jimswinder Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Hey...After a sequence ends, a few of my strings are still lit (about 3 or 4 channels)...though very, very dim.Is this normal?Any way to fix it?Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Here is my top three list:Check that you do not have a minimum intensity configured on the controller. This could easily cause LED strings to light when incandescents do not, and may cause some incandescents to light when others do not.Reset the controller.Take a careful look at the controller card for signs of track buildup from moisture and dissolved solids on the board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iresq Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 How many and what kind of lights are on that channel? Sometimes having too small of a load will not allow the triac to turn off all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Cherry Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 If you are using LED strings, sometimes the triacs need more of a load to completely turn off.Two options to fix this:1. Connect a C9 socket and bulb to each LED string. This will add enough load, but will increase the current used per channel considerably compared to the current of the LED strings.2. Take a SPT2 Vampire plug and solder a 33K to 47K metal film resistor between the pointed pins, use a 1/2W to 1 watt metal film resistor as these are small enough to fit inside the wire area of the plug. Plug these into each channel using only LED strings. Advantage is the additional current added to each channel is much lower than using the C9 method.Had your issue last year and discussing this with other local light show users, this is what they used and fixed mine also. Had about 5-6 channels that would turn on and off randomly before, after adding the resistors to all channels no more issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 I have 4 strings of 25 commercial LED lights on each channel (5 total Mini Trees).The LOR units are brand new...never been outside.It's strange, but it's only the green lights on several mini trees that are doing this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iresq Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Sounds like a load issue. Dennis provided 2 common fixes for this situation. Others have had good luck adding something like a plug in room freshener. That will increase load but not put out any light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 iresq wrote: Sounds like a load issue. Dennis provided 2 common fixes for this situation. Others have had good luck adding something like a plug in room freshener. That will increase load but not put out any light.I like this fix, just as long as it is some form of pine scent. Give the viewers 3 forms of entertainment. 1) lights, 2) sound, 3) aroma.Just a little chuckle about the room freshener. All in fun, or tounge in cheek if you will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimCanfield Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 So all you do is plug the room freshener into the end of the string??? I love this fix! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 yeah...how do you plug it into the end of LED lights?There is no female receptacle? Or do you need a room freshener that has an outlet on it and you plug the lights into the air freshener? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimCanfield Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Most LEDs I see have a female end so you can connect end to end, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Not mine...they have a male and female end, but they are round receptacles that screw into each other and need a special adapter for the male end to plug into a normal plug end. Is this not normal for LED lights? This is my firs year working with LED's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Those would likely be the diogen strings. Good quality strings, and those connectors do help prevent GFCI trips. But, no, you won't be plugging anything into the end of the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore60 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 To prove if it is the lights or the controller. Why not move the green lights that stay on to another lor channel and put lights that do completely turn off on the channels that "stay" on.If the new lights on the suspect channel stay one. Then I would say the controller has some blow triacs.Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Cherry Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 You do not have to plug the C9 or Resistor plug into the end of the string. Plug it in anywhere from the controller receptacle , extension cord or the end of the string that has a open receptacle. Can use a 3 way tap but that can get expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadayo Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I've got my show up and running. Everything looks good except I've discovered a "ghost light". This channel has 2 strands off 100 mini's on it as part of my leaping light arch. It is ALWAYS on dimly lit. Even with shows disabled, as long as the controller is plugged in, that channel is dimly lit. When the show runs it stays dimly lit the whole time, but does respond when it is supposed to be on by becoming brighter. What are your suggestions in my case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 sadayo wrote: I've got my show up and running. Everything looks good except I've discovered a "ghost light". This channel has 2 strands off 100 mini's on it as part of my leaping light arch. It is ALWAYS on dimly lit. Even with shows disabled, as long as the controller is plugged in, that channel is dimly lit. When the show runs it stays dimly lit the whole time, but does respond when it is supposed to be on by becoming brighter. What are your suggestions in my case?Start by checking that your hot and neutral feed to the controller are not backwards. This could explain this light, and be rather dangerous, as there would be 110V to all the strings on that inlet all the time, even with the lights off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore60 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 You can try a reset on the controller. But in all honesty it sounds like the triac for that channel is bad, not turning off all the way.Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 -klb- wrote: Start by checking that your hot and neutral feed to the controller are not backwards. This could explain this light, and be rather dangerous, as there would be 110V to all the strings on that inlet all the time, even with the lights off. It turns out that I had the same problems back a week ago when I went lights on. And it was just like what klb wrote. I am using SPT wire for my power leads. Well the plug that I grabbed up from my little pile of surplus junk is a simple two pronger. So, it ended up that my neutrals were hot and my hot input is neutral. What happens is that you have hot always out to the leds. And the other side does a capassive coupling to the earth ground. Just enough to pass some current and cause the lights to glow. Reversing the plug solved my problems for this year. Next year will put a plug on that has a ground prong also.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadayo Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I did a reset on the controller and believe that may have done the trick! I'm really hoping that's the only action needed. Weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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