you won't hear any difference.
YMMV
Thanks for your research, looks like I'm probably safe using the ACA-120 then. |
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Disco Stu
Silver Member
USA
303 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2010 : 03:06:29
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Thanks TPC --
I was just interested to find out that the "ACA" pedal worked fine with a PSA supply.
Have not gone through all of my "ACA" pedals yet to see if that is a common factor, but I've seen many discussions on this board that have led me to believe that the old Jap pedals require the ACA-xxx power supply.
It's possible that my particular BF-2 flanger pedal has been modded by a prior owner, or that it just happens to work with the PSA supply...
It was interesting to see that the Boss ACA-120G rated at 9 Volts is actually over 11 Volts...
Try your BF-2 with a PSA and let us know if it lights up.
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Topic |
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BF-2 Flanger black label adapter?
