DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Express => Topic started by: lineman on October 25, 2010,
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quick ? when I powered up my V5 LE all the channels came on mini lights were plug in . Then I plugged the dongle in and wireless and played a sequence and all worked fine when song ended all lights went off then when I unplugged the dongle and wireless I went outside to shut down LE and all channels were on again without any DMX going to it is this normal. Again LE works like its suppose to when playing a sequence lights only come on when I remove the dongle from the computer am I suppose to shut LE down first or does it matter.
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This might sound crazy, but swap the 2 RS485 chips and try it again.
I have found some 485 chips that the output will go low when no DMX signal is applied. The normal state should be high.
Just what you explained.
I sent RJ a few of these 485 chips for evaluation and he sent me replacements.
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The RS485 chips are highly static sensitive, so proper grounding when handling is essential.
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Now you tell me. After I have built several kits. I guess I have been lucky. I will use ESD precautions in the future.
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I've replaced 485 chips out in the yard using a pocketknife as a chip puller. I've found them to be pretty durable. Of course, now that I've said that, one of them will go Zap. >:D
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FYI, I Powered up the same LE tonight and it did not come on with out dongle plugged in . A fellow member suggested that mabey it was the last command given when I turned LE off the last time ,somthing to the effect of 512 packet what ever that means over my head. Mabey someday I will understand all this but for now thanks for my fellow DLAers. SO all is well and mega tree looks great blinking to the beat, Ohh what a RUSH, OH BTW my little girl (Rachel) said to tell all yall THANKS SOOO MUCH she loves Blinky too
Thanks for all yall do
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Jeff were you stand real close to the unit when you powered it up and all the lights came on?
If so then it is your magnetic personality turning the lights on! ;D
RJ
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I have a similar problem with my 16 singing pumpkins. When I get up in the morning I find two pumpkins on that were off before I went to bed. I have tried using test channels to turn them all on and then all off then went to bed, but they were back on in the morning again. If I unpower the dongle the pumpkins go out, but I leave everything plugged in and powered up 24/7 until the end of the season. Anyone have a clue as to what might be happening here? This is an LE V4 that works just fine during a sequence. I have another LE V4 with a different problem, but I will start a new thread for that one.
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Jim, I suppose if you are keeping things powered 24/7 you could make a very short sequence with everything off and schedule it to run every so often during non-show times. Doesn't address the root cause but would correct the errant channels.
Greg
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Further info. On close inspection today of the two channels (12 and 14) that are staying on. They also never go off during a sequence, they just dim. It would appear that I have a power leakage somewhere in this LE. To solve the problem I set another LE next to this one, gave it the same address and moved the 12 and 14 pumpkins over and no more dim bulbs and the show runs great. All LEs are running on wireless and all have the terminate jumper on. I also tried swapping out the transmitter (one more reason to have a spare) but the problem persisted. So that LE goes back to the workbench on Monday after the Halloween show comes down. This make two LEs with problems discovered during my Halloween setup. Better now than Thanksgiving!!! Makes me wonder about all the ones not used for Halloween.
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I'd try swapping the Optoisolator chips on those two channel to see if the problem moves. Happened to me before and it moved the problem, so I replaced the chip. Some of them just seem more sensitive than others.
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I'd try swapping the Optoisolator chips on those two channel to see if the problem moves. Happened to me before and it moved the problem, so I replaced the chip. Some of them just seem more sensitive than others.
Now if I can just figure out what an optoisolator chip is I will give it a try next week.
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There are sixteen, socketed Optoisolators on the LE. They are between the small green LED and the monster heat sink. Their purpose is to electrically isolate the 110vac or 220vac from the control chips. Inside is a very small LED and an equally small light sensor. So, the signal to turn on the TRIAC (they are the device screwed to the heat sink) goes through them.
I suspect that you have two (#12 and #14) that are too sensitive and triggering when they don't need to. If it is the Optoisolator's problem, it will move with them. If not, it won't move.
