DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx Express => Topic started by: duane.mosley on October 21, 2012,

Title: direct short on test?
Post by: duane.mosley on October 21, 2012,

while testing my leaping arches, i had a direct electrical short on my le. now channel 9 is on full with no dimming or control? did i fry the chip or the triac?


thanks

duane

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: tbone321 on October 21, 2012,

You cooked the Triac.  The PIC is on the low voltage side and is protected by the opto-isolator chips and they are just controlling the gate of the triac and triggering it on. 

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: Jeffl on October 21, 2012,

Sounds like a triac to me but others will chime in.  I keep multiple on hand just in case as well a complete controller if things go crazy.  So far I have only had to replace one in five years.

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: duane.mosley on October 21, 2012,

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You cooked the Triac.  The PIC is on the low voltage side and is protected by the opto-isolator chips and they are just controlling the gate of the triac and triggering it on.

that's kinda what i figured. i have some extra's so i will get it swapped out before show time. this is my first year and i just finished building my leaping arches and wanted to test them. because i was just testing, i didn't tin all my wires and had a stray strand of wire short out. not the flash of light that i was wanting on initial test! lol

thanks
duane

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: bisquit476 on October 22, 2012,

I'm sure a lesson learned <md.., and that is it saves time to do it right the first time.

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: UncleBuck on October 23, 2012,

This is my first year, I built 6 LE's and wasn't going to tin any of them!! I thought better of it and took the time to tin them all. After hearing this I'm glad I took the time. Besides it makes it a lot easier to insert the wires into the terminals.  :)

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: devoidelk on October 23, 2012,

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This is my first year, I built 6 LE's and wasn't going to tin any of them!! I thought better of it and took the time to tin them all. After hearing this I'm glad I took the time. Besides it makes it a lot easier to insert the wires into the terminals.  :)

What do you mean by tin them?
Do you mean you twist and solder the end of the wire going into the terminals on the pigtails for?

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: bisquit476 on October 23, 2012,

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This is my first year, I built 6 LE's and wasn't going to tin any of them!! I thought better of it and took the time to tin them all. After hearing this I'm glad I took the time. Besides it makes it a lot easier to insert the wires into the terminals.  :)

What do you mean by tin them?
Do you mean you twist and solder the end of the wire going into the terminals on the pigtails for?

Yes, and I highly recommend it.

Title: Re: direct short on test?
Post by: duane.mosley on October 23, 2012,

well when my connections are permanent, i will tin them all. this was a temporary test. the lengths on my spt-2 are not determined yet, therefore it didn't make any sense to tin them all and have to cut it. it takes 5 minutes to replace a triac as opposed to 15 minutes to tin 48 wires and waist solder when i know i am going to cut them again. when my show is running and connections are permanent, it will be done right the first time!