Analogue dimmer - Dilor pin assignments

[strandcentury]

Hi, I recently found an old analogue dimmer and board lying around my school. The dimmer is a Dilor M1224 LitePak 2.4k 12 channel. We have no analogue cables currently, but I found some ends that fit ok to the dimmers analogue input and also fit on the boards analogue output. I think that its one of em' 0-10v dimmers. The connector ends look round like Socapex... I don't know if they are though. What are the pin assignments for this dimmer and board. The connector has over 12 pins that is for sure because there are 12 channels on the dimmer. I am trying to make a cable using these ends that will connect the board to the dimmer. All dimming components seem to be in place and the unit does power up, the test circuit also works.

 

[derekleffew]

Is it a CPC connector perhaps? If you have a mating pair of empty connectors, why worry about the pinout? Just connect all pins 1-to-1, or failing that, pins 1-12 & 13 & highest pin# is a likely bet. Does the board need to get power from the dimmers, i.e. not have an AC plug?

STEVETERRY, or one of our friends at Fleenor or Pathway probably knows for certain.

See also http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/16154-dilor-litepak-control-voltage.html.

 

[strandcentury]

The board has its own AC supply. So pin 1-12 on the connector is for channels 1-12 and then the highest pin is the common?

 

[strandcentury]

Its CPC allright!!

We purchased a Doug Fleenor Designs DMX to Analogue converter a while ago for some other reason... to make a cable to connect the analogue dimmer to that converter, all I would have to do is solder a CPC connector pins 1-12 to the DB-25 pins 1-12 and then the highest pin on the CPC to the highest pin on the DB-25 (pin 25)... would this be correct?

 

[Les]

Re: Analogue dimmer - pin assignments

It's funny how we spend so much money and energy on brand new lighting consoles, yet we still get excited to dig up and resurrect a relic that some tech in the same position as you tossed aside 20 years ago . Can you imagine--

"UGH, I can't wait 'till we can afford a Kliegl."

Now we have our Strand Palletes and ETC Ions and we're like "Cool, analog!".

I'm not making fun of you, I just think it's funny. Trust me, I'm the same way.

 

[strandcentury]

So very true!!!

 

[ptero]

I still run MY analog, baby!

 

[pathway]

Having worked at Dilor for a couple of years, I can confirm that we (almost)always used CPC's on this type of dimmer. Pins 1-12 would definitely be for the 0 to +10V analog signal, and one or more of the remaining pins is common. You can see the pin numbers if you use a magnifying glass. Also, Dilor usually used the resistor color code for analog channels, generally in blocks of 6: brown=1, red=2, orange=3, yellow=4, green=5, blue=6. An easy way to check for the correct pinout is to first connect a lamp load to dimmer #1, make sure everything's powered up and the dimmer breaker's on, then take a 9V battery and using alligator clips and suitable pins (nails or paper clips) touch pin 1 with positive lead and probe pin 12 (or higher) with the negative lead. When the lamp turns on you've found the common pin.

Two cautions: Some dimmer packs supplied +15V to a console via this CPC connector, so it's a good idea to use a DMM to see if that supply's there (measure between the common pin and the other higher-numbered pins) and avoid connecting anything to it. Also, some 12-ch packs and all 6-ch ones used a 10-position circular connector with a metal body & locking ring. This connector had 2 larger pins that were used to carry 120V AC power to the console's on/off switch and back to the pack to operate power supplies and fans.

Hope this helps!

 

[strandcentury]

Dilor Analogue Dimmer Pack Pin Assignment

Hey, my school has an old Dilor LitePack M1224 12 channel dimmer pack. It uses the old 0-10v DC Analogue standard, the dimmer works and is in great shape, the dimming modules are all in fine shape. We recently purchased a Doug Fleenor Designs DMX to 0-10V Analogue converter. (Model: DMX2ANL) The dimmer uses a CPC plastic connector with 14 pins an needs to be spliced to a DB-25 25 pin connector for the converter. It is my understanding that pin #s 1-12 is for channels 1-12 and the highest pin number is the common. So in theory it should be spliced in the following order: CPC 1-12 to DB 25 1-12, CPC 14 to DB-25 pin 25. Is this correct for these Dilor packs? Assume that the connectors are facing you in the connecting position... the pin count starts from the top left row correct? (Sorry for such a dumb question)

Also, addressing??? The converter has three changeable dials each with a changing number, it is obviously used for addressing. We have 24 channel DMX board (ETC SmartFade) it is patched on a 1-1 setting (channel 1>12 dimmer 1>12) For the analogue converter I want the first DMX channel to be associated with the first analogue channel (ie: addressed to 001), correct?

 

[pathway]

You can always see the pin numbers on CPC's and DB25's if you use a magnifying glass. Yes, I would connect the CPC and DB25 1-to-1 for channels 1-12, and use my previous suggestion of a 9V battery at the dimmer end to find out whether pin 13 or 14 is the common (could be both). On the Fleenor demux box, pin 25 is common. The Dilor analog input is definitely 0-10V and the Fleenor box should run it perfectly.

Have fun!

 

[strandcentury]

It worked!!!

I soldered pins 1>12 for channels 1>12 and pin 14 for common...

Something so simple!!!! cannot believe I could not figure it out...