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Unit 2 not working. Help!


Klayfish

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Expanded to two controllers this year.  Show went live tonight.  Half way through the first song, all the lights connected to Unit 2 stopped working.  When I open the box, there are no blinking LEDs inside.  I'm not very good with electrical things.  Can someone point me to things to look for??

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First check to see if the GFI that is powering the controller is tripped.  If you have 120vac going to the controller, then check the fuses that are on either side of the PC board.  They are at the bottom right and left sides.  Do that with the power off.  You will need a way to test them.. If one of them are blown it is most likely the one on the right... and you need to find out why. 

 

If the GFI is tripped you need to find out why also.  Do that by unplugging all the lights.. Make sure you know where to plug them back in.  Run the controller with the HU so that everything is on full.  start plugging stuff back in one at a time until they either all work or you trip the GFI.  At that point you will have to find out what the cause is. 

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Thanks.  Trying to figure it out now.  Don't think it's a GFI.  I have the controller plugged into 2 different circuits and both have other lights on them that are still working (I checked all my loads with a Kill O Watt when I set up), so that's not it.  Shouldn't there be some kind of flashing light inside the unit?  Controller 1 has a flashing green LED.  Controller 2 has nothing.  How do I test the fuse to see if it's blown?  I saw that it has two fuses.  Does one fuse control 1-8 and the other 9-16?

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You are on the right track.. yes two fuses.. There should be a blinking light or if you have connected to the network I think it should be solid. 

 

The fuse for the 9-16 runs the power for the controllers low voltage supply.  Check that one.  pull it out and look to see if you can see that it is blown.  If you can't tell by looking you will need to check continuity.  I would hope that being in this hobby you have a meter other than the Kil-0-watt.  Someone you need to check that fuse.  It should be about a dead short.  If not, it is bad.  You can take it to Radio shack and they can test if for you and probably sell you spares.

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Holy crap, holy c-r-a-p!!!  Would you believe that the problem was a $.75 plug?  I unplugged everything and brought the unit inside.  First thing I did was try plugging it into my wall sockets inside.  I noticed the green LED flicker a few times.  I thought "Huh...that's odd..."  One of my extension cords is a 2 prong female end.  So I have one of those 3 prong into 2 converters.  The converter was still attached to the power cord on the controller.  I jiggled it a bit and saw the green LED start to flash.  Removed it and plugged it back into the wall and voila!!!  Grabbed a new converter from my supply and I'm back in business.  Wow!!!  9 months of hard work and I was nearly in a panic due to a cheap adapter. 

 

Plasma, thanks for the really quick replies.  I do have a volt meter, as I'm learning to tinker with cars, but haven't gotten too far into electrical things.  I know what a blown fuse looks like and have tested fuses in a car, but wasn't sure if the controller worked the same exact way.  As I said, learning electricals slowly.

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LOL!!  go figure.. 

 

BTW, you can't always tell when  fuse is blown by looking at it..   Sometimes you have to measure.. 

 

I would recommend a meter for your tool bag.. 

 

Merry Christmas and good luck with your show.

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Just be glad it was that and not my issue. I am down a controller for now. We cant pinpoint the problem.  Good luck rest of the season

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