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Results of my LOR dimming test with an inverted and Tripp Lite UPS


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Well guys, looks like we are getting the big buzzer on this one. I hooked up my Trip Lite 1500 KW UPS to the output of my new 3 outlet 1000W inverter to see if this would power the LOR controller and alleviate the LOR issue with dimming when you use an inverter to power your LOR controller when you go on location.

Thank you for playing!

The controller flickers the lights during fade downs, just like the inverter does.

Dooooooooooooooooooooooo! :(:(:):(

It looks like the UPS just does the same darn thing as the inverter does; it gives you a “modified sine wave”, meaning it’s a sine wave formed by stacking some square waves.

This means then, that probably most of the regular UPS supplies that you and I buy will be like this, with square wave output. I guess all our computers and TVs and appliances don’t care, but the LOR controllers do seem to care.

Looks like it’s up to Dan and the guys to try to find a way to deal with this issue in an upcoming hardware release. No generator or UPS on the market I’m sure will put out a clean sine wave like the power company gives you.

I would assume you have to spend big bucks to buy a REAL line conditioning UPS, capable of supplying an actual sine wave output.

I'm supposed to be at the church's Trunk Or Treat Saturday, and I have no solution! My only salvation is if I can get a long extension cord run out to my vehicle from an outlet.

Attached files 78249=4767-DSC04817.JPG

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One of those little quiet Honda generators... They've got a pretty clean sine. We use one at work to power our Signalcrafters radio test gear. (stuff that, like the lor boards, wouldn't be too happy with the output of an inverter) A little pricey... maybe you can rent one. They are whisper quiet too.

jeff

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Hi all,

I already tried the Honda gen set. I tried it only with the LORVis program but it did not work very well. The light would not change to the beat of the music. Also as a side note the gen has a built in hertz meter and it showed it was running at 60hz.

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They all run at 60 Hz, the issue is not the frequency, but rather the shape of the waveform. I doubt that any generator puts out a real sine wave.

Put the output voltage on an oscilloscop, and I bet you see a squared off sine wave, not a smooth sine wave.

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Actually, the generator does put out an almost pure sine wave. The reason I say almost is because it is impossible to put an absolutely pure sine wave constantly. The generator spins a turbine (or magnet) it does produce a sine wave. It is just a smaller, much smaller, version of the large steam turbines the power company uses. I am not sure why that generator would not work for LOR.

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jeffostroff wrote:

They all run at 60 Hz, the issue is not the frequency, but rather the shape of the waveform. I doubt that any generator puts out a real sine wave.

Put the output voltage on an oscilloscop, and I bet you see a squared off sine wave, not a smooth sine wave.


Brad Stevens wrote:
Actually, the generator does put out an almost pure sine wave. The reason I say almost is because it is impossible to put an absolutely pure sine wave constantly. The generator spins a turbine (or magnet) it does produce a sine wave. It is just a smaller, much smaller, version of the large steam turbines the power company uses. I am not sure why that generator would not work for LOR.

Brad is correct here, the generator will put almost a perfect sine wave because of the spinning motion, in an inverter that is much harder to do since most inverters are done with digital controllers because they are much cheaper to do that way.

All in all a honda generator seems like the best bet here for a smoth sine wave when you are away from your house.
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Fyrzout wrote:

Hi all,

I already tried the Honda gen set. I tried it only with the LORVis program but it did not work very well. The light would not change to the beat of the music. Also as a side note the gen has a built in hertz meter and it showed it was running at 60hz.

Well I gues syou did not see this reply from Fyrzout above. H ealready tried the Honda generator and it did not work.
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That to me seems like an issue with the Lorvis program. I am 99.9% sure that there will be no issue actually using a honda generator to provide power to the board.

I have heard of cases where the Triacs can get "Stuck" on I wonder if this is a case of that.


Robogeek

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Of course the Honda generators are now $3000, way out of reach for most people, and you can only get them from Honda dealers. Making things even worse for us consumers, last month Honda restructured their lawnmower and generator warranty handling, and basically only dealers are doing warranty work now, as all the little mom and pop shops were squuezed out.

My nearest dealer is 18 miles away.

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jeffostroff wrote:

Of course the Honda generators are now $3000, way out of reach for most people, and you can only get them from Honda dealers. Making things even worse for us consumers, last month Honda restructured their lawnmower and generator warranty handling, and basically only dealers are doing warranty work now, as all the little mom and pop shops were squuezed out.

My nearest dealer is 18 miles away.
That really does suck...
We have been talking about specifically honda generators, but IMO we could extend this to any generator.
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Hi,

Robogeek is correct in the fact that I only tried it with the LORVis program. The problem I had was not a distinctive change in the lights with the beat of the music as compared to when it was plugged in (to regular A/C power.. I'm still doing some testing with inverters and such...so I will keep you up dated.

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  • 1 month later...

I've been having this same problem with the D-Light controller boards (sensitivity to "not clean" AC input). Since my D-Lights are "kit assembled" boards, I am looking at modifications to perhaps have highly filtered control power to the circuit portion but still be able to use Generator power to the output TRIACs.

The Honda EU1000i and other "inverter" output generators certainly claim to have a "cleaner Sine wave" than normal AC. Is that the kind you tried? (the EU Inverter series)

There are also the very pricey Pure Sine Wave inverters (about $550 for 1500watts) that make the same claim.

Anybody tried clamping Ferrite onto the Hot and Neutral wires coming from a generator?

As you can guess, I'd really, really like to solve this portability problem.

JonB

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