Control/Dimming My first 4 lights

56steve

New Member
My church has been using lightkey for almost a year now and it has worked fine. The last 4 Sundays I have showed up to turn the lights on and the first 4 lights in my chain will not turn on. Then all of a sudden about 3 hours later those lights turn on and work just fine. The lights are ETC source Four jr 26 ran through a chauvet dimmer pack. Any ideas why this happens? Any and all suggestions welcomed.
Also if I turn on those lights anytime during Monday-Friday those lights work fine.

 
I'm wondering if the circuit has a timer on it, not the outlet. The timer may be in a service closet with the breakers.
I can unplug them from the dimmer pack and plug them straight into the outlet and they work fine. And the dimmer pack is brand new. We ran a brand new thing for power straight to a breaker box just for those lights as well. It actually has 8 lights on that breaker and it's just the 4 connected to the dimmer pack. I thought it was the dimmer pack and replaced it with another brand new one and the same issues happen. Again it only happens on Sunday mornings lol
 
I believe the last time I messed with it and switched it to manual mode it caused the rest of the lights in the chain to flip out. Like flickering and changing colors.
@56steve Does your pack include chases, possibly to the sounds of the organ and choir??
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
I believe the last time I messed with it and switched it to manual mode it caused the rest of the lights in the chain to flip out. Like flickering and changing colors.
It sounds like you have a DMX bad cable (or connection) somewhere. What's changed in the last couple of months? Any work or maintenance in the space(s) were DMX cables are run, terminated or otherwise used?
 
Is the dimmer pack only four channels? or is it like a six or eight and only half the circuits are working? While waiting for ran answer on that one; I'd say the general issue makes me think perhaps a bad solder on the motherboard somewhere. Once the room heats up enough and the board flexes or swells, a component reattaches. I'd send them back for warranty service if they are brand new. if they aren't you could attempt the heat gun, foil solder reset but you run the risk of bricking it.
 
Is the dimmer pack only four channels? or is it like a six or eight and only half the circuits are working? While waiting for ran answer on that one; I'd say the general issue makes me think perhaps a bad solder on the motherboard somewhere. Once the room heats up enough and the board flexes or swells, a component reattaches. I'd send them back for warranty service if they are brand new. if they aren't you could attempt the heat gun, foil solder reset but you run the risk of bricking it.
It is the chauvet dimmer pack with 4 channels. And when it goes out nothing works in the pack. Then a few hours later it works fine and has no issues.
 
I think I have similar Chauvet dimmer packs which are the DMX-4 model. I don't believe these packs are self-terminating so you should have a terminator plugged into the DMX output of the last pack. Maybe Sundays are a problem because more people with cell phones are there.

Here is a quote from the manual:
"Never connect a product that is operating in any standalone mode to a DMX string connected to a DMX controller. Products in standalone mode may transmit DMX signals that could interfere with the DMX signals from the controller."
If you are setting levels manually you need to remove control connectors and bypass the pack.
 
I think I have similar Chauvet dimmer packs which are the DMX-4 model. I don't believe these packs are self-terminating so you should have a terminator plugged into the DMX output of the last pack. Maybe Sundays are a problem because more people with cell phones are there.

Here is a quote from the manual:
"Never connect a product that is operating in any standalone mode to a DMX string connected to a DMX controller. Products in standalone mode may transmit DMX signals that could interfere with the DMX signals from the controller."
If you are setting levels manually you need to remove control connectors and bypass the pack.
Usually I am the only one in the building when I turn them on. And the the dimmer pack is the very first thing in chain of dmx. Every light after the dimmer pack works fine. It's usually just the first 4 lights. I've cut it on several times this week and has acted normal.
 
It doesn't really matter where in the chain it is since you can get reflections of signal in a non-terminated DMX run. I have always said weird stuff can happen when runs are not terminated.

Another issue is that you should be using control cable that is DMX rated. Many times a 3-pin cable with just an audio rating is used. I would start with a terminator first, however, and see what difference it makes.
 
My church has been using lightkey for almost a year now and it has worked fine. The last 4 Sundays I have showed up to turn the lights on and the first 4 lights in my chain will not turn on. Then all of a sudden about 3 hours later those lights turn on and work just fine. The lights are ETC source Four jr 26 ran through a chauvet dimmer pack. Any ideas why this happens? Any and all suggestions welcomed.
Also if I turn on those lights anytime during Monday-Friday those lights work fine.

4 Source 4 at 575 watts is 2300 watts You should only run only 1800 to 2000 w on a single 20 amp circuit. My guess is you are drawing too much and your dimmer pack is over temping. after it cools it resets itself.
Unplug one light and see if you have the same issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Les
4 Source 4 at 575 watts is 2300 watts You should only run only 1800 to 2000 w on a single 20 amp circuit. My guess is you are drawing too much and your dimmer pack is over temping. after it cools it resets itself.
Unplug one light and see if you have the same issue.
This is a good detail to consider. If this pack is the DMX-4 then it is only rated for 1800 watts total. 4 fixtures at 575 watts would exceed the rating but if at 375 watts would make it. The problem appears to happen when dimmers are cold and only on Sunday mornings. Maybe something is happening with the power during the night? I think the first thing I would have done is to use an extension cord and power it from somewhere else. There are other issues as well so hopefully we will get a response as to what the problem came down to.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back