I am having trouble with my barrel plug. I have the Rambo 1.4. Can I just cut the plug off, bypass the barrel plug and wire right into the connection that fits the board?
Yes, but check that you have the polarity right. They will often use whatever colors they feel like in the wires.
They always use standard colors. The problem is that the factory is full of color-blind assemblers with advanced glaucoma, working from sun-bleached standards charts. And the wire vendor keeps sending the wrong color wires (red-black instead of black-red)…
Ok…I am a novice on electrical…my build looks great…but I knew that the electrical was going to slow me to a crawl. If I don’t get the polarity right, will I fry the board?
In general, if you are unsure, assume you will. I don’t mean to paralyze you into inaction, but nothing sucks more than having to wait days (or weeks) for shipping rather than spending a few minutes checking polarity. This is not hearsay or secondhand knowledge…
Maybe I should have started with, what kind of barrel plug troubles are you having?
The ultimachine boards supposedly have reverse polarity protection, but I’m not the one who has to deal with replacing it if that doesn’t work.
Do you have a multimeter? I bet I can find a tutorial, or take a picture of checking the polarity with a multimeter/voltmeter.
You’re not a problem to us. We can’t speak for your significant other… 
No problem.
- Put the meter on 20DCV (3 o’clock position).
- Keep those red/white wires from touching themselves or anything else. Plug in the power supply.
- Put the red lead on the red wire.
- Put the black lead on the white wire.
If the display is +12V, then the red wire is (+) and the white is (-).
If the display is -12V, then the red wire is (-) and the red wire is (+).
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Thanks…red is positive…
Funny story and I will make it short. This is totally true. I had a new install on a Carrier Chiller. Basically a rat nest of a thousand wires all white with little numbers. I had to tell the factory and send photos of where the screwed the pooch. I had a reversed wire. This could have caused a fire if it had been in a no loaded position. Basically a direct short with no fuse protection. It happens. BTW standard wire is not always true. So always check and make sure things are working correctly. Over 20 years working with electronics in commercial and residential building controls, I assure you companies try to do things their way from time to time. Just check and be safe.
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