DLTSLC Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 This is probably a noob question, but is it okay to leave the controllers, 1602 gen3, CCR controllers, and the CMB16D controllers on 24/7 or better to turn them off ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hans Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Once I fire up my stuff for the season it stays powered on until I shut it all down! (which started this past weekend as I hooked up the first 4 controllers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTSLC Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'm a little nervous as one of my cmb16d boards started smoking after working perfect for 5 shows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liberty-Laser Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Sounds like an issue with that one board. I have one controller that stays on for nearly 365 days a year - off season it controls the landscape lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Fischer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Wow, a 5-year thread bump!I leave all my controllers powered on 24/7 in-season, and I've been doing it that way since our first animated display in 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErnieHorning Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The biggest offender was my "shutdown" sequence where I had all lights going from 100% to 0 over about a minute. Instead of gradually fading, the ligthts were flickering as if I had asked them to twinkle... Wow, a 5-year thread bump!So... did you ever figure this out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Fischer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 (edited) So... did you ever figure this out?CTB-08 firmware hasn't been touched since I posted that. I've tried to sequence around it, and I started phasing out my CTB-08's since there has been no support for them. LOR talked about coming up with a downloadable solution over 2 years ago for these controllers, but it never (to this point) materialized, and I'm guessing with each passing year it makes it less viable to actually do. Edited October 8, 2012 by Tim Fischer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskalightchick Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Back to the cold issue. I was worried about the cold here. I talked to a tech friend about it. He e-mailed LOR and asked how low of a temp will they work at. They told him 0 degrees. I am freaking out because it gets -40 or lower sometimes. It typically hangs around -20 for the most part. He suggested these inline warmers that cost $100. each. Don't really have any more $ to sink into this, this year.I built boxes for each LOR unit, and insulated with R19 insulation. I have 4 LOR units and 4 remote linkers.Any suggestions? Do you think they will be OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Well we do see some below zero here in MO, but you also got to take this into consideration. First the standard box that you buy from LOR or the Keptal CG series are not air tight, but at the same time Leaving the controller on will generate some heat in the box from the transformer. And some heat will be generated across the Triacs or in the case of the DC card the Mosfets.I leave mine on for the purpose to drive off any condensing moisture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskalightchick Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 i put dri Z air buckets in the boxes i made as well. its pretty dry here in the winter though. i leave mine on all the time as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james campbell Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 plus leaving your controllers on all the time removes another thing that can go wrong like timers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErnieHorning Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) He e-mailed LOR and asked how low of a temp will they work at. They told him 0 degrees. I am freaking out because it gets -40 or lower sometimes.I’m not sure why they would specify a minimum of 0°F because all commercial parts are rated down to -40°F. I do temperature testing as part of my day job and test down to -60°F. The only thing that ever fails at cold temperatures is the internal microprocessor oscillator. LOR uses an external crystal oscillator so I don’t see why you would have an issue.BTW, there’s guy on DIYC that lives up in Anchorage, I believe. He has never reported a single issue with controllers malfunctioning because of the cold. I’ve remember him reporting -60°F. The DIY controllers use similar parts to LOR. I don’t think I would be worried. I can’t imagine going outside to look at Christmas lights when it’s -60°F anyways. Edit: You can always put a C7 incandescent inside the box to bump the temp when it goes below -20°F or so. Edited October 14, 2012 by ErnieHorning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Ernie, You quoted me, but that was not me it was the post above mine #8. I did not say that.. See my post #9.I’m not sure why they would specify a minimum of 0°F because all commercial parts are rated down to -40°F. I do temperature testing as part of my day job and test down to -60°F. The only thing that ever fails at cold temperatures is the internal microprocessor oscillator. LOR uses an external crystal oscillator so I don’t see why you would have an issue.BTW, there’s guy on DIYC that lives up in Anchorage, I believe. He has never reported a single issue with controllers malfunctioning because of the cold. I’ve remember him reporting -60°F. The DIY controllers use similar parts to LOR. I don’t think I would be worried. I can’t imagine going outside to look at Christmas lights when it’s -60°F anyways. Edit: You can always put a C7 incandescent inside the box to bump the temp when it goes below -20°F or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Fischer Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Back to the cold issue. I was worried about the cold here. I talked to a tech friend about it. He e-mailed LOR and asked how low of a temp will they work at. They told him 0 degrees. I am freaking out because it gets -40 or lower sometimes. It typically hangs around -20 for the most part. He suggested these inline warmers that cost $100. each. Don't really have any more $ to sink into this, this year.I built boxes for each LOR unit, and insulated with R19 insulation. I have 4 LOR units and 4 remote linkers.Any suggestions? Do you think they will be OK? I can't vouch for -40 but it's hit -20 here and the LOR controllers didn't balk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErnieHorning Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Ernie, You quoted me, but that was not me Sorry Max! I hate the screen editor on this board, so I typically copy and paste into Word. I must have accidentally clicked on the wrong button.You may remember that I tried to argue that posting editing should be left open forever. Several people here said that there should be a time limit because when you post, you must have meant it. Well, I made a mistake and it will forever be that way because I can’t change it.Sorry again but it is now history, including me being sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Thats i! No soup fo' you!! back o' th' line!! (only Seinfeld line I ever quote) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts