Black light randomly stopped working

[jlee0119]

Yesterday during our rehearsal, 2 out of our 3 Chauvet LED Shadow blacklight just randomly stopped working. We checked the patch in our board and it is patched correctly into the board. We power cycled them and they turned on and seemed to be getting power. Next we checked the DMX in/outs and they were plugged in correctly. The led indicators on the side confirmed that. We have no idea what is happening. Does anyone have any ideas on what is up with our black lights? Here is the link to the product page: http://www.chauvetlighting.com/led-shadow.html .Thank you in advance.

 

[z2oo]

I've worked with the Shadow before -- if you haven't already, make sure the sound activated function has been turned off. I don't remember if there's a knob on that particular fixture (I know there is on the Chauvet TechnoStrobe) that changes the sound sensitivity. We discovered what happen when someone started clapping and all of our strobes starting flashing!

 

[jlee0119]

I've worked with the Shadow before -- if you haven't already, make sure the sound activated function has been turned off. I don't remember if there's a knob on that particular fixture (I know there is on the Chauvet TechnoStrobe) that changes the sound sensitivity. We discovered what happen when someone started clapping and all of our strobes starting flashing!

Thank You! We will try that the next time we have rehearsal. If that doesn't work what else could it possibly be?

 

[TheaterEd]

Are your DMX runs terminated?

 

[jlee0119]

Are your DMX runs terminated?

@TheaterEd What exactly does that mean (sorry i'm kind of new at this).

 

[TheaterEd]

DMX Terminator

I simplify it in my mind by thinking of it as something that you plug into the last fixture on a dmx run to teminate the signal so that it doesn't echo back down the line and mess with things.

Also, are you using microphone cables or dmx cables? There is a difference, and it can matter.

 

[jlee0119]

DMX Terminator

I simplify it in my mind by thinking of it as something that you plug into the last fixture on a dmx run to teminate the signal so that it doesn't echo back down the line and mess with things.

Also, are you using microphone cables or dmx cables? There is a difference, and it can matter.

I believe we are using 5 pin DMX cable, would mic cable not work?

 

[gafftaper]

Mic cable does not meet the standard required by the DMX protocol. DMX signal is very robust and able to be abused many ways, however if you want a truly reliable signal, it should only be run through DMX cable and it should ALWAYS be terminated. As was famously said here in the past, "You could run DMX over a barbed wire fence, but it wouldn't be a good idea." The longer your run and the more instruments along the way, the less reliable and more unpredictable your signal will be if you are running it through mic cable. True DMX cable remains reliable for a much longer distance (it also costs two or three times as much). For many simple uses where the runs are short, people use mic cable and get away with it no problems. However you are always playing with an unpredictable fire if you don't use true DMX cable. Mic cable may work great for months, then one night it can just stop working. You never know.

 

[jlee0119]

Mic cable does not meet the standard required by the DMX protocol. DMX signal is very robust and able to be abused many ways, however if you want a truly reliable signal, it should only be run through DMX cable and it should ALWAYS be terminated. As was famously said here in the past, "You could run DMX over a barbed wire fence, but it wouldn't be a good idea." The longer your run and the more instruments along the way, the less reliable and more unpredictable your signal will be if you are running it through mic cable. True DMX cable remains reliable for a much longer distance (it also costs two or three times as much). For many simple uses where the runs are short, people use mic cable and get away with it no problems. However you are always playing with an unpredictable fire if you don't use true DMX cable. Mic cable may work great for months, then one night it can just stop working. You never know.

We fixed out blacklights, it was a bad mic cable. Thanks all for your help!