Lights stay on after show...

[metallus2000]

Random occurrence. Light show has been running for a month, no issues. Last few days, some of the lights stay on, could be several in one string, or one channel all lights stay on from a previous sequence.

No sequences are going all the way to the end...I have 3 each 16 Pixie controllers, and 6 each CCB 5v controllers. Reset offending controllers.

I rebooted computer and now re-doing hardware utility. I have a brand new 12v strand of 100 bulbs, whereas one bulb stays on red, all the time.

Has anyone run across this issue/fix? 

or...perhaps the real question should be, why does this happen, and how do I prevent it?

Edited December 29, 2020 by metallus2000
addition.

[k6ccc]

A pixel that stays on with one particular color is one of the common failure modes for pixels.  If you are lucky, it got wet and will dry out.  If not, you get to replace the pixel.  We got rain yesterday and I had three pixels stuck on last night in my old arches.  We'll see what they look like tonight.

You did not tell us if this is on pixels or AC strings.  Obviously with nine pixel controllers, you have a bunch of pixels, but you also said one channel, which would imply an AC controller.  Usually a stuck channel on a AC controller is a failed or failing triac.

 

[dibblejr]

Sounds like bad strings to me. Seems like the covid strings have some issues. Perhaps the mfg are not QCing them anymore.

And all mfgs have been the same. 

I just replaced 700 pixels in 2 days Sat and Sun because I didn't have time to troubleshoot them and had the pixels laying around. Will sort them out later.

All of my pixels I soldered my self have not had a single failure in 4 years. The purchased ones, not the same result.

I have 7 strings from one company all brand new for Christmas that every connector was filled with water even with the o rings and the female connector being on top. I do this so water tends to run over instead of puddling. I also use an s configuration, drip loop to ensure no connectors are at the bottom.

I have 1 set that's 3 years old and has one bad node in it. Still its the only bad node and I keep forgetting at tear down to replace. It may never get replaced.

I almost forgot to answer the OPs final question. 

The only way to prevent this would be to give up the hobby lights will fail no matter what we do.

JR

Edited December 29, 2020 by dibblejr

[TheDucks]

If you power up and you have: A stuck pixel (single color on) is a node failure: Cut it out and splice in a new node (If you don't have a matching, spare node cover it up. If none of the node past that one work, you must cut it out. If you can't replace it, the whole string just shifts 1 place : 2 becomes 1 ...

Note Node 1 can be configured as a Pixie Status marker (blinks white) until the first sequence is sent to that controller

This year, I discovered I had massive (23 units of 125) rectangular DUMB RGB fails. Missing colors, some on faint where none should be, whole modules out (in the middle of a run,so it is not a wire). I suspect corrosion

These should be white https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HFGJCzsnLsQXfbA9VMdlsvm1fO5cc2pC/view?usp=sharing (center is missing Blue), other have red in places red is not even wired.

The prop is a Star of David (in Blue) and Cross (in Red), the perimeter is Green (when used) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L-cYubiCjHJLCgtPoebWMgRZTnE-ThJS/view?usp=sharing

 

[metallus2000]

2 hours ago, TheDucks said:

If you power up and you have: A stuck pixel (single color on) is a node failure: Cut it out and splice in a new node (If you don't have a matching, spare node cover it up. If none of the node past that one work, you must cut it out. If you can't replace it, the whole string just shifts 1 place : 2 becomes 1 ...

Note Node 1 can be configured as a Pixie Status marker (blinks white) until the first sequence is sent to that controller

This year, I discovered I had massive (23 units of 125) rectangular DUMB RGB fails. Missing colors, some on faint where none should be, whole modules out (in the middle of a run,so it is not a wire). I suspect corrosion

These should be white https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HFGJCzsnLsQXfbA9VMdlsvm1fO5cc2pC/view?usp=sharing (center is missing Blue), other have red in places red is not even wired.

The prop is a Star of David (in Blue) and Cross (in Red), the perimeter is Green (when used) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L-cYubiCjHJLCgtPoebWMgRZTnE-ThJS/view?usp=sharing

 

Thanks for the response everyone. Last year I bought 25 5v 50 count strings on clearance. I have 10 left that are working. I will play with cutting them/patching after the season. It does seems as if QC went out the Covid window...

And JR :-) "The only way to prevent this would be to give up the hobby lights will fail no matter what we do." Ain't happening....!

[k6ccc]

31 minutes ago, metallus2000 said:

And JR :-) "The only way to prevent this would be to give up the hobby lights will fail no matter what we do." Ain't happening....!

Agreed!  You learn how to splice in pixels.  Always fun doing that near the top of the pixel tree...

 

[dibblejr]

On 12/29/2020 at 12:56 PM, k6ccc said:

Agreed!  You learn how to splice in pixels.  Always fun doing that near the top of the pixel tree...

 

I was 40’ up standing in my top ties after the hurricane, cutting , splicing and soldering on Halloween day.

Sid I mention I hate ladders but I had rope tying it off in both directions and rebar pounded in the ground behind it so it wouldn’t slip out

and my wife was there to hear me fighting and talking to myself about why I do this.

JR

[metallus2000]

Oh, I think we can all relate to that 👍

Edited January 1, 2021 by metallus2000
Spelling

[lightzilla]

On 12/29/2020 at 11:22 AM, metallus2000 said:

Thanks for the response everyone. Last year I bought 25 5v 50 count strings on clearance. I have 10 left that are working. I will play with cutting them/patching after the season. It does seems as if QC went out the Covid window...

And JR :-) "The only way to prevent this would be to give up the hobby lights will fail no matter what we do." Ain't happening....!

I bought clearance 5v 50 count strings. 5 strings didn't work right of the bat. The rest did.