Just finished build of Pixie8 but....

[Donl1150]

when I connect the dongles to my singing face, some of the pixel strings light up at reduced power (all blue by the way) and others don't light up at all.  Let me back up a bit.

When I finished wiring the controller, I physically turned off the one DIP switch that was factory set as ON. (As suggested in the sticky by JR).  I then changed the ID from 1 to 1D to match the last of my AC controllers.  I hooked up one dongle to the singing face and got the colors correct and also changed the number of pixels to 54 to match the longest single string on the singing face.  I exited the HU at this point.

I then began to connect the 8 individual ports.  As I was doing so, several lit up the lights at reduced power (all with blue color) while others did not.  I then went back into the HU and when I tested those ports that lit up at reduced power, they did not change from the reduced power state.  When I tested those ports that didn't light up at all when I physically connected them, they lit up properly at 100% brightness.

Not sure what to do to resolve.  I checked all connections and they are tight.

 

[TheDucks]

My HC bullets default to blue on power up if the controller is not running (properly). Is the low port bank powered?

Did you set the correct Chip type for your strings (in HU)?

Is the strings data line on the correct terminal (not  on the clock one)? Tight does not matter if you got the  insulation under the screw :/  (I love my ferrels. No cat whiskers))

1D , there is no need (with top level license) to snug up the ID. IMHO leave a gap for more DUMB (AC,DC) controllers and make you counting easy as Each port is an ID.

1D,1E,1F,20,21,22,23,24  or 20-27 which is easier to see a wrong ID on a single device.

Edited July 26, 2021 by TheDucks

[dibblejr]

I answered your pm hours ago. Just in case you didn’t see it.

JR

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, TheDucks said:

My HC bullets default to blue on power up if the controller is not running (properly). Is the low port bank powered?

Did you set the correct Chip type for your strings (in HU)?

Is the strings data line on the correct terminal (not  on the clock one)? Tight does not matter if you got the  insulation under the screw :/  (I love my ferrels. No cat whiskers))

1D , there is no need (with top level license) to snug up the ID. IMHO leave a gap for more DUMB (AC,DC) controllers and make you counting easy as Each port is an ID.

1D,1E,1F,20,21,22,23,24  or 20-27 which is easier to see a wrong ID on a single device.

His IDs are good. I believe he has power issues.

I have never skipped unit IDs. No reason to. Keep them simple and in order in which they fall.
 

JR

[Donl1150]

4 hours ago, TheDucks said:

My HC bullets default to blue on power up if the controller is not running (properly). Is the low port bank powered?

         Not sure what the 'low port bank' is?  I did run both "+" and "-" wires to each side of the P8 from the power supply (a 12v model LRS-350-12 from Wired Watts.  I don't understand why they would light up at all simply when I was connecting them.  Wouldn't the HU control the flow to them?  Seems like power leaking out of the HU.

Did you set the correct Chip type for your strings (in HU)?

       I believe so.

Is the strings data line on the correct terminal (not  on the clock one)? Tight does not matter if you got the  insulation under the screw :/  (I love my ferrels. No cat whiskers))

      Yes, I used the "+", "-" and "DT" terminals.

1D , there is no need (with top level license) to snug up the ID. IMHO leave a gap for more DUMB (AC,DC) controllers and make you counting easy as Each port is an ID.

1D,1E,1F,20,21,22,23,24  or 20-27 which is easier to see a wrong ID on a single device.

       I prefer to do them in consecutive order as I add them.  Keeping track on a master spreadsheet in Excel.

 

[TheDucks]

1 hour ago, Donl1150 said:

 

The HC ones use the blue to show power applied, but no data control detected. Smart nodes are always powered so the chip is ready to receive data. OTOH Power to a color (really applies return) make them light.

💡 Check the DIRECTION (which end gets power and data). Data can only come from the DI side (the chip on mine is on the DO side). This kind of hookup error is not common on strings SOLD with connectors built in. Power can be on both ends (a common way to power inject 5V strings from the SAME supply)

[Donl1150]

I created at ticket with the Help desk and they said "interesting". 

They suggested a factory reset of the P8 board and then do a simple test once it was done.  Did the factory reset and 7 of the 8 ports - as before - were still lit up all pixels pale blue and the one port was not.  So I hit the reset to do the simple test and the single port worked perfectly RGB all the way through pixels 1-54.  The other 7 ports remained lit pale blue.

