DMX Dimmer Trauma

Hey guys I"m using a Leviton D4DMX dimmer and control board for a small theatrical production. I am daisy chaining the dimmer packs, two of them together, but the second pack, with a separate address of 5-8, does not respond to my board. Am I leaving some vital step out here?

I am using 3 pin XLR out from pack one to the in port on pack two and then running from the out of pack two to the controller. Seems simple enough, but it's driving me mad that I can get the second pack to respond. The first dimmer pack works great.

Help!
 
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I think you should be going from the out on your board, to the in on the first pack, then from the out of the first pack to the in on your second pack.

Like this: Board -> Pack A (Ch 1-4) -> Pack B (Ch 5-8).

What controller are you using?
 
I think you should be going from the out on your board, to the in on the first pack, then from the out of the first pack to the in on your second pack.

Like this: Board -> Pack A (Ch 1-4) -> Pack B (Ch 5-8).

What controller are you using?

I'm using a imagenation mc1224cm that I've had for a long time. It's been very reliable and works on my school system very well. I am doing this small piece as a remote with two packs and it's killing me. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks.
 
Are both dimmer packs powered by the same circuit? That is, what do you have them plugged in to.

How many lights are on the second dimmer pack? The D4DMX has a limit of 1,200 watts per channel, or 2,400 watts per pack total. That is to say, the total lighting load on one pack cannot exceed 2,400 watts.
 
Are both dimmer packs powered by the same circuit? That is, what do you have them plugged in to.

How many lights are on the second dimmer pack? The D4DMX has a limit of 1,200 watts per channel, or 2,400 watts per pack total. That is to say, the total lighting load on one pack cannot exceed 2,400 watts.
Four 300 watt pars. Everything is currently on one circuit. I will move the second dimmer and see if that has an effect. Thanks for your help.
 
I would also try switching the address of the packs, making 1-4 5-8, and 5-8 1-4. If the problem continues with 5-8, I would suggest it is either your board or your cables. If pack 1-4 now has issues, then I'd suspect the pack.

You mentioned that it is all 3 pin. That leads me to suspect that you might be using microphone cables instead of three pin DMX cable. While this works, its neither recommended or reliable. I'd also try connecting each pack by itself to your board using a know good cable.
 
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Channel LEDs are on halfway but not responsive?

Any chance somebody swapped a cable and you now have a mic cord in the mix that has pins 2 & 3 switched? Reason I say that is last time I saw channel indicators on halfway like that it was due to a botched (2/3 switched) cord.
 
I would also try switching the address of the packs, making 1-4 5-8, and 5-8 1-4. If the problem continues with 5-8, I would suggest it is either your board or your cables. If pack 1-4 now has issues, then I'd suspect the pack.

You mentioned that it is all 3 pin. That leads me to suspect that you might be using microphone cables instead of three pin DMX cable. While this works, its neither recommended or reliable. I'd also try connecting each pack by itself to your board using a know good cable.

Okay. I switched the addresses and now the first pack now 5-8 is still working fine. The second pack now 1-4 has full LED but is not responsive. Perhaps it is the cable. I've never had a problem with this on my setup at school, but this is pretty strange. When I connect each pack individually to the board they work perfectly.
 
Channel LEDs are on halfway but not responsive?

Any chance somebody swapped a cable and you now have a mic cord in the mix that has pins 2 & 3 switched? Reason I say that is last time I saw channel indicators on halfway like that it was due to a botched (2/3 switched) cord.


Thanks man. I'll look at it. when I ordered these dimmers from leviton the supplied the 3 pin cables for it. I never considered they'd be wrong for the system.
 
Thanks man. I'll look at it. when I ordered these dimmers from leviton the supplied the 3 pin cables for it. I never considered they'd be wrong for the system.

Heres another test. keep dimmers A and B in place, but swap the cables.
 
Well, the last test I can think of would be to switch the locations of dimmers A and B in the chain.
 
Be sure your control board has been reset for a 1 to 1 patch. You might have a custom soft patch programmed in it from a previous show.
 

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