Really old ALC modules like the Z, T, R, and G line modules plus the S6104 may no longer be repaired by ALC. These modules are 18 to 25 years old, it was a good run.
Basically if you have anything running legacy CMnet exec6 or older you really should be getting that on a replacement/upgrade plan.
End of RMA support for old modules.
Re: End of RMA support for old modules.
How is their repair service in general? Reasonable cost, turn around and fix most what's tossed at them?
Re: End of RMA support for old modules.
Cost is quite reasonable. They won't fix board damage or obvious liquid damage. My biggest complaint was comm trouble boards sometimes coming back as no fault found. Sure it works fine on 3 feet of cable but in the big network it takes the whole thing down. Granted a lot of those could be one of our service guys playing parts shotgun and turning everything in but supposedly repaired modules not working in the network used to be somewhat common, though I rarely experienced that myself.
The Z and T lines are going to be a problem. Supposedly in the past couple years we got everyone that had a budget off of T lines but we weren't targeting Z's and there's a bunch of that in our area.
M lines are going to be a big deal though. Even though they are repairable still we never really had a big stock of them as they are the big plant controllers. The stuff that can't be down etc isn't going to work well with a turn in for repair situation. Currently available controllers don't have the DB expander connector so if anything in the stack goes out and you can't get it you have to replace the whole stack.
ME after those are going to be a big deal too. We can replace the top level controller and keep the Xnet expanders at least as ALC put Xnet on the OFBBC so it wouldn't be a total replacement. Again not super common in the first place so parts are going to be a challenge. As these only just went out of production last year I think these will take a while.
M/ME/LGR are all still repairable and should be for a while as some only just went out of production.
The Z and T lines are going to be a problem. Supposedly in the past couple years we got everyone that had a budget off of T lines but we weren't targeting Z's and there's a bunch of that in our area.
M lines are going to be a big deal though. Even though they are repairable still we never really had a big stock of them as they are the big plant controllers. The stuff that can't be down etc isn't going to work well with a turn in for repair situation. Currently available controllers don't have the DB expander connector so if anything in the stack goes out and you can't get it you have to replace the whole stack.
ME after those are going to be a big deal too. We can replace the top level controller and keep the Xnet expanders at least as ALC put Xnet on the OFBBC so it wouldn't be a total replacement. Again not super common in the first place so parts are going to be a challenge. As these only just went out of production last year I think these will take a while.
M/ME/LGR are all still repairable and should be for a while as some only just went out of production.
Re: End of RMA support for old modules.
Sounds pretty good then. Most OEMs don't bother with repair period.
I'm sure the third party folks will jump on it after ALC calls it quits. At that point, one is really stretching things to infinity.
I'm sure the third party folks will jump on it after ALC calls it quits. At that point, one is really stretching things to infinity.
Re: End of RMA support for old modules.
Yes, third party is on board. Some of the M class boards off of ebay we got last year were from a repair outfit. I don't know where they get their stock though, I've never seen anyone buying old / broken boards.
Re: End of RMA support for old modules.
Sold pallets of crap to these third parties joints in the past. Only worth the hassle if its a package deal, aka some of its gold but its all or nothing when it comes to reclaimed garbage. They know whats gold, not us when a site is stripped. If we bothered to bring everything back, I'm not filling our dumpster or spending much time on getting rid of it. Its slush fund money for our team and nothing else if we bother. Its not worth listing a wad of crap on ebay and being left with a bunch of crap over an instant low ball offer for the hole lot imo.
They also get wads of BER units that the customers leave with them. Just because they cannot be repaired for reasonable cost doesn't mean units have no scrap value to them. Aka, board whacked with line voltage is toast 9/10 times. But there are still some parts of use. Terminal blocks, enclosures, special connectors, battery holders, etc that a repair joint can still use but its beyond ever returning to working service. Destructive tear down for knowlage requires a handful of dead units to further their repair efforts.
Should be interesting to see where the recent EO on right to repair goes.
They also get wads of BER units that the customers leave with them. Just because they cannot be repaired for reasonable cost doesn't mean units have no scrap value to them. Aka, board whacked with line voltage is toast 9/10 times. But there are still some parts of use. Terminal blocks, enclosures, special connectors, battery holders, etc that a repair joint can still use but its beyond ever returning to working service. Destructive tear down for knowlage requires a handful of dead units to further their repair efforts.
Should be interesting to see where the recent EO on right to repair goes.