resetting sensor rack errors

[icewolf08]

First of all, if ETC says that it is OK to hot swap modules and CEMs then it is OK to do it. You would never say that you shouldn't hot swap a USB or FireWire hard drive right? I know the voltage is 10x higher for dimmers, but that 12V on USB is certainly enough to fry the gear!

Sure, if you are planning on removing more than one module at a time you should power down the rack as one could easily find the copper conductor plates with one's fingers. However for day to day use and maintenance you should be able to leave the rack up.

Don't get me wrong I am all for safety, but if a manufacturer tells me that something is safe and OK to do then it should be.

Thats all, I return you all to your debates and whatnot.

 

[Esoteric]

Actually I don't hotswap USB devices. Ruined an iPOD that way.

But that is just me.

Mike

 

[Sony]

but that 12V on USB is certainly enough to fry the gear!

USB runs off 5v...just FYI.

 

[lieperjp]

call Technical Support at 1.800.688.4116.

Do you have this number memorized?

I agree with Alex, if the manufacturer says it's ok to do something, it should be ok. But it's not a bad idea to play it safe, either...

 

[cdub260]

Yeah, the disconnect is in the basement which is a fair distance from the actual dimmers. When I cleaned it out, I put red tape over the breaker saying don't turn me back on, maintenance underway or something of that sort, fortunately, it's fairly rare that people even go down there so the chance of someone even going down there and flipping it is fairly slim.

All it takes is once.

Do you have this number memorized?

More likely, he's got it on speed dial.

 

[derekleffew]

...More likely, he's got it on speed dial.

As I've often preached before, EVERY theatre should have the toll-free 24/7/365 phone number of their manufacturers posted next to the phone in the light booth and in the dimmer room.

Sorry, I can't help if you have no light booth or dimmer room, or if your manufacturer doesn't have an emergency number. But you DO have the office and after-hours phone numbers to your local friendly lighting supplier, right?

Yes, it's programmed into my cellphone, along with many other contacts for support. In Chicago, my Colortran rep. used to keep Prestige and D192 parts in his car.

 

[Esoteric]

As I've often preached before, EVERY theatre should have the toll-free 24/7/365 phone number of their manufacturers posted next to the phone in the light booth and in the dimmer room.

Sorry, I can't help if you have no light booth or dimmer room, or if your manufacturer doesn't have an emergency number. But you DO have the office and after-hours phone numbers to your local friendly lighting supplier, right?

Yes, it's programmed into my cellphone, along with many other contacts for support. In Chicago, my Colortran rep. used to keep Prestige and D192 parts in his car.

I have all my suppliers emergency/cell phone numbers! When I do an install I post them all over the place.

Mike

 

[soundman]

It is possible to do a deep reset of the rack the keys escape me but you hold reset and another key until it reboots and flashes password. Then you can clear out all the errors and other information. If you are not sure what you are doing it is no place to poke around as you can reset to blank slate.

 

[jmabray]

Actually - regardless of what anyone tells you, you should know all the rules and regulations your self before you go hot swapping dimmer modules. Can anyone here tell me what NFPA 701 says about this?

 

[derekleffew]

... Can anyone here tell me what NFPA 701 says about this?

I can tell you that

NFPA 701: Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films is probably not applicable, and that you meant NFPA 70E. And agree wholeheartedly, anyone going near an electrical source or distribution should be familiar with its contents.

 

[Sony]

I just wish you didn't have to pay to read the 70E...I can't really afford all those books and subscriptions on my measily college student income...

 

[LightStud]

Seems she forgot all about the liberry,
Like she told her old man, now.

Wilson/Love, 1964.

 

[jmabray]

Yep. That was the one. Sorry about that. It's what I get trying to do things from memory....

 

[TimMiller]

USB devices are made to be hot swapped. You have to eject the device before removing it, especially if it has a hard drive, because then it properly shuts it down. Also when you eject a USB device it disconnects power to that device. So you cannot hurt anything if it is made to be hot swapped. Although, ejecting is not the same as truely hot swapping, in which electronics really do not like.

 

[SteveB]

I had to do that recently, do you have to power down the racks or does pulling out all of the dimmers and the control module do enough? When I did it last, I did kill the power to the rack, but I was just wondering whether or not that's neccesary.

From the ETC Users forum, and as posted by an ETC Tech Services Rep.

"Sorry about the junk on your CEM+ Display. When you get back to the Rack, pull the CEM+ Processor Module and push it back in - which causes it to restart. You can pull it out by pushing the white Ejection symbol on the front side in the middle bottom and then pulling on the lever until the whole CEM+ pulls out."

So - Yes, you can hot seat CEM's and CEM+'s.

And FWIW, you can do the same with the dimmer and relay modules, PROVIDED you kill the load breaker on the module before pulling the module, then re-set it once it's re-seated.

Steve B.

 

[jmabray]

Not according to NFPA 70E. At least not without a lot of protective gear being worn.....

 

[beachcombah15]

"Sorry about the junk on your CEM+ Display. When you get back to the Rack, pull the CEM+ Processor Module and push it back in - which causes it to restart. You can pull it out by pushing the white Ejection symbol on the front side in the middle bottom and then pulling on the lever until the whole CEM+ pulls out."

That was the answer to MY question...haha

 

[SteveB]

Not according to NFPA 70E. At least not without a lot of protective gear being worn.....

Correct and I'll amend my statement to say that it while according to ETC, it doesn't hurt either the dimmer or CEM to have a module inserted with the rack energized, it's possibly bad practice.

I'm un-clear as to the risk of Arc Flash in a Sensor, due to the design with the lugs behind the module, especially as the risks associated with arc flash is generally a problem in circuit and fuse panels. But good practice dictates that the rack be de-energized if possible.

Steve B.

 

[derekleffew]

Correct and I'll amend my statement to say that it while according to ETC, it doesn't hurt either the dimmer or CEM to have a module inserted with the rack energized, it's possibly bad practice.

I'm un-clear as to the risk of Arc Flash in a Sensor, due to the design with the lugs behind the module, especially as the risks associated with arc flash is generally a problem in circuit and fuse panels. But good practice dictates that the rack be de-energized if possible.

Note that ETC may have revised its opinion regarding the hot-swapping of control and/or dimmer modules since the above posts were written in 2009.

It's in the wiki entry Lock-Out/Tag-Out should anyone need to find the text in the future:

Even something as mundane and seemingly harmless as swapping a dimmer module (a very common troubleshooting procedure) now requires completely powering down the rack.

...Because of NFPA 70E, and its regulations on arc flash potential, we [ETC] cannot recommend hot-swapping any dimmer module while the rack is powered on. We strongly recommend that you power off the rack before swapping modules to prevent the potential for an arc-flash incident.