Can a LOR Channel Failure Mode Blow Transformers

[Geoff Harvey]

I've been up and running now for over a week; 128 LOR channels, but then last night, one channel blew both transformers connected to it. On checking things out to-day, the LOR channel seems to be operating. (Turns on / off with the hardware utility and the program), however, while checking, it blew another transformer within a few minutes while turned on under the hardware utility. I put a higher rated transformer on (240V to 24V, 36VA instead of 22 VA as originally supplied with the lights), and again it seemed to be operating, but again failed within a 10-15 minutes of operating in the show.

This is 1 channel of 16 which all run mini-trees. The LOR board is in its 3rd year of operation. It is a CTB-16D green board and heatsink. In the 3 years of operation of LOR, I have only ever had 2 transformers fail prior to this as isolated occurrences.

I wonder whether there is a mode of triac failure which could leave a channel apparently operating, but which causes transformers to fail.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks Geoff Harvey

[LightORamaDan]

Hi,

It is possible that the triac has has a partial failure and is now only providing 25Hz rather than 50Hz. In that case it would overheat transformers.

Dan