kevliao Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Similar to the discussion for computers...do you leave your unit on? It does get a bit off after a while. The power supply is built in, not a separate power block. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoeWoe Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 I don't see any reason to keep it on while not in use. I do leave it on for all the Sunday services which ends up being 7:30-2:00, but I think it's best to power down the unit when you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glideman Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Mine stays cool when I leave it on from 7:15am until 12:30pm for the rehearsal and two services. I also leave it on for 5 hours for the typical rock band gig and have no heat problems. Other than that, it's powered off always after I'm done playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshow Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 On weekends mine is on for 5-6 hours a day. I have read in another forum someone left it on for 3 day without problems, so we should be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Similar to the discussion for computers...do you leave your unit on? It does get a bit off after a while. The power supply is built in, not a separate power block. Any thoughts? Just curious - why would you want to leave it on overnight or for hours/days at a time when you know you wont't be using it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 There are some days I'll leave it on for 4 or 5 hours because I'm working on things around the house and intermittently coming back to the Helix to work on patches or playing around. Just trying to avoid the long power up cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Just curious - why would you want to leave it on overnight or for hours/days at a time when you know you wont't be using it? Leave it all on, kilowatts be damned!!! I also like to have the heat and A/C duke it out in the summer, just for sh*ts 'n' giggles...and I'm considering hiring someone to stand in the bathroom to constantly flush the toilet. ;) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncockerill Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 I think I would be more worried about the LCD screen over time. Helix doesn't have a "sleep mode" or "screen saver" that prolongs the life of the LCD. Nothing lasts forever --- why shorten its life? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevliao Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 Thanks to all your responses, even the snarky ones :P Good points raised about the life of the LCD. I know that most electronic devices have a rated on/off lifespan. I do use it everyday, but really just a few hours at a time, but yeah, it does get hot. There are some folks who feel with PC components/circuitry, constant on/off shortens its lifespan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRalphN Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 The best reason to turn stuff off when not in use, is to avoid getting fried if the power spikes. I lost 2 pieces of gear like that once, a rack-mount tuner and a MIDI foot controller (despite the use of surge protectors). Outdoor gig on one of those "stage on wheels" a lot of towns drag around for street fairs and such...Left everything on, thunderstorm knocked out the power, both units were DOA when the lights came back on. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Theres no reason to leave it on when not in use. If you are worried about wear on the power switch, get you a RackRider power bar and use it for the on-off switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexwinston Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 From Paul McGowan, founder of psaudio.com.... If you switch off the power to your equipment day in and day out it won’t last as long as simply leaving it powered on. Why? Because the inrush current to charge your power supply up takes its toll over time – while steady state power has no such problem. Your electronics take a small thrashing every time you plug and unplug them from the power. I think the myth that products wear out started with tubes and mechanical devices like turntables, CD transport mechanisms, hard drives etc. (because it’s true in their case). But a purely electronic piece like a power amp or preamp are better left powered on at all times – with but few exceptions. So, keep the lights on with your equipment – it helps everything live longer and sound better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjoyce Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 If for no other reason, do it for the planet. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 This is one of those useless debates that will never be resolved because various "experts" produce mutually exclusive "truths". Some will tell you that constantly leaving things on is the worst thing in the world for electronics because of the constant heat of being on all the time, or you'll get the contrary warning that "on again/ off again" puts more stress on various components... frankly, I don't think anybody actually knows one way or the other. Either way, the closest thing there is to "truth" on the matter is that it is very likely that long before you ruin your gear in either of the aforementioned ways (if that's even possible), you're gonna get tired of it and buy something else anyway, so who cares? Think about all the gear you've moved on from over the years... I've forgotten half of it at this point, and I can recall exactly one catastrophic electrical failure...a Marshall head that (literally) smoked itself to death at sound check one time. There's real stuff to worry about out there...this doesn't even make the first cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caledoneus Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 I turn mine off/ on with a power strip. It turns on my Monitors, Powercab, and all the other connected items as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigGT Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 It's a fact that most switch mode power supply failures occur at startup, I've had plenty fail over the years but never whilst on and working. Saying that, I turn my stuff off when I'm not using it. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderton Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 My semi-educated guess (emphasis on "guess") is that Helix uses a regulated power supply for its internal circuitry, so it's not going to be affected much one way or another by what happens between the wall and the power supply. On the other hand, as mentioned by CraigGT, power supplies take the brunt of startup stress. However, power supplies are a relatively easy fix, whereas components that have a limited life span (like LCDs) are much harder to repair. I turn all my gear off when not in use anyway, because the gear itself has enough of an environmental impact...I don't want to make things worse. The only time I've had anything fry on startup was an ADAT power supply, which Alesis confirmed had not been built to spec by their supplier in the first production run. Also remember that if something doesn't draw a lot of current, there's not going to be a huge inrush when you turn it on. Helix Floor is rated at 60 Watts max, which doesn't seem all that scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotRats73 Posted August 19, 2021 Share Posted August 19, 2021 During the first lockdown in 2020, had to work at home like anyone else, and I used the helix floor as a soundcard 10 hours per day (because performed much better with protools than the other interface I had at home at the time. All that said, I always turn it off when unused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theElevators Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 There is this belief that turning things on/off needlessly is bad for equipment. At work, my workstation is always on, and has been on for 5 years. At home, my laptop is also always on, unless I go on vacation. I think that modern cars that save gas and don't idle at red lights are stupid. Turning the engine off at every red light and then starting is horrible for the motor. Just be reasonable with it and don't overthink it. Need to practice? -- turn it on. Take a coffee break -- leave it on. Finished practicing -- turn it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulzx Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 On 8/9/2021 at 3:49 PM, wjoyce said: If for no other reason, do it for the planet. You're more likely to get an alien invasion before switching off the Helix having any effect on the planet. It might have an effect on your electric bill lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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