Guest guest Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 I'm using my CTB-16D with one power input. I've got the jumpers installed to feed the other side and noticed I had left the fuse on the left side in. I checked the input side on the left and noticed that I had 120 volts. Took the fuse out and no power. I picked up one of the single C-7 lights (1.00) at Dollar Tree. It comes with a little plastic holder for the bulb clip and a little flip on/off switch. I attached the plastic holder to bottom front door cover with some hot glue. A little below the board because heat rises. I installed some wire holders to keep the cord from getting caught in the door. I had to relocate the on/off switch . Pay attention to the ribbed wire, that's your neutral. Install the plain wire to the HOT and the ribbed to the NEU. I installed a 1/2 amp fuse, if there's something smaller, I would use it. I tried this on a box that I've just started to prep. I took a reading of the temp with the door shut. It read 73 degrees, which was close to room temp then. I then turned the light on and shut the door again. I checked the reading about 20 minutes later and had 87 degrees. Going to a C-9 will make it a little warmer. Thanks Dan, for the help..... Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 pic1 Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 pic2 Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Being totaly ignorant of building my own LOR (or anything, unless it's made with wood) why do you want to raise the temp of the box? I thought cooler was better, plus I see you live in Texas, is low temps a problem? Just curious.Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 It's more about condensation than cold. We've run LOR for 3-going-on-4 seasons now, and they work just peachy even at 20 below zero. But condensation can kill them (not much of a problem here in MN).-Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I live in Houston, but my display is East Alabama. It gets real cold at nights there. I've got the flip switch on there, if there's going to be a real cold night, my dad can flip it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I never even thought of the cold being a problem. I guess though it will slow down the system and well metal doesnt like cold. Just how low does it get on average in December there?Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Randy 9040 wrote: I live in Houston, but my display is East Alabama. It gets real cold at nights there. I've got the flip switch on there, if there's going to be a real cold night, my dad can flip it on. I doubt it gets 20 below, and like I said, our LOR boxes work fine in such temps."Real Cold" is relative :laughing:.There's no need to heat the LOR boxes due to cold, but it might help with condensation.-Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Sorry if this is an ignorant questions. But, why the 1/2 amp fuse, and where did you install it at? I did not see it in the pics. Are your boxes open to the elements or covered with a box, bag or some other item? I am in Seattle, and well, we do have a bit of weather here in the Holiday Season. I was thinking that if the LOR box was covered somehow, the condensation issue would not be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 When using single power hook up, one of the fuses isn't used. If the power is being feed from the right side and you put jumbers to feed the other side, then the one fuse, powers both sides of the board. Then the fuse on the left (if it's still in) isn't doing anything, but if you check the not used hot and netural, you will get a power reading. The LOR single feed configuration shows no fuse required. The 1/2 amp fuse was the lowest I had to put in the fuse holder on that side. The C-7 bulb pulls about 0.058 amps. There maybe some tenth amp fuses out there? Like tfischer said this is mostly for condensation. Sometimes at my parents, it may get down in the teens a few times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 29, 2006 Share Posted October 29, 2006 tfischer wrote: I doubt it gets 20 below, and like I said, our LOR boxes work fine in such temps."Real Cold" is relative :laughing:.There's no need to heat the LOR boxes due to cold, but it might help with condensation.I would think running a show with a fair amount of lights would cause the controller itself to generate some warmth of its own. Looks like a fairly waterproof box, just protect it from rain above with open bottom to breath, maybe drape a garbage bag over it but open from below.Only time I would worry about it is... well being in Florida...in winter, we can have a long belt of cool weather, maybe more applicable in January, we'll have low 40's every night for a week then a south breeze will bring us warm humid 60 degree nights for a few days and 80 degree days... so like cold soaked shaded parking lots and pavement will be constantly wet for a couple days while the air is warmer then the ground. I guess Alabama can also be subject to being cold with a north, west or east wind but when it blows from the Carribbean from the south, it can be a tremendous mid winter warm up up there too and cold objects might be subject to condensation on everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Once I start the boxes up those Triacs keep things toasty in the box...We've never had a problem with the cold.Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Randy 9040 wrote: When using single power hook up, one of the fuses isn't used. If the power is being feed from the right side and you put jumbers to feed the other side, then the one fuse, powers both sides of the board. Then the fuse on the left (if it's still in) isn't doing anything, but if you check the not used hot and netural, you will get a power reading. The LOR single feed configuration shows no fuse required. The 1/2 amp fuse was the lowest I had to put in the fuse holder on that side. The C-7 bulb pulls about 0.058 amps. There maybe some tenth amp fuses out there? Like tfischer said this is mostly for condensation. Sometimes at my parents, it may get down in the teens a few times. Houston has a climate about like that of Ocala, Florida. I dont know if it applies but new residents move down here from up north and at first they are bummed in the winter... they say, Wow there is no winter down here, only an Autumn that turns directly to spring... I miss the snow and the feeling of Christmas...Then give them a couple years and before you know it they are wearing Minnesota's warmest jackets, 7 layers of sweaters, etc when the temperatures drop into the 50's and then they are saying, "I dont know how my relatives can survive that frozen hell."Its easy in the south to think its so much worst or unusual up north but reality is, your electronics actually have less resistence the colder it is and work better. Condensation is only a factor if your circuits are open to the sky at night or subject to drastic changes from cold to hot. If anything your triacs might last longer the colder you allow them to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 If you have a properly vented inclosure, condensation shouldn't be a problem. If you try to totally seal it, major moisure problems will develop. However, if you have holes in the bottom of the enclosure, or use something like a NEMA 3R enclosure, that's rain-proof, but not sealed, moisture/condensation shouldn't be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Try this with your LOR controllerIf it works for PCs then its go to be ok with the controllers.--Daniel LP.S.- I am not responsible for content on that webpage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Daniel wrote: P.S.- I am not responsible for content on that webpage.And why not? You seem crazy enough oops i mean eccentric to try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Hmm....:laughing: Sarcasim? And Yes, it would be fun to try. My point is, dont electronics like the cold? (run better)?--Daniel L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2006 Share Posted October 30, 2006 Daniel wrote: Hmm....:laughing: Sarcasim? And Yes, it would be fun to try. My point is, dont electronics like the cold? (run better)?--Daniel LThere is a point that things can get too cold, and therefore not work. I have had that happen when one of my work projects was tested out in the middle of the alaskan wilderness in the middle of january. we just had to bring it in and put a blow dryer on it a bit before it would work again...By the way this was on an army vehicle.but yes, lets say you turn something on at room temperature, then start chilling it while it is running, it is still making heat and keeping its temperature good, but a transistor, and maybe this case a triac would be able to pump more power because the heat gets away faster... IE melting the ice... Ahh but you might say that this causes shorts... Well there is a thing in our world called Conformal coatings, in otherwords, Spray paint the circuit board with acrillic let it dry, then you can spray the thing with water and it wouldn't matter. by the way, if you try this Mask with masking tape anything you want to connect to. IE RJ-45 connectors, Terminal Blocks... Dip sockets if you plan on taking things out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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