Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 OK, I did have a problem with a controller and all has been fixed. I got to thinking.......and wondered if there were set guidelines about power to the controller and computer connections....Here's the questions:1. Is it ok to keep the controller (s) plugged in ALL the time?.....or should they be unplugged after each show..?2. During this time, is it ok ( and I think this is an obvios answer) to have your Cat 5 connected all the time with either power on or off to the board?3. In relation to question 1......Can you use an inline timer to ensure that the power is OFF during downtime of your shows?Thanks to anyone who has answers.Ken Gelinas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Ken Gelinas wrote: 1. Is it ok to keep the controller (s) plugged in ALL the time?.....or should they be unplugged after each show..?2. During this time, is it ok ( and I think this is an obvios answer) to have your Cat 5 connected all the time with either power on or off to the board?3. In relation to question 1......Can you use an inline timer to ensure that the power is OFF during downtime of your shows?Power on all the time is fine. That's how mine will be this year with my MP3 card being the only LOR device I cycle power on.CAT5 connected all the time is fine.Yes you can use a timer. This is what I did in previous years (watch the AMP rating). My controllers ran in standalone mode all the previous years, so anytime I turned them on, the show ran. The only way to turn the show off was to power them off. I used 4 or 5 15AMP digital timers that I would syncrhonize twice during the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 1. Yep - you can leave them plugged in. Won't (ok, shouldn't) hurt anything. Heck, I had mine on in a 2" rainstorm last night, lights operated and everything without a problem. Besides, for those people that run shows late, or aren't home when they would start up for the evening, it would be a hassle to run out and plug them in each time.2. Again, shouldn't be a problem. Have had mine plugged in since I brought it online. I guess there could be a chance of a surge during a lightning storm if the unit got hit with lightning, but that would be a very remote possibility.3. You could, but it would probably be a waste of an expenditure. And you would need an in-line timer for each plug coming out of the LOR unit. And you would have to make sure they turn on in enough time so that part of your display isn't left in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Leave them plugged in all the time.Don't need a timer as the timer is your computer.Cat5 just carries the signal ust leave it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 OK, I know you live in Canada but others will read this too.The only reason to unplug power cords and Cat5 cable from your controllers is if there are lightning storms in the area. With the conversion of warm moist air and cold fronts as fall approaches, this is something to keep in mind (at least in the South).Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Santas Helper wrote: OK, I know you live in Canada but others will read this too.The only reason to unplug power cords and Cat5 cable from your controllers is if there are lightning storms in the area. With the conversion of warm moist air and cold fronts as fall approaches, this is something to keep in mind (at least in the South).TomGood point, Tom. I know what that's like because a few years back in my other house, we were hit by lightning. The weird thing was that all our wiring is underground, so for this to happen just to us, the lightning hit the main pole...travelled underground, and knocked the hell out of my wiring. Beleive me .. it wasn't pretty because it got everything... including the doorbell. I lost TV's VCR's, and a whole slew of other electronics.It even blew out a 12v converter right out of the socket....the only thing left were the 2 prongs from the plug still sticking out of the socket...what a mess.Ken Gelinas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Lightning can blow up items just from the proximity to the lightning strike. I have whole house surge suppressors hooked directly to the service panels. We also have underground electrical service.We had a lightning strike last year that took out all kinds of devices not plugged directly into the AC power. As a matter of fact, the control equipment plugged in to the AC faired better than the remote panels probably due to the whole house surge suppressors.I am also in the TV repair business and we hear after every storm of people that have unplugged their TV in a lightning storm, but lost the television anyhow due to a jolt coming off the antenna or cable connection. In our lightning strike the picture tube of one TV became so badly magnetized (rainbow picture) we had to discard it.Doug McKalip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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