ColorSource SPOT

[Tyler Lindsley]

Good Morning,
Of those who have ColorSource Spots in your inventory, how often have you had to send them out for repair? With our 2017 capital improvement we got 22 ColorSource Spots (amongst other LED fixtures that still function fine) and out of those 22, 3 have 'died'. No power. Have tried different circuits, different power cables. Nothing. Is this an issue anyone else has had? Is there something I can do to prevent more from doing this?

Thanks!

 

[Lextech]

Have not had a CS issue, but I have had a bunch of D60s have that problem. At two years old they should be covered by warranty and all it should cost you to repair them is shipping. Call your dealer for an RMA and have the serial numbers handy. Unfortunately, and I hope the ETC folks are listening, it would seem that ETC sometimes has QC problems with their power supplies and certain batches had bad supplies. I have had some on my pre 5/10 year warranty units covered under the new system, just wish I wasn’t sending 4-6 back every year.

 

[RickR]

Power supplies are the weak spot in most electronics these days.
With that percentage out you might look into the power source. Do you leave them on 24/365? Are they on dimmers set to non-dim? Do they share power with 'noisy' gear? Do you have a lot of power outages? (Insert squirrels on campus and oil refinery stories)

 

[Lextech]

All of mine are on R-20 relays and the power is off when the board and the Paradeigm system is off.

 

[ElGusto]

How are the fixtures being powered? It is my understanding that Dimmable circuits (even parked at full power can have adverse effects on LEDs).

 

[MNicolai]

Just want to remind people that ETC updated their LED warranties a year or two ago to expand their coverage of these fixtures.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Also, if ETC finds a design or manufacturing issue in an out of warranty batch they may offer a fix at little or no charge. They really value their reputation for the best support in the business. Maybe any business.

 

[Tyler Lindsley]

Ours are on non-dim circuits that are triggered to turn on at 6AM and off at 12AM via the architectural processor unless an override is in place from either the console or presets.

 

[SteveB]

Ours are on non-dim circuits that are triggered to turn on at 6AM and off at 12AM via the architectural processor unless an override is in place from either the console or presets.

Define a “non-dim” circuit. It likely (and hopefully) wants to be a R20 relay or ThruPower module in switched mode.

 

[Tyler Lindsley]

We have a new strand C21 dimming system - our "non-dim" circuits use the C21 non-dim modules, and some (our proscenium boxes) are constant power modules.

 

[almorton]

It appears that the C21 when in non dim mode uses a solid state relay, which is like a dimmer jammed on full (the manual says when in non dim it's 99% efficient, so it sounds like it's not a real contactor). But I'm not familiar with this gear, just scanning the manual, but could be worth checking. You want a real mechanical relay/contactor for these fixtures.

 

[JimmyM]

Looking at the datasheets i'm only seeing specific "non-dim" modules, with either contactors or mechanical relays, and the Power Thru module, which I am assuming is similar to ETC's ThruPower module, so most likely it's another issue.

Seeing that the power is automatically switched on and off leads me to think its bad power coming from a transformer or something, specifically a high RMS voltage, unless you know if you have gotten any power surges, bad storms, etc.

EDIT: I also assume that when ETC repairs them, they might be able to diagnose how they failed, and that might provide more insight.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I wonder if the C21 non-dim is same in UK and USA. The US datasheet calls it a contactor module.

 

[rsmentele]

I have had issues with ColorSource before. Had one install need 5 replaced and another need 70 replaced.... They had a run with bad solder on the PCB causing failure.

 

[almorton]

I wonder if the C21 non-dim is same in UK and USA. The US datasheet calls it a contactor module.

It's possible. The datasheet I found definitely referred to solid state relays.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

@bharrell C21 non-dim modules - SSR or contactor? UK v USA?

 

[Tyler Lindsley]

As an update;

When we shutdown in March due to COVID, I shut off all of our breakers and relays. Now, as I've began to start everything back up, I have 3 more of our ColorSource Spots DOA. So, they've had the power cut since March, and they are still 'dying'. Mind you, this is after I had already sent out 4 for repairs shortly before shutting down.

I am beginning to become quite frustrated with these fixtures. We don't even have enough inventory to adequately light the stage as it is, let alone when I have to send them out every couple months for repairs. None of my other fixture types are randomly dying like these are.

Do we just have a bad batch?

 

[MNicolai]

You need to call ETC. The fixtures are probably suffering from either power supply failures or control card failures per this item on ETC's support site.

In terms of the arch system, I don't think I would have the fixtures turn on/off everyday on their own. If you're running them 18 hours a day every day whether the room is being used or not, you're probably putting more strain on the power supplies switching them on/off like that than if you just left them running 24/7. I would try to reserve a button somewhere that turns them on. I've also seen some installs that use occupancy sensors as a way to bring the system on and turn it off x number of hours after the last motion.

Is there anything common about where the fixtures are failing? At a certain lighting position? All on the same PowerCon daisy chain?

Another thing I don't think is your issue but is good form -- have you updated the firmware on your fixtures?

 

[Tyler Lindsley]

That's the way the contractor setup the system. I agree. I'd prefer to have a preset to turn them on.

No, they die wherever.

Am in the process of changing our plot around, planned to update firmware on all fixtures once I've got everything back up.