It is also VERY possible that moving them will make the problem go away completely. You may also find that one of the Optoisolator has a leg that is bent and not actually inserted into the socket, making partial contact instead of solid contact.
While you SHOULD use a chip puller, I usually just use a very small pocketknife blade and gently pry each end, alternately, until the chip pops out of the socket.
Do I need to tell you to unplug the board first? <md..
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It could be the isolators or it could be the triacs themselves. Triacs can leak a little when off and some leak more than others. I believe that you can simply remove the isolator chips from the channels that are not shutting down completely and then power up the board and see if the channels are now completely shut down. If so then the problem is with the isolators and if not then the problem must be the either the triacs or their connections on the board.
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You didn't say and I didn't ask, but what is the actual load on channels 12 and 14? Are they LED lights or incandescents? If LED, then just a tiny amount of leakage current can keep them glowing.
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You didn't say and I didn't ask, but what is the actual load on channels 12 and 14? Are they LED lights or incandescents? If LED, then just a tiny amount of leakage current can keep them glowing.
The LE's already that the snubber built in if you have the V5 units.
I would like to know more about the out come of the opto's on those channels. What was really found.
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i worked the election yesterday and finally had a little time to look at this LE today.
For the show all channels had a single C9 incan inside a pumpkin. On the workbench it is only channel 14 that stays on and Chan 12 doesn't fail. The voltage measures 69vAC. I removed the optoisolator chip and it looks fine with bad plug in. I then swapped it with the one in channel 16. The problem stays on 14. I have a night light plugged into each channel. Vixen test channels works fine with off/on/dim except that chan 14 is always on. I tried it with all on and off and with single channels selected. I removed the extension cord wired into 14 and looked for stray strands that may be touching something but found nothing and I still measure 69v even with no wires or bulb connected. I checked the bottom of the board and cannot see anything even close to a solder bridge or stray wisp of anything around the pins on the chan 14 opto or the triac. The resistor looks normal and not burned out. Is there a way to check the triac short of removal. I have removed and upgraded the voltage regulators for last years temperature problem so I'm not worried about having to replace it. Just don't want to got to that trouble if there is a better way to verify that it is bad or ok.
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Is it always full on? if so then yes it is likely a bad Triac. Sorry I do not have better news.
RJ
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I don't understand what you are saying here. What do you mean when you say channel 12 doesn't fail and what do you mean when you say "it looks fine with bad plug in". Also when you say that channel 14 is always on do you mean that it is always fully on or that it just doesn't turn completely off. Does it respond to dimming commands at all?
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RJ - It is not full on but has a 69v reading.
tbone321 - In earlier posts I wrote that both chan 12 and 14 failed to turn off even though they seemed to work during a show. The lights (a single C9) inside a pumpkin stayed lit, but dim. I set an extra LE next to the one that was failing and moved just those two pumpkins/channels over to the 2nd LE and the show worked fine (both LEs set to be chan 1-16). I also stated that I wouldn't be able to work on them until after the show came down. Well the failing unit is now sitting on my workbench and chan 12 is no longer failing. By bad plug I meant the outlet cord that was connected to chan 14. I removed it to check for stray wire strands or anything else that looked bad.
I had not tested dimming, so I just now went back and powered the board back up. Once again both Chan 12 and 14 are in a constant on and they do not dim even though all the other channels do. I do not understand how in my earlier testing today chan 12 worked fine and is not gone bad. Looks like I may have two bad triacs. I will have to order some and wait for them to come in before I can replace them. Good thing Christmas light up is about 7 or 8 weeks away.
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OK, now I understand. Before you rip out those triacs, I would check the solder joints on the bottom of the 180 ohm resistors on channel 12 and 14. Make sure that they are not bridging a connection to the 120V trace as they are very close to it and this will turn the triac on regardless of what the isolator is telling it to do. It may even be a cold joint which could also explain why channel 12 appeard to work before and not now.