nmonkman Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I seem to remember that reading that a channel stuck in the ON position is usually attributed to a bad triac.Can anyone confirm. I got a 16 channel blue board kit. Channels 2 and 9 are stuck on. I have tried resetting and using the hardware utility to see if that would turn off the channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Have you tried drying them out? Sometimes moisture can do weird things to them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I'm having the same problem! It just started happening today. One of my channels #10 is on very dim. When the channel callsfor it flash twinkle or go on, it resposes. It just does not shut off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 ny_yankee_25 wrote: I'm having the same problem! It just started happening today. One of my channels #10 is on very dim. When the channel callsfor it flash twinkle or go on, it resposes. It just does not shut off.I have also had luck by unplugging the controller and just plugging it back in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Did, that. I'm going to have to figure this more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackchecker Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 This seems to be a common theme this year...I have about a total of 5 channels (spread over all four controllers) that hang in the on position till the sequence goes ON for that channel again, then it's back to normal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore60 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Check your show editor and make sure you have a check in the box that says. :turn all used lights off at end of all sequences."Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmonkman Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 I think I may have to pull it down an check my solder joints. THis is the new problemIt was channel 2 and 9 on unit 11. I have 3 open channels on unit 9 so I switched them over and changed all the sequences so that those two channels (11-2 & 11-9) were now 9-10 and 9-11Seemed to work fine. Then I went outside later to check and every SINGLE channel on that controller was on. I then noticed that the power LED was off, then it was intermittent, like it was getting power sporadically. I checked at the source to make sure there was not a loose wire and didnt find any. Powered it off completely and I will pull it down on Saturday. I am pissed cause these are my new mini trees that I spent weeks making and wrapping just for this year. Now my light count drops back over 15000 lights. ARRRGHHHH!Note: moisture is not an issue because I keep them on the garage wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmonkman Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 crackchecker wrote: This seems to be a common theme this year...Tell me about it. I got controllers I built 5 years ago that never let me down. The last year or two there seems to be a variety of problems with the kits. Some of them were my own screw ups, but most were just problems. Last year I had to have a board overnighted and cost me a small fortune cause it was the week of Thanksgiving.I really should have 2 or 3 good back up controllers on hand. When this happens, the whole show suffers and I am SOL until after the holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Here is my update. I unplugged the channel #10 on the controller that was given me issues. I ordered a new controller that was shipped out yesterday. But now i have another channel on a different controller doing the same thing now, that the one has been unplugged! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan1080 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yikes, came in to check on the same issue and found this thread.Not sure how many channels are an issue for me, I'll run out and check thoroughly in a bit. From what I noticed when I was just out there, it was related to the 3 channels for my bethlehem star.I modified all my controllers this year with the 47K resistors, so it's probably not a snubber issue.It was odd, I thought I noticed something this morning when I left for work, and just assumed a light was illuminating the lights from the back. On closer examination tonight, that's not the case, the lights are definitely on dim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdwg Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 can i bump this? anyone have a solution? i have been chasing this issue across multiple controllers this year? have moved about a dozen circuits and now there are two more out there as we speak... any solutions? i dont think they are stuck triacs, i know what those look like... i have searched... i found the post that dan put out a few years back that says to reset the controller to 00, and plug in for 5 seconds, then unplug and set back... thoughts?thanks for any help!edit: by the way, these were PC kits that were already soldered, i just put the pigtails on... if that makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandlakedad Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Here's what I have found when troubleshooting. Usually if the channel stuck on is bright the triac is shot. If the bad channel is dim it is the MOC (optoisolator) and not the triac. Remove all power from the board then check for continuity across the left leg and center leg of the triac. If continuity is found replace triac. Also check for continuity between the MOC end of 220 resister near the triac and the center and right pin of the MOC on the resistor side of the MOC. Continuity between the resistor and center MOC pin is normal. There should not be any continuity between the resistor and right MOC pin. If continuity if found between the right MOC pin and the resistor replace the MOC. I hope this doesn't have you completely confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 grandlakedad wrote: Here's what I have found when troubleshooting. Usually if the channel stuck on is bright the triac is shot. If the bad channel is dim it is the MOC (optoisolator) and not the triac. Remove all power from the board then check for continuity across the left leg and center leg of the triac. If continuity is found replace triac. Also check for continuity between the MOC end of 220 resister near the triac and the center and right pin of the MOC on the resistor side of the MOC. Continuity between the resistor and center MOC pin is normal. There should not be any continuity between the resistor and right MOC pin. If continuity if found between the right MOC pin and the resistor replace the MOC. I hope this doesn't have you completely confused.Do you have a picture of each item your referring to? Can you use this picture to display what the MOC end of 220 resister, MOC in general Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I also remember someone once posted this image of the Triac's they bought. Does anyone remember who posted it, and were they got so many from? And for the jerks that make comments about copyright. This picture is NOT mine! I got it a while ago from this forum! Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 ny_yankee_25 wrote: I also remember someone once posted this image of the Triac's they bought. Does anyone remember who posted it, and were they got so many from? And for the jerks that make comments about copyright. This picture is NOT mine! I got it a while ago from this forum!I believe it was Jeff Millard.You can buy triacs from Mouser, among other sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdwg Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 i also purchased spare triacs last season in case i needed them. i have an electronics background, but that was back in high school! (and we dont want to discuss how LONG ago that was...) so yes, what is a moc? what does it look like?just seems weird that i would have many of the same type of issue this year all at once. i do have a few spare controllers (please dont throw things at me!) that i can swap out. I also have two complete (build it yourself kits) so i have some spare parts to get me through.thanks for the info david, once i see what the moc is I can look to replace. then order new parts...-troyedit: got my triacs from mouser following jeff's post last year.edit2: did a little google and found this... sorry should have searched first.http://preher-tech.com/Documents/opto-isolators.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdwg Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 ok, from the picture below, I am guessing the MOC, optoisolators, are the white IC's ? Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandlakedad Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Hope this image helps explain my testing procedure. Lines B and C should not have continuity, Line A should have continuity. I refer to the optoisolator's as MOC's less typing and yes they are the white IC's. Another note all components can be bought from Mouser. I also buy sockets for ALL of the IC's so they are quick and simple to replace. Sockets for the resistor networks are also available. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdwg Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 thanks for the info david (and the illustration). i will test tonight (of course after i help the kids with their homework!) lol ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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