I need help testing a Lightronics AS40 Portable Dimmer.

[Difebco]

What's the quickest way to test its functionality? It has 4 Address Dip Switches, and the "Dim/Relay" Switch. Fuses are good. I have four Par 64's that I can test with. Can't seem to find a manual for it, and I need to make a decision to purchase for a small blackbox theatre. Thanks for any help.

 

[josh88]

http://www.lightronics.com/manuals/as40mm.pdf

Though the manual for that model shows more switches.


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[Difebco]

Thanks for the response, josh88. Problem is I already visited the Lightronics website, and they don't have manuals for this old model anymore. What's throwing me off is the small number of Dip Switches (4). The newer models have as many as 10. When operating on Chaser mode (independent of a console), I should be able to just plug-in my Pars and have a bit of a light show. But that's not happening, so I feel that i'm missing some Dip combination to enable the function.

 

[josh88]

They don't even have the manual in their discontinued section, and the new one is for a different version.
Ignoring the bits about freestyler, there might be something useful there:

http://www.freestylersupport.com/fsforum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4203&start=10


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[MikeJ]

Is that Microplex rather than DMX?

 

[dramatech]

Is that Microplex rather than DMX?

If it has only four dipswitches, then it is Microplex. if the cable is an intregal part of the dimmer pack, then it will work with either Lightronics early LMX and the later version which also is the same as the NSI NMX. If the power is received by a connector instead of an intregal cable, it will have a switch inside the pack that can select the NMX or LMX. Microplex is when the several companies that used this type of protocal standardized. The only difference is the voltage supplied from the pack to a small console. In some versions it is approx. 12 volts DC and in the other version it is 15 to 18 volts AC. I believe pin 2 is the power out and 3 is the signal with 1 the ground.
I am doing this from memory, so anyone more familiar please fell free to correct. In any case this type is not compatible with DMX. There was little confusion identifying Microplex and DMX until the chinese started supplying DMX dimmer packs with 3 pin XLRs,(the same as Microplex) and true and proper DMX is on a 5 Pin XLR.