Did Gen3 Controllers fix your dimming problems?

[richardh]

This past season I created a display inside a mall and had serious issues with dimming LEDs that caused way more work then one person would want with a limited time to install the display. The whole thing was mostly resolved by placing resistor loads on all the channels but had some flicker issues still on certain controllers even with 1W 47k resistors. All controllers that were used were 3rd Gen Pro controllers.

 

At other locations I had some decent success with the 3gen controllers and others not so much. At one location all my new lights faded perfectly with the new controllers without putting resistance on the loads but older style lights still had to have them.

 

So in short I have seen the same controller and lights work differently at different locations. Any place that has 3 phase power coming in seems to have more trouble also.

 

It is to the point now where I just assume that I will be having to install snubbers everywhere so the lights will fade properly. I am just wondering if the 3gen controllers out there fixed a lot of problems for you if you had them.

 

I really wish sometimes that all Christmas lights where DC voltage. I installed one job where we had to use 24V DC Icicle lights for safety reasons and they worked perfect and the fades were beautiful.

[-klb-]

If you have 3 phase power, you need to use the same phase for both inlets, or switch to a single inlet. The boards assume both power feeds are in phase or 180 degrees out. This is fine with residential split phase, but does not work correctly with 3 phase being 120 degrees out.

[EARLE W. TALLEY]

Richard I used 4 Gen 3 controllers this year and all 3 worked great without snubbers, my other 8 controllers (Gen 2) needed snubbers for proper operation on the fades. I did have some flicker on two chanels (Gen 2 controllers), but that was due to bad snubbers (replaced snubbers and all was well).

Earle

 

P.S. Loved your Moscow display.

Edited April 2, 2013 by EARLE W. TALLEY

[richardh]

If you have 3 phase power, you need to use the same phase for both inlets, or switch to a single inlet. The boards assume both power feeds are in phase or 180 degrees out. This is fine with residential split phase, but does not work correctly with 3 phase being 120 degrees out.

 

Yes I have found this out in years past when trying to use LOR boxes for theater lighting. I had to run each side at 20amps and it was a chore trying to find out what outlets where on the same phase.

Maybe we just had really dirty power at the mall.

Richard I used 4 Gen 3 controllers this year and all 3 worked great without snubbers, my other 8 controllers (Gen 2) needed snubbers for proper operation on the fades. I did have some flicker on two chanels (Gen 2 controllers), but that was due to bad snubbers (replaced snubbers and all was well).

Earle

 

P.S. Loved your Moscow display.

 

Thanks for the info. I am also heading back to Moscow in June for a summer show which should be interesting.

[Ken Benedict]

Check for three phase or 220 volt power by putting a multimeter between two hots from two separate outlets; zero voltage if they're on the same phase, 240 volts if on a two phase (220v) circuit, and 208 volts if on separate legs of a 3 phase circuit.

 

If you can't do this safely, don't try; get an electrician.

[richardh]

Check for three phase or 220 volt power by putting a multimeter between two hots from two separate outlets; zero voltage if they're on the same phase, 240 volts if on a two phase (220v) circuit, and 208 volts if on separate legs of a 3 phase circuit.

 

If you can't do this safely, don't try; get an electrician.

 

Good information! I helped out with a school play last year and was using my LOR boxes as DMX dimmers and had to pull power from 6 different outlet/circuits with two circuits per LOR box and was trying to figure out which circuits where on the same phase.