Greeting from NOLA,
I'm having some very frustrating experiences with a 10x1.2K mobile dimmer pack known only to me as a "Rat Pack". I've run into it a lot recently on film sets and would like to get a few solutions in my bag of tricks for the problems I'm having. A few specs: I dont know make or model number (kicking myself for not grabbing it last night) however I do know that it has a 100A Bates input connector with 10 channels of 1.2K output in the form of female edison connectors. The dimmer contains 4 sets of internal dip switches that control the behavior of each channel. It contains no fan, but has an entire side wall dedicated to a heat sink. So
Here's the low down:
I've had 2 separate unfortunate experiences with these little guys.
1. The first was on what I'm told was a "brand new unit". The dimmer would not accept my control once addressed properly. It did not recognize any input I gave it, but showed a positive indicator light for DMX being present. We shut the dimmer down and cracked it open to check the dip switches. All were in the appropriate positions to opearte the box in its default 10 channel mode. For kicks, I cycled every dip switch and closed the unit back up. Once we powered back up it had no issues and performed properly the rest of the evening. First time jitters I figured.
2. My problems continued 4 days later when I was back on set with the rat packs. A 2nd pack was working properly until about 6 hours into the day when it began to flash its dmx indicator light on and off randomly and sent my lights flashing. Other dimmer packs passing through this pack behaved just fine throughout this ordeal. I bypassed this pack in favor of a few 2k variac dimmers. AT the end of the day I noticed that the pack was passing voltage still, without any control signal coming through it. I opened it up as I did before and found dip switches in the proper alignment once again.
Has anyone had experiences with these or similarly designed dimmer packs in the past? I'd like to find out if I have 2 bum units on a grip truck or if the entire line is worthless. Thanks in advance!
I'm having some very frustrating experiences with a 10x1.2K mobile dimmer pack known only to me as a "Rat Pack". I've run into it a lot recently on film sets and would like to get a few solutions in my bag of tricks for the problems I'm having. A few specs: I dont know make or model number (kicking myself for not grabbing it last night) however I do know that it has a 100A Bates input connector with 10 channels of 1.2K output in the form of female edison connectors. The dimmer contains 4 sets of internal dip switches that control the behavior of each channel. It contains no fan, but has an entire side wall dedicated to a heat sink. So
Here's the low down:
I've had 2 separate unfortunate experiences with these little guys.
1. The first was on what I'm told was a "brand new unit". The dimmer would not accept my control once addressed properly. It did not recognize any input I gave it, but showed a positive indicator light for DMX being present. We shut the dimmer down and cracked it open to check the dip switches. All were in the appropriate positions to opearte the box in its default 10 channel mode. For kicks, I cycled every dip switch and closed the unit back up. Once we powered back up it had no issues and performed properly the rest of the evening. First time jitters I figured.
2. My problems continued 4 days later when I was back on set with the rat packs. A 2nd pack was working properly until about 6 hours into the day when it began to flash its dmx indicator light on and off randomly and sent my lights flashing. Other dimmer packs passing through this pack behaved just fine throughout this ordeal. I bypassed this pack in favor of a few 2k variac dimmers. AT the end of the day I noticed that the pack was passing voltage still, without any control signal coming through it. I opened it up as I did before and found dip switches in the proper alignment once again.
Has anyone had experiences with these or similarly designed dimmer packs in the past? I'd like to find out if I have 2 bum units on a grip truck or if the entire line is worthless. Thanks in advance!