So then I figured......lets hook up this new P8 board to the original black singing bulb that was working fine with the P16.  Sure enough, did that and that bulb operated perfectly all 8 ports.  That tells me the P8 board is ok.

Checked the direction of all pixels on the new bulb and all 8 ports are built in the proper direction.

I am out of ideas.....waiting for the Help desk at this point.  Or of course ideas from you guys on the forum.  Thanks

[dibblejr]

On 7/27/2021 at 3:56 PM, Donl1150 said:

I created at ticket with the Help desk and they said "interesting". 

They suggested a factory reset of the P8 board and then do a simple test once it was done.  Did the factory reset and 7 of the 8 ports - as before - were still lit up all pixels pale blue and the one port was not.  So I hit the reset to do the simple test and the single port worked perfectly RGB all the way through pixels 1-54.  The other 7 ports remained lit pale blue.

So then I figured......lets hook up this new P8 board to the original black singing bulb that was working fine with the P16.  Sure enough, did that and that bulb operated perfectly all 8 ports.  That tells me the P8 board is ok.

Checked the direction of all pixels on the new bulb and all 8 ports are built in the proper direction.

I am out of ideas.....waiting for the Help desk at this point.  Or of course ideas from you guys on the forum.  Thanks

Ensure your green terminal lugs on those pigtails are correct.

Mashed in between the metal feet and not underneath the metal foot. It is an easy mistake to make and can cause multiple string issues.

If you don’t get it you can send it to me and I can have a look at it and do some tests that I perform on problematic ( there have been very few) pixies.

Also , ensure they and it you power supply match IOW- 12v or 5v psu and pixels.

I made a video once of a similar situation where a member sent me his pixie16 and pixels (luckily). He said they were all 12v but the psu was 5v.

I connected my psu to his pixie16 and all pixels worked. I did. Have to change his comm chip since he connected to computer without adapter, that was his original problem. Then I found the rest of the problems.

JR

[Donl1150]

Thx JR.  Will check that when I get back home next week.  Here are thoughts from the Help desk…,

 

Don Lindgren, 

A Light-O-Rama help desk staff member has replied to your request, #2065757with the following response: 

Pixies only support one type of RGB IC at a time. However, it is possible to have different RGB orders on the individual ports. If a pixel string works on one port, it should work on all the others during the test pattern. I would try that test. I'm not sure what's happening to you. It could be that the ports are broken, but you said the behovior is the same on two Pixies, so it seems more likely that the strings have a different RGB IC type. 

We hope this has sufficiently answered your questions. If not, please login to your account at the address below for a complete archive of all your help desk requests and responses. 

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(Note: The URL should be one line. If your email program splits the URL into two lines, you will need to copy both of them into your browser.) 

After we reply, we typically set your ticket to a 'closed' status. This ticket is not considered closed but has simply been marked closed to help clear our desk. You can still reply to this ticket at any time. When you do, the ticket will be reopened by the system and brought to our attention. 

Thank you. 
Light-O-Rama help desk system

[Donl1150]

After a week off for vacation, I jumped back into it to try to figure out the problem.  After I connected (and switched) the two Pixie 8's to the two new identical singing bulbs, I finally figured it out!  The pixels that were turning on as light blue as soon as I connected to a dongle, were all 5v pixels.  My intent was to build a 12v system and that's what the original bulb was and why it worked properly.

So I checked my past orders on Amazon and sure enough, I ordered the wrong ones!!  Lesson learned...check and double check.  Now have to get some new 12v ones to replace the 5v.  Will save them and maybe find a use for them somewhere.

 

[dibblejr]

4 hours ago, Donl1150 said:

After a week off for vacation, I jumped back into it to try to figure out the problem.  After I connected (and switched) the two Pixie 8's to the two new identical singing bulbs, I finally figured it out!  The pixels that were turning on as light blue as soon as I connected to a dongle, were all 5v pixels.  My intent was to build a 12v system and that's what the original bulb was and why it worked properly.

So I checked my past orders on Amazon and sure enough, I ordered the wrong ones!!  Lesson learned...check and double check.  Now have to get some new 12v ones to replace the 5v.  Will save them and maybe find a use for them somewhere.

 

I figured that would be the case. Your experience was exactly what I was getting with the controller I repaired for a member in Washington. He had mismatched pixel and psu voltage.

Glad you got it.

JR