LE Dimming

[stormym]

So, I am sure I am missing something but both my LE boards are not dimming on all channels. I thought, maybe I need to program curves into them, so I programmed curves and still the same. i have to ramp up to about 90% before I get power on most of the channels. What am I doing wrong?

[rrowan]

More information would be helpful

What kind of lights are you using?
What software?

If you move the lights to different channels does the problem also move?
Like say for example you are not seeing diming on channel 5 so move that set of lights to another channel that is currently diming. Do they know dim properly or do they still have a problem? You should be able to dim with the standard curve (default) or any curve besides the non-diming one (strobe).

Rick R.

[stormym]

I am using Vixen, tried both channel test and regular show and all the same lights. If I move a strand that is dimming to a channel that isn't dimming, the strand no longer dims. I have not tested every channel yet as I do not have everything hooked up, however one board I have 5 channels connected and only one is dimming. I will hook up more to see how many channels have issues

[stormym]

I should also add that the indicator LED's are dimming. Just the output seems to have the issue.

[stormym]

Alright, I populated one full LE board and that one has no channels dimming :-( So one board I have a couple working, another I have none

[rrowan]

Something is not right with your setup. (Yeah I know, duh to me )

Check the parts between the left fuse and the transformer. There is a 6 pin chip and I think 3 resistors. Go over the soldering and make sure the correct resistors are there (orientation does not matter) and the chip is in the correct way and all of the pins are making contact with the board. If that all checks out then when booting up the LE does the display move steady and fast or slow?  Assuming you life in the USA then the LE will display 60hz during startup.

Rick R.

[stormym]

I checked and don't see a problem, but I took some pictures. The LCD sequence moves at about a ~1/2 second per char

[rrowan]

I believe that all looks good.

Have you run the test on the LE?
With dongle connected, it should end with led2,3,4 on showing good signals

copied from the manual

TEST MODE after the board is fully powered up. Press the Mode Button until "TST" is displayed. Then press the Select Button. The digits should light up in a circle pattern for a second and then the 16 LEDs should light up 1 through 16. Then they should flash once and finally LED 2 and LED 4 should stay on with the rest off. (If you have a DMX Signal then LED 3 will stay on.)

Rick R.

[stormym]

Yep, test mode works fine, all good lights. Everything works except for being able to dim below ~95%.

[rrawlings]

I have re-read and don't see where you said what kind of lights.  Are you by chance using LED's?  Is it a lack of enough load to actually turn on the triac?

[rrowan]

What type of lights are you using?

LED, Incandescent?
Maker?

Plug in a table lamp and see if the LE will dim it

Did you re-flash the pic?
Set the curves back to default?

I am starting to go off on tangents because what you are telling me is not making total sense.

Its coming down to the LE or Lights

Rick R.

[stormym]

I am using Incandescent. I hooked up a lamp and same result. I re-flashed same result. I hooked up my multimeter and found something interesting.... at 95% or higher I get ~123.4V at anything less, I get ~1.722V and as I ramp down it will go down further all the way down to 0%. So it looks like it is dimming, however it is not dimming right, it make a huge jump after that 95% mark.

[combustionmark]

Have you tryed using RJ's dmx deck?

[stormym]

I don't know what that is? I am connected using a normal Lynx USB DMX Dongle.

[combustionmark]

DMX deck is some free software RJ wrote for testing ad setup. You can get it from the WIKI software page, same place you downloaded the lynx configuration program. I find it very usefull.

Have Fun