Paul Roberson Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 I used my USB485b the other day with my new ELLs. While I was testing them all was working well. I noticed what I thought was some hot electrical smell. Everything was still working. I unhook stuff and looked at them. I smelt the USB485b and was certain this is where the smell was coming from. Not sure when I hooked it all back up if I used the same rj45 jack or not. There was only one cat5 cable hooked to it at any time.Since then I have noticed that if the cat5 cable is not really pushed into the USB485b jack it will loose contact (the ELL will lose power). If you pull very lightly on the cat5 cable it will loose contact. Pushing it back in makes contact again. This happens just in what slack in in the latch on the cable. I have tried several cat5 cable with the same results.Tonight I decided to open up the USB485b and noticed what I have provided pictures of.Notice the 3rd pin on both rj45 jacks. Both look out of line in the pic. The plastic on each side of them is melted.Looking at the jacks from the side you can really tell the 3rd pin is pushed up higher than the rest.And looking at it inside you can tell the 3rd pins are 'higher' than the rest of the pins.Has anyone else had this happen? I am wondering what caused this problem, and if I can use something to pull the pin(s) back down inside the rj45 jack even with the rest of the pins. Any suggestions?I am probably not going to be comfortable using this running my show. Just bumping it or the cable can cause it to loose contact.If these pictures do not fit on your monitor I apologize. I tried to re-size them and they fit well inside my monitor, with plenty of room. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskernut Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 looks like something was shorted through those pins and got pretty hot. I am sure there are experts out there who can tell what that pin is used for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Roberson Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 Jeff Millard wrote: Pins 1 and 2 are unused but feed through. Pins 3 and 6 are the power for accessories. Pins 4 and 5 are the rs485 data. I'm wondering if you have a Cat5 cable that has 3 swapped with or shorted to another pin that is causing the weakest place in the short, the connector, to heat up. Just a guess.JeffIDK. Good thought. I am/was using one of the cables that came in the box with the ELLs. I had 4 DC LOR DC cards daisy chained together doing my testing. Not that it means anything : ), but all my cat5 cables are store bought.I'm wondering now, when I said I was loosing communication, if I am actually just loosing power to the ELL because of this one pin. In my display set up the ELL will not be hooked to the USB485b. The ELLs will be hooked to controllers out in the yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Roberson Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 Jeff Millard wrote: Paul,I would contact Dan about this. I recently saw something about a usb485b going bad. If this happened when connected to the power source in the adapter, there might be something wrong with the regulator,etc...Looking at your pics I would replace the rj45 connectors on your adapterJeffLOL!!! I was fixing to reply and clicked reply with quote and was confused as to where the "on your ELLs" went......lolJust to be clear. I was in no way trying to saying this was LORs fault!!!Dan contacted me...... LORs customer service is truly unmatched!!! Not just in the light controller business. In ANY business, Never have I had such good customer service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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