just lost power to 8 channels

[shookemup]

controller has been working perfect. tonight dicided to add a incan flood. turned off controller and plugged in cord to my ch.5 pigtail. turned on box and ran my hard utl and found that ch.5.6.7.8/10.11.12.13 will no work... the rest of the channels work perfect.

[Orville]

Odd, if it were 1-8 or 9-10, I'd say check the fuses or the input power cords going to the PC Board. But being in two different banks, sounds like those triacs have all gone bad on those channels. But before saying that is definitely it, open the controller and look at the connections to the spade lugs going to those channels and be sure they are all seated properly on them. If they are, then it could be those triacs have gone out. Not sure what else would create such an odd issue with 4 channels on one side and 4 on the other going out at the same time.

[GaryM]

I would strongly bet against a sudden failure of 8 triacs unless there is something obviously detrimental you did to the controller when you connected the flood.

First suggestion would be to undo what you did, confirm/verify you didn't pull any connections loose on either the spade lug side, or the plug side of the dongle, and re-test.

More likely operator error as opposed to a catastrophic failure.

[shookemup]

I have checked all the connections. I dont think it would be the fuses because the whole 1-8 or 9-16 banks would not work. If it is the triac's what would be a part number or size to replace them... Next question can they be replaced? And is this a LOR warrenty issue? Ether way I need to fix this issue ASAP... Like the rest of you I have six months of prep and 12 days to Christmas and 1/4 of my show is shot!

[Guest wbottomley]

Triacs will 99.99% of the time fail in the open position. That will turn everything on and stay that way.

[dgrant]

The hardware manual tells you how to "reset" the controller at the controller itself. Try that first. Also, disconnect all cables to it and run the hardware software and check all channels individually with a meter or 110v tester, small light or a single string...one dongle at a time.

[Orville]

I have checked all the connections. I dont think it would be the fuses because the whole 1-8 or 9-16 banks would not work. If it is the triac's what would be a part number or size to replace them... Next question can they be replaced? And is this a LOR warrenty issue? Ether way I need to fix this issue ASAP... Like the rest of you I have six months of prep and 12 days to Christmas and 1/4 of my show is shot!

Contact LOR for replacement Triacs, they'll need to know what controller version you have to get the correct triacs to you, I.E. V1, V2, GEN3 controller.

Although I would find it very interesting if 8 triacs did go out at once and as William said, most often those channels with a bad triac would be open, and usually fail in the "on" position, I have one that is stuck on at 50%, so I can't turn that channel fully off. But 8 at the same time would be a very rare failure, or so I would think. Usually maybe 1 or 2 may fail, but 8 is unprecedented.

[shfr26]

Like stated, do a reset of the controller and then check it in the HU, one channel at a time, then all on. I don't see that many triacs going out all at once. Try giving LOR a call or at least open a trouble ticket.

[LORisAwesome]

To the OP, please put your location in your profile. This will help us with troubleshooting...

Somone else suggested a resetting the unit, that is most definately worth a try.

Are you in a place where it is warm in the winter? Maybe a critter or critters got in and shorted those channels out? This is the only possible way that I can think of that would cause 8 triacs to fail at once.

Jerry

[shookemup]

^{I am going to replace the fuse tonight when I get home. Thinking about the issue like stated earlier 8 triacs dont go bad. Opperator error could be my problem. My labeling could be off which would mean it would be channels 1-8 and a bad fuse...Its a normal 15amp glass fuse?}

[Guest Don Gillespie]

Can I ask why you would power down the controller to plug some thing in?

[LORisAwesome]

I don't think a fuse is your problem, you said 5,6,7,8 and 10,11,12 and 13 are not working and the rest are working perfectly. Are we correct that channels 1,2,3,4 9,14,15,16 are working?

The left side fuse is for channels 1-8, and right side fuse is for channel 9-16. If any in 1-8 are working the left side fuse is good. If any in 9-16 are working the right side fuse is good.

Also, it is a ceramic fuse. you can purchase them from LOR, and probably elsewhere, but I don't know where..

Jerry

[GaryM]

try radio shack for fuses, go with ceramic.

One side, or the other, 1-8 or 9-16, totally inop, would point to the more likely culprit being a fuse.

If you have a flashing LED, and can connect to the controller, than 9-16 is fine from a fuse standpoint.

Two suggestions: first, if its a fuse, make sure you find the reason behind the fuse blowing, and two, save yourself some time and headache, make sure you have everything labeled properly. The time spent will more than pay you back.

[shookemup]

can i use a auto type fuse

[shfr26]

Nope, 15 amp ceramic fast acting only.

[shookemup]

What is the reasoning? If they are both rated at 15 amps ?

[Ken Benedict]

Automotive fuses and circuit breakers take a few seconds of overload before they blow or trip.

In that short amount of time, other components upstream could be damaged.

If there's a problem, you WANT a quick response; fuses are cheaper than controllers.

Radio Shack should have some.

[Ken Benedict]

Can I ask why you would power down the controller to plug some thing in?

Yes, because in the few milliseconds as you plug something in, there's a considerable load on the circuit.

You usually don't see it, but the components do and may fail because of overload.

It's not like your household circuit, which has ample power and surges aren't so noticeable.

So, it's best to dim all channels of a controller (or turn it off) before you plug your lighting load in.

Speaking from experience.

[Orville]

Yes, because in the few milliseconds as you plug something in, there's a considerable load on the circuit.

You usually don't see it, but the components do and may fail because of overload.

It's not like your household circuit, which has ample power and surges aren't so noticeable.

So, it's best to dim all channels of a controller (or turn it off) before you plug your lighting load in.

Speaking from experience.

'

That's very interesting. I have never, unplugged my controllers when adding new items to the display or during my off season testing and been doing it that way for 3+ years.

As long as that channel has not been programmed in the sequence, the channel is completey off, no voltage present, so I don't see plugging something in to an inactive, non sequenced channel creating a problem.

Now if the display is in operation and that channel is encoded in the sequence, then I could forsee an issue possibly happening.

Whenever I add new items they are added before I update the current sequences being used so I know those channels are completely off, if they were in use I don't and won't plug anything in to an active channel.

The only time I may make an exception to that is if something came unplugged in the display and needed to be plugged back in. But that's usually very rare I have to do that, but have on occasion, otherwise I'd have to shut the entire show down for one item that could be a main focal point, so in that case, I'm plugging it back into the plug or controller it came dislodged from.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Orville

[Guest wbottomley]

What is the reasoning? If they are both rated at 15 amps ?

Because a veteran expert said so.