In a former church in California, we had a (then) new Allen digital (MOS 600-DK) with the NAR (North American Rockwell) sequential Capture action. The back-up for the capture system were two 27 vdc batteries, which would hold things for about 5 hours. One Saturday night, very late, there was a power outage that lasted more than 5 hours ... of course, unknown to me, all my combination settings were erased after the batteries died ... Imagine my shock when pushing the general piston for the opening hymn, when every single stop was "on". Thankfully, the GC still worked. Allen later designed a capture system with rechargeable battery backup.
The last quote I had a few years back was $12,000 (USD) to update our present electro-mechanical console and outfit it with a combination action.
So true ... however, most organists have this general "code of understanding" where we don't change anything ... period. If I need to change things for whatever program I am playing, I will make a list of every combination piston/general showing all stops and couplers. When I am through with the program, I make sure that I have set them back, or at the very least, leave a neat typed listing of the original combinations.
I have had similar experiences that my fellow colleague, CD has had ... and it is an "awakening" experience for sure. For my own church organ, there are only 4 generals, so it really doesn't matter if someone else changes them. :crazy: