Motorola Spectra Systems 9000 Fail 01/90

[jbowers726]

Hello,
First I apologize that I am so new to this still. I bought this radio set up from a buddy because it came with the siren that I needed.

The radio says: TA9FW+078W
ID # T85FWA7HA9AK

The control head when it powers on just flashes on and off during self test. (It previously worked fine and just randomly started this one day) Once in a while I can get it to come up with the error code "Fail 01/90". Can anyone help me with where my issue is and whether it's worth buying a new control head (if that's the problem) or cable or if I should just buy a new system. Either way, I need to get my siren working ASAP since I can't run hot without a siren.

Thanks,

James

 

[KG4INW]

A Fail 1/90 is a general hardware issue. It could be one of many things. I'd check all power and remote cables to see if anything's loose or corroded.

Or, since it's an old Spectra, have the 12 leaking electrolytic capacitors been replaced yet? They will leak if they're original from the factory still. See here: Recapping the Spectra

 

[jbowers726]

Reply

Thank you soooo much for replying. Yes I have checked all connections and they are all good. I don't know if they are original caps or not. That is a possibility. That is where I don't have experience. I can open it up I think and look. Will it be obvious that it's leaking? And if they are leaking would it make it flicker like that and only once in a while power up to the error code? If it's those, how expensive is it to fix and where is the best place to take it?

Thanks

James

 

[cabletech]

In the installed configuartion, do you have the siren module also installed?

A fail 1/90, as stated, is a hardware problem. It can be the wrong control head, wrong cable, the siren module not connected, or a combination of any of these.

 

[mancow]

99% chance it's leaky caps eating up circuit traces.

 

[KG4INW]

The symptoms you describe sound exactly like the time-bomb caps leaking. I've replaced them myself for only a few dollars in parts but there are individuals who will replace them for you. I don't know what they charge though.

That link I posted should provide everything you ever needed to know about replacing them.

 

[jim202]

A Fail 1/90 is a general hardware issue. It could be one of many things. I'd check all power and remote cables to see if anything's loose or corroded.

Or, since it's an old Spectra, have the 12 leaking electrolytic capacitors been replaced yet? They will leak if they're original from the factory still. See here: Recapping the Spectra

My Spectra manual says the 01/90 error code is a "SERIAL BUS FAILURE". May be caused by a control head failure, a command board failure, or a cabling failure.

Happy hunting. It would make life so much easier if you had some spare parts to swap. Like another control head, another radio and another siren box.

Jim

 

[jbowers726]

Leaking Caps

Okay,

So from the sounds of it, it will be a leaky cap issue, but so far I can't find the caps everyone says will be leaking. I took the top of the Radio off and there is two board there. One of them have really really tiny caps, but I don't see anything leaking there. Can anyone direct me to where I can find the caps that will likely be leaking and will it be obviously cracked?

Jim,

I ordered spare parts yesterday but will take a week to get here and if I can fix it, I would love to do it ASAP.

Thanks,

James

 

[jbowers726]

broken part

Okay,

So I finally broke the mounting bracket off and got access to the bottom of the radio. When I opened the bottom and took the metal cover off this board, this little tiny black piece started rolling around. Can anyone show me on the picture where this is suppose to go and if it can be re-soldered?

Thanks everyone

 

[mancow]

Looks like an inductor block or cap.

 

[jbowers726]

board image

Hello,

I am pretty sure it is a transistor. The question is, will that cause the fail 01/90 and the constant power cycle? Here is an image of the board and then a close up of where I think the transistor went.... Is it possible to solder this back onto this spot and save the radio.

I believe that the transistor should be between these two metal points.

Thanks,

James

 

[WA0CBW]

Just an FYI ..... transistors have three connections (Base, Collector, and Emitter) but the part in the picture looks to have only two connections. It might be a fuse, resistor, diode, or capacitor. It is kind of hard to tell from the picture. I don't think it goes where you have indicated. It is a surface mount component and would not be mounted to blobs of solder. It would be mounted flush to a couple of PC board pads.
BB

 

[mancow]

That is not where a transistor goes but a passive component in an rf area and it would not cause the fail cycle. I will try to look at the schematic when I get time.

 

[cmdrwill]

Did you check for 12 volts on the three pins that are common on the bottom row of the connector in your photo? There is a surface mount choke in series with the tab which is the main high current 12 volt input to the radio.The choke is just above the discolored spot on the white coax.

B plus to Ground, OVER

 

[jbowers726]

New stuff

So I took a different angle here. I bought a new radio from ebay with a new control head and speaker. It did not come with a new power cable or a new control head cable. When I plugged the new radio into my power and control head wires, I still get the same rebooting over and over and I get a fail 01/90. Where do I go next? Would there be anything that could have happened in the cabled themselves?

Side Note: This all started when I had to get a jump because my battery died.... Again I have replaced the radio and control head with a new one and is still doing it.

Thanks,

James

 

[cabletech]

What do you not get about this? Several of us have told you that the problem with code 01/90 is a hardware problem.

This means you have the wrong control head, the wrong cable or both.

The radio is looking for VERY SPECIFIC information when it boots up.

This is just like a computer, if you changed some thing and the computer bios/processor does not see it, you get a error message.

If started your vehicle and the radio worked before, and then quit, then you caused a problem within the radio processor that is giving you this error.

Again, it happens all the time and one of the main things that all Moto techs used to tell everyone, was to remove the main power fuse BEFORE doing starts.

Just changing the main trunk unit is not going to solve your problem.

 

[jbowers726]

wrong attitude

So Cabletech,

I hate to tell your that your comments and attitude to me and my lack of knowledge did nothing but prove your ignorance. I spent the day re-running and dressing up all of the cords and was finally able to diagnose the issue. It was an issue with the fuse on the main power line of the radio. The fuse hasn't totally blow but did short it self out. It failed a continuity test.

Needless to say I had to replace the fuse housing and fuse itself and resolved the issue 100%. There was never an issue with the hardware like everyone kept saying, It was an issue with lack of power....

Thanks to everyone else that worked with me to resolve it.

 

[cmdrwill]

So Cabletech,

I hate to tell your that your comments and attitude to me and my lack of knowledge did nothing but prove your ignorance. .

I will definitely second that... I am thinking that Cabletech's brain has fried. He's been way off for months.

 

[KJ4UNR]

What do you not get about this? Several of us have told you that the problem with code 01/90 is a hardware problem.

This means you have the wrong control head, the wrong cable or both.

The radio is looking for VERY SPECIFIC information when it boots up.

This is just like a computer, if you changed some thing and the computer bios/processor does not see it, you get a error message.

If started your vehicle and the radio worked before, and then quit, then you caused a problem within the radio processor that is giving you this error.

Again, it happens all the time and one of the main things that all Moto techs used to tell everyone, was to remove the main power fuse BEFORE doing starts.

Just changing the main trunk unit is not going to solve your problem.

oh so your suppose to hook everything up first and then put the fuse in place? Also what kind of fuse should I use? A MAXI fuse or an inline fuse. Also I have the same problem with the FL 01/90 code and it power cycles too could it be the power cable someone told me to brush the connectors and all of the pins and it might solve the issue

 

[FFPM571]

90% of Fail 01/09's i have found to be no 12v+ to the main power