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Intelligent RGB pixels - partial strands not working


Zano

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This is my first year trying to run with smart RGB's.  I have 2x E1.31 RGB16 controllers.  One of them runs RGB ribbons and I have no problems with those.  My 2nd controller runs WowLights Intelligent RGB Pixels 50ct strands, with 1 strand per output.  My shows run fine and do what they are supposed to, but I am slowly losing partial pixel strands.  The first night, all seemed to be working.  The 2nd night, I noticed that the second half of one of the strands was completely out, not working.  The next night, about a quarter of a different strand had stopped working.  Now tonight, a 3rd strand has about 5 or 6 pixels that are not working.

Could I be doing something wrong to cause these to stop working?  Could I be overloading them somehow?  Is there a way to 'reset' them or are they gone for good?  Again, I am new to this so I am sure I am missing something.  

Thanks in advance for any help!

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I don't think you are alone. Pixel quality has declined drastically in the last 2 to 3 years. I have strings in use from 2012 with no more than a few failures. Last year I had multiple square pixel strings from 2020 fail due to water intrusion. I also have multiple bullet failures on my Peace stake strings, again due to water intrusion but I think that in this case the extra wiring is contributing to the poor sealing.

I am now at the stage where I am testing strings in a bucket of water to weed out the failures.

Note. None of my pixels are from LOR.

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LOR strands or 3rd party.

Are you sure you are using the correct voltage. 5V strands may survive a short burst on 12V (still, not a thing you should do)

Have you measured the output of you power supplies? They might not be what they are supposed to be.  Low probably won't do lasting damage.

Also check all port connections. screws get loose, insulation is NOT supposed to be under the screw.

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This the first time I am using the strands so I would hope they last more than a day out of the box if I wasn't doing something wrong.  Although we did get a pretty big rainstorm after the first day, and then another storm before my 3rd strand started acting up, so maybe water intrusion is what is going on.  If that were the case, I need an alternative because i can't afford to replace strands of lights every rain storm.

Everything I have is from LOR.  Both the controller and the strands are spec'd at 12V, so I don't think that would be the problem, but I haven't actually checked the output voltage to confirm it.  I will also double check my connections. 

It just seems odd that only partial strands are not working.  It is always the end of the strand as well, whether is starts half way or only a few bullets from the end.  I'm guessing there isn't a way to replace 'bulbs' like the old fashioned lights to salvage the strand?  Again, first time using RGB's, so sorry for the newbie question.

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Go to the controller (Pixie), Do a short Press the white button.

That runs a RGB sequential test .

BTW Strands? As in lights on wires and not ribbons.

Ribbons are fragile and hate to be repeatedly flexed.

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I don't see a white button on my controller.  I have a WoWLights Intelligent E1.31 RGB 16 (has a LOR PixCon16 MkII board), is that different than the Pixie controller?

Yes, the lights I am having problems with are lights on wires.  I have a 2nd controller that controls my ribbons and they work fine (so far).  All purchased from WoW Lights and supposedly made to work together.  See the pic below of my problematic light strands.

image.png.fcb50f468d84d388235059ed7d798f84.png

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A Pixie is Not the same as the more featured  👍 Pixcon.

OK , your button is not White (from the manual)

Quote

Hardware Test Pattern
The controller features a built-in test pattern to assist in troubleshooting
during an installation. To put the controller into this mode, press and hold
the ‘Factory IP’ button for 3 seconds after the controller is already powered
up and running, then release. The controller will then enter the test pattern
mode and will display red, green, blue and white sequentially in a repeating
pattern on all pixels on each of the 16 outputs. Pressing the button while in
this mode will then cycle through each of the four colors successively (on
all outputs simultaneously) before returning to the current pattern again.
To exit the test mode press and hold the ‘Factory IP’ button down again for
3 seconds and then release.

 

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Thanks for digging that up!  I tried it and it worked as it should, except for the problematic pixels.  They did not light up for any of the colors in the sequence.  I am really starting to lean toward the water intrusion theory brought up by PhilMassey because the timing of the failures lines up with recent rain storms.  I have the strands around windows and am thinking maybe I need to build small waterproof frames to prevent this from happening.  

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Well, new development and no water involved.  This morning (no rain for a few days), I noticed that another strand was still partially on.  It looked like it never turned off when the show ended, although every other thing in the show was off.  This was about 2/3rds of the strand this time.  So I gracefully disabled the show/schedule, but that 2/3rd strand remained on.  I tried running a different sequence and everything else worked fine, but those pixels seemed to be randomly firing different colors.  When I ended the sequence, they still remained on.  I tried the built in test pattern, and everything else worked correctly, but those strands went all white and that is what they stayed except for the very last 2 pixels were different colors.  When I ended the test pattern, just that partial strand remained on.  The only way I could get them to turn off was to unplug them.  I ran out of time and had to go to work this morning to do anything else, but I am starting to think I have an issue with my controller or maybe my prop settings?

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