RAB Posted November 25, 2016 Posted November 25, 2016 I plug it into my USB connector device and there is not a light on - nothing. I have three that are outdoors and the little LED in them is flashing but the one at my computer I get nothing. All four are brand new, I bought them at this years summer sale and have now waiting until show night to connect them. HELP!
jfuller8400 Posted November 25, 2016 Posted November 25, 2016 What USB adapter are you using? The standard 485's (the little ones) don't supply power for an ELL. You need to have a 485B or 485-ISO to power the ELL.
RAB Posted November 25, 2016 Author Posted November 25, 2016 Yup, standard USB485 serial adapter all right. Well that answers that question. In the meantime I just ran a cable to my first controllers where the ELL starts. Thanks for your prompt reply, I may be back with more questions. .
jfuller8400 Posted November 25, 2016 Posted November 25, 2016 I made that mistake my first year as well. Thankfully I discovered it in time to order the right adapter and have it shipped to me. Have a great show!
mrforemark Posted November 25, 2016 Posted November 25, 2016 I'm having similar problems. I did buy the larger adapter but when i put it in the comm 3 port it isn't recognized. I have cat5 going to the first controller and an ELL coming out of the controller. Only 1 of the two additional ELLs will work. In the Hdwe utility it can only find 2 controllers. I've been able to get one of the other controllers to recognize but not both st the same time. Is ther an "in" and an "out" socket on the ELLs. I understood that either would work.
RAB Posted November 26, 2016 Author Posted November 26, 2016 I had that issue a couple of years ago, not connecting to the com 3 port. Come to think about it, it was on the day after Thanksgiving and I was freaking out. So I walked away from my machine and came back an hour later and it had connected. Still tonight I am having issues with an ELL on one edge of my property. It is less than 60 feet away from a channel that is working just fine but it is connecting at a seemingly random interval. At this point I am voting thumbs down on the ELL. I look at all of the work I put into my display and the cost to add the ELLs . . . .well, I'd rather run the communication cable than see part of my display dead. On a separate not, thanks to those that have replied. This is a panic time created by my own lack of planning, but I appreciate the community that chimes in.
jfuller8400 Posted November 26, 2016 Posted November 26, 2016 ELL's can be a little finicky. I've found it helps to make sure the antenna is pointed straight up and get them as high as you reasonably can. I run my show from a laptop inside the house and use an ELL's to link it to several strings of controllers. I've found it's better to have the laptop/ELL located on the upper floor otherwise I do have problems with the signal getting to all of the other ELL's.
superslim0five Posted November 30, 2018 Posted November 30, 2018 This thread was great! Two years old and still holds true. I made the same mistake of thinking I could use the standard RS-485 that came with the starter kit. Unfortunately after about an hour of trying (and ultimately reading this thread) I realized it was the adapter that was not providing power however both ELLs would receive power when plugged into the actual controller. I already placed an order and hope to get it quickly to resolve.
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