Second controller

[Andy2567]

 Basic newbie question .  I just bought my second controller and want to know if it's as easy to hook up as running a cat five cable from the first controller to the second controller for 32 channels or do I need to set up anything in the control panel . 

[rcktpwrd]

almost that easy, you also have to set the unit ID number to something different from the other controller, using the hardware utility and of course plug the unit into an outlet.

Edited December 1, 2016 by rcktpwrd

[basis21b]

It depends.

From the factory the controllers have their unit set to 01.  If you want this new controller to duplicate what is being done by the other then yes just connect the two of them with cat5.  If you want this controller to behave differently you will need to use the hardware utility to assign a different unit id and create/adjust your sequences to output to this new unit.

 

A suggestion.  

Sometimes (rarely but it does happen) a controller will "lose its mind" and revert back to the factory default unit id of 01.  What I have done is to not have a unit 01 in my display.  So in the case of two controllers I would have one with a unit id of 02 and the second with a unit of 03.  What this does is to make it possible for me to use the hardware utility to find the "bad" controller in my network with all the controllers connected and reset its id.  Had I assigned 01 and 02 as unit ids and encounter the situation where unit 02 was to reset back to 01 I would have to disconnect it from the network and reset the unit id.  I live in a cold climate and there is little joy standing in the snow with a laptop trying to reset the unit id on a controller that has decided to misbehave.   (Ask me how I happen to know this.) 

Edited December 1, 2016 by basis21b
Rarely happens but planning is always a good idea

[zvacman]

OK, I'll bite. How do you happen to know that? ?

Z

[basis21b]

You would have loved the scene.

Minnesota winter, middle of December.  Wet sloppy snow the night before caused GFCI to trip power to the offending controller.  Next day back side of storm moves in with air temps in single digits and wind chills in the -10F range.  Start display and notice a controller obviously mirroring effects of unit 01.  Outside with headlamp, laptop and blow dryer.  Say a little prayer laptop will survive the temperature change.  

Step 1.  Remove gloves (Did I mention the -10F windchill?)

Step 2. Open controller, heat Cat 5 with blow dryer to make it flexible so I can remove controller from rest of network

Step 3.  Heat Cat 5 connected to spare USB adapter so I can connect to controller and reset address

Step 4.  Undo step 3

Step 5.  Undo step 2

Step 6.  No undo of step 1, fingers too numb to put gloves back on.

Get indoors as fast as possible, thaw finger tips and again say little prayer laptop will survive temperature change.  

Good times.

(Apologies for the threadjack).

   

Edited December 1, 2016 by basis21b
Added Step 6