GE Logiq E9: GFI clock error after long idle
What happened
After a long idle period the scanner reported that the GFI clocks were not running at the correct frequencies (acqGfi 3140 in the log, as shown in the case); after a reboot it worked normally again.
What was checked
- Visual inspection of the boards found no visible defects.
- Log review, including housekeeping voltage records, showed the +24 V rail at about 3.6 V instead of 24 V, as reported in the case.
- The engineers followed the GFI board path; a DC offset test and further GFI board checks were proposed, but the board itself showed no fault.
- In a comparable reported case, a main PSU substitution from another unit was used as the diagnostic step that confirmed the fault.
Cause
The engineers found that the clock error was most probably secondary to a power problem: the main power supply was not delivering +24 V (the log recorded about 3.6 V on that rail, as reported in the case), so the loads fed from this rail, including the fans, did not start correctly. In a comparable case the same symptom was traced to a faulty main PSU, although the boards and the PSU looked fine visually.
The cause is probable and was not fully confirmed.
What was done
Replace the main power supply. In this case the repair was still in progress, but the logs confirmed the missing +24 V, and in the comparable case a working PSU from another unit fully cleared the fault. PSU replacement and any post-replacement checks follow the manufacturer's service documentation and are done by authorised personnel.
Safety
Disconnect the scanner from the mains and allow the power supply capacitors to discharge before working near the PSU, and run the electrical safety test before returning the unit to clinical use.
Lesson: A clock error on an acquisition board can be a symptom of a missing supply rail, so compare the housekeeping voltage logs against expected values before ordering or swapping boards.
Covered in the course: Ultrasound Service — Level 2: Fault-Finding →
Written from an anonymised case shared by service engineers. It is not a manufacturer instruction and grants no authorisation. Independent note; names are trademarks of their owners.