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LED ligts stopped working around tuner/tap button


ptsmith
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Lately, one half of the light ring around my tuner/tap button on my Helix floor has stopped working. At first it seemed intermittent, off sometimes and on others. Now it always only lights up half of the ring. Anyone else had this problem? Can anything be done to fix it? I've had this for about 4 years so it's way out of warranty. 

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Submit a Ticket to Line 6. They are really good at making things right. I've not heard of this issue but that doesn't negate that situation you find yours in. Even though your unit may be out of warranty, consider submitting a Support Ticket to Line 6. It is commonly known that they have gone above and beyond regarding Customer Service in the past for many Helix owners. Give it a shot! You may be pleasantly surprised. The worst would be an out of warranty response.

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I've had this myself, I'd go down the support ticket route first, it's not an easy DIY job.

It's not unheard of for a solder joint to go dry but tackling that may lead to the LED needing replacing (that's what I had to do)

 

 

Have a look at the picture to see if you'd fancy doing that, there's four connections on it!

led-large.jpg

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Mine decided to quit completely (half of the ring on the mode switch as well...) I'd recommend a support ticket as well. I managed to get it working by gently pressing the solder joints with a chopstick, but it really needs to have the solder heated and there's no way I'm going to try that. They're small and I imagine those tiny LEDs are very sensitive to overheating. My precision soldering skills aren't bad, but this is just not a job for anyone but a true pro.

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57 minutes ago, PierM said:

 

Wondering who's/what is doing these soldering at the factory lol. Never seen so many soldering issues as with Line6. 

 

People say the joystick issue is a soldering problem but it's not, it's caused by the multi axis movement taking it's toll on the wires.

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2 hours ago, KozMcCharlie said:

Mine decided to quit completely (half of the ring on the mode switch as well...) I'd recommend a support ticket as well. I managed to get it working by gently pressing the solder joints with a chopstick, but it really needs to have the solder heated and there's no way I'm going to try that. They're small and I imagine those tiny LEDs are very sensitive to overheating. My precision soldering skills aren't bad, but this is just not a job for anyone but a true pro.

 

That's why I needed to change the LEDs in mine, initial attempts to reflow the solder joints damaged the LEDs.

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40 minutes ago, CraigGT said:

 

People say the joystick issue is a soldering problem but it's not, it's caused by the multi axis movement taking it's toll on the wires.

 

Well, I sent my floor in Germany (two times) for the joystick issue, and in the service description was described as a soldering issue. The pot base is soldered on the PCB.

 

 

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1 hour ago, PierM said:

 

Well, I sent my floor in Germany (two times) for the joystick issue, and in the service description was described as a soldering issue. The pot base is soldered on the PCB.

 

 

 

Yes but then a ribbon cable connects it to the lower board, on mine it was defiantly the cable that had broken.

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These posts all seem to be legitimate failures of the LED ring but just thought it worth mentioning that there is a global setting, Displays --> 'Tap Tempo LED' that can turn the LED ring off on the Tuner/Tap switch. Worth checking this first for anyone who comes to this topic with a non-functioning LED ring on this switch.

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  • 1 year later...
  • 5 months later...

BIG DISCLAIMER: I have years of surface mount rework experience and the necessary tools.  This is a job for a pro.  So for any electronic techs out there with the skills, tools, correct solder, etc., hopefully this part number will be helpful.  Otherwise, I'd suggest getting an RMA from Line 6 and paying them to do the job without causing damage.  This post is just to help the techs have an alternate source for the LEDs.  I'd hate for anyone to damage their Helix attempting to do this without experience, tools, and supplies, and any tech that has to try and fix it after someone damages the traces will probably curse you, your children, and generations to follow.  Having said all that...

 

Mouser Electronics (mouser.com) has the footswitch LEDs.  Mouser part number 710-15014M173100. Wurth (the manufacturer) P/N 150141M173100. Surface mount multi color LED.   I bought 10 for $4.97 (May 2023).

246000944_helixfootswitchesmouser.thumb.jpg.7e884c6ff5675d601e84d2d4b08b44f8.jpg

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Good advice @mmccain,

I think the bigger issue is if it was out of warranty, an authorised service centre would charge for a replacement footswitch pcb. I have the same issue with a DSP board that won't communicate over USB.

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

I've had the same issue just reveal itself on my Helix Floor, which is out of warranty. The LED rings on the top and bottom bank closest to the expression pedal have both started acting up, and it's 99% the solder connection, as gentle pressure changes the behaviour of the LEDs when tested.

 

I'm getting some pretty steep prices for a replacement board, be interested if any UK-based owners have had a repair done to reflow or replace the LEDs, rather than the board. Hundreds of pounds to deal with a pennies-cost failure is hard to swallow.

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  • 5 months later...

My helix tap tempo light did not flash/pulse or lit in my helix floor (in complete dark you can see some pulse). Also two other leds got very dim. Service replaced them with original leds. But very soon (within 5 months with very little usage) the same problem appear with the same leds. Although I turned off the tap tempo light after led replacement, it still managed to die again :) So I think there is a problem with unit that leads to corrupt leds. Maybe firmware bugs. It is very annoying this kind of failure for a very expensive hardware. And I don't want to pay the service again, since it is going to fail in 5 months. I also was not lucky with my relay g10 guitar wireless which stop charging within maybe 2 years also with very little usage. Although I love Line 6, I will think twice for my next purchase.

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Yep, Line 6 uses low quality parts.  It is rather unfortunate! 

 

Reach out to Line 6 directly-- call them over the phone and explain your situation--a service center did not fix your problem, and it came back.  They will create a ticket for you, where you can fill in your information.  That's what I did after horrible experience with 2 service centers.  Line 6 fixed my Helix for free for me.  Sometimes you need to escalate.

 

Good luck!

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