DMX induced pulsing Elation Cyber Pak

[meatpopsicle]

Hello all,

I have a situation where an Ion, through Gateway, is controlling 4 packs of Elation Cyber Pak. The cyberpaks are exhibiting a 1 or 2 hz pulse of the flourescents they are controlling (cybers are set to switch/relay). Slowing the clock speed of the dmx slows the pulse rate but doesn't get rid of it. We have put a 25watt dummy load on the outputs of the paks in parallel with the fluorescent fixtures which also doesn't alleviate the issue.

Anybody seen this?

 

[STEVETERRY]

Hello all,

I have a situation where an Ion, through Gateway, is controlling 4 packs of Elation Cyber Pak. The cyberpaks are exhibiting a 1 or 2 hz pulse of the flourescents they are controlling (cybers are set to switch/relay). Slowing the clock speed of the dmx slows the pulse rate but doesn't get rid of it. We have put a 25watt dummy load on the outputs of the paks in parallel with the fluorescent fixtures which also doesn't alleviate the issue.

Anybody seen this?

Hi Ted--

Are these cheap-and-cheerful dimmers rated for inductive loads or capacitive loads, even when set to "switch or relay"? Are the ballasts for the fluorescent fixtures magnetic or electronic? I think this might be a case of "caveat emptor". I think the DMX refresh rate and its change in performance may be a red herring.

ST

 

[meatpopsicle]

Hi Ted--

Are these cheap-and-cheerful dimmers rated for inductive loads or capacitive loads, even when set to "switch or relay"? Are the ballasts for the fluorescent fixtures magnetic or electronic? I think this might be a case of "caveat emptor". I think the DMX refresh rate and its change in performance may be a red herring.

ST

Elation's are capacitive (Elation's inexpensive shoe box dimmer). Ballasts are electronic. I had assumed they were magnetic. Note that when the 1 or 2 hz pulse happens it is shown in the DMX status LED on Kino Flo's that we have on the same universe. Changing refresh rate's hasn't changed squat (proving you accurate, I think). I've gotten away with this on previous jobs with magnetic ballasts as Elation stated that the switched mode is a full sine wave. When I did this for New Years Eve I had 100+ channels of flo and used the elation's because of their switch mode for that reason. I guess I hoped that as the little dimmer's were in switch mode they would provide a normal, switched, sine-wave with out having to go to a Mole Richardson style dmx relay pack. You get what you pay for!

just catching up with the issue after posting and my other programmer states that they are working perfectly off of Sensor's set to full at 1%. Electronic ballasts.

 

[meatpopsicle]

Elation's are capacitive (Elation's inexpensive shoe box dimmer). Ballasts are electronic. I had assumed they were magnetic. Note that when the 1 or 2 hz pulse happens it is shown in the DMX status LED on Kino Flo's that we have on the same universe. Changing refresh rate's hasn't changed squat (proving you accurate, I think). I've gotten away with this on previous jobs with magnetic ballasts as Elation stated that the switched mode is a full sine wave. When I did this for New Years Eve I had 100+ channels of flo and used the elation's because of their switch mode for that reason. I guess I hoped that as the little dimmer's were in switch mode they would provide a normal, switched, sine-wave with out having to go to a Mole Richardson style dmx relay pack. You get what you pay for!

just catching up with the issue after posting and my other programmer states that they are working perfectly off of Sensor's set to full at 1%. Electronic ballasts.

Thanks for chiming in ST! I appreciate it. Some things never change: I have just enough knowledge to get into trouble.