Hi Jarrod,

I read through that whole post. Still not sure what caused it with my XL2 tho'. Sounds like it's a problem, or weakness with this system. I guess I'll find out what it is and what caused it when I go to Canon with it.

Fu-1000?
 

Lucinda,

Just to clarify, because I don't think you've said: do you use the FU-1000? If not, this would seem to be the first blown fuse reported on this board without an FU-1000 on the cam.

I've been hoping since I first read of this problem a while back that the CRT viewfinder was to blame, and that I would therefore have no problems since I use the stock VF. If we can rule out the FU-1000 connection, then this suddenly begins to look like a much more systematic problem with the camera's electrical system. That thought scares me. I know, paranoid. But I can't help it.

Anyway, I hope you get your cam back in one piece, and that you don't have to spend anything on the repairs.

Good luck.

I stand corrected. There's at least one other case that involved hot-plugging the firewire.

Lucinda, any connection there to your situation?

I'm afraid I'm just going to have to start powering down any time I connect or disconnect anything, even the freakin' composite cable. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Jarrod,

Hate to be an ignoramous, but what's FU-1000?.....I don't use the firewire connection on my XL2, just the SVHS and the rca cables, audio and sometimes video. I've connected to a dvd player to see if I could get a larger better image and that was horrendous and then I now have a JVC video monitor and I connect with the SVHS cable, just for the video monitoring.

I'm afraid it could be an electrical problem too. I have no way of knowing. I do know that the battery pack, the big one I have on the back that I got from Brian at ZotzDigital, and the AC connection don't work..in other words for some reason I'm not getting any power. I hope it's some easy fix and if not that they can fix it and I don't have to go back and back as some people have had to on this forum.

Ugh!

Tell me what you mean tho' about the FU-1000? sorry I don't recall that right at the moment.

The FU-1000 (world's worst model number) is the optional monochrome CRT viewfinder for the Canon XL camcorder series. It is notorious for being the primary cause of blown master fuses in the XL2. That's why Jarrod was asking about it.

Thanks Chris. No, I use the viewfinder that came with the XL2 and the 20X lens. I read about that on the post about the blown fuses......

If this is an electrical problem isn't that covered under the warranty?

Unless they try to say it was your fault somehow, which would technically void the warranty... Fortunately, I've only heard of that happening once, and it was very early on in the camera's existence.

What could you possibly do to make it your own fault?

Well, one of the guys in another thread said Canon swore that he had either removed or mounted a lens while the camera was on, and that this was the cause of the problem. Apparently, this was simply not true. They charged him $600.

But again, his fuse issue occured earlier than anyone else's, seemingly. Everyone since seems to have received free repairs.

I need to shut up, I'm just making you even more worried. Sorry. :)

You could change lenses without first powering down the camera. That would cross electrical contacts and possibly blow the main fuse, and yes it would be your fault.

*edit* -- Simultaneous post! -- Jinx on you, Jarrod!

D'OH! :)

OK, I'll be quiet.

Luckily, I've never changed the lens. Except for this evening when Brian Longley at ZotzDigital said that sometimes if the lens is mounted incorrectly the camcorder won't power up. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. I took it off and put it back on, but the camcorder still didn't power up.

Listen: obviously, I won't find anything out until Canon checks the camcorder. I just hate waiting for important answers, but I guess that's the name of this game. I'll certainly pass on anything of interest to this forum. Thanks again for your solicitude!

Lucinda, by all means please report back and tell us about your experience with this. We'd like to know how it goes for you. Thanks in advance,

It Was Me
 

Lucinda, I had the EXACT same issue, and kept that thread going last year for quite a while. WhileI never really figured out what was causing it, I think I have a pretty good idea and it has never come back.
I was using my camera with the firewire plugged into the computer for downloading DV into the computer. One day into a download I smelled that unique odor of electronics burning, and nothing would work. I couldn't even get the tape out of the cam. I was told it was the cable, sent the cam back to Canon, they fixed it, shot some video, downloaded it, BOOM, it happened again.
And again...

While sending my cam back to canon the last time I had my computer checked up and they said I had some sort of cross circuit in the Motherboard's 1394 circuit...I replaced the MB and from that time forward it never had a problem. I have taken several steps, tho, to make sure it won't happen again.

1: I don't want to accidentally cause the short circuit to happen again, and just leave the 1394 plugged into the back of the computer all the time.
2: I make sure the XL2 is turned off when plugging into it with the 1394 cable
3: I cross my fingers and hold my breath and say a couple prayers when plugging in.
But, the biggest reason why there has been no issue is...
4: I bought a cheapo DV cam and download all DV from there. The only time the XL2 sees the computer is when I'm uploading presets into it... (See number 3 above!)

If you want more details etc on my XL2's symptoms, I'll be happy to fill you in.