Pixels Freezing, Hours into the Show

[TheDucks]

29 minutes ago, scodavis said:

@k6ccc @TheDucks Spoke too soon.  Ring 3 froze again tonight - and this time it was the full ring.  I immediately went outside and pressed the test pattern button.  The test pattern worked - except for Ring 3, which stayed frozen.  I tried disconnecting and reconnecting the cable, and now the ring is dark.  Even after rebooting the controller, Ring 3 is dark.

I think at this point I've narrowed it down to either being a bad 25' extension cable or a bad string of pixels.  I'm really disappointed, too - first, LOR pixels are quite expensive and second, if I have to replace them it requires a lot of work to get the wreath down.  If it were the last couple days of the show, I wouldn't even worry about it, but it's only day 4 - my show goes through New Year's Eve.

Sigh...

25' is at the upper limit for data . Put a 'F-amp' about mid point (15'-Famp-10', 2 cables)

[Orville]

8 hours ago, scodavis said:

@k6ccc @TheDucks Spoke too soon.  Ring 3 froze again tonight - and this time it was the full ring.  I immediately went outside and pressed the test pattern button.  The test pattern worked - except for Ring 3, which stayed frozen.  I tried disconnecting and reconnecting the cable, and now the ring is dark.  Even after rebooting the controller, Ring 3 is dark.

I think at this point I've narrowed it down to either being a bad 25' extension cable or a bad string of pixels.  I'm really disappointed, too - first, LOR pixels are quite expensive and second, if I have to replace them it requires a lot of work to get the wreath down.  If it were the last couple days of the show, I wouldn't even worry about it, but it's only day 4 - my show goes through New Year's Eve.

Sigh...

You need to invest in an RGB Light tester, that way you can TEST through the cables to the lights.  I don't know if they sell these with the type connectors LOR uses on their lights though.  I use only H.C. EZ-Plug3/X-Connect connectors. 

All my strings have them, as do the extensions I purchase.  As well as the RGB Tester I purchased.  So, when a light strand acts up I can test it by connecting the tester directly to my pixel light string connector or through each extension cable from the lights to the controller, and the controller isn't even utilized, if all tests good with the tester, then I know I'd need to add a F-Amp like kccc said you may need. 

But I also always have a spare string of pixels I can put on the controller port to test that port, if they work I know the port is good, which, again would mean I need an F-Amp somewhere along the extender cables going to the pixel string.

So, it could be a simple fix, and the RGB Tester sure saves a lot of time tracking an issue like you are having down, and the spare string allows me to make sure the port is actually working.

One thing I found just about a month, maybe 2 months ago now, was one of the wires going to the green connector that plugs into the circuit board had a broken wire and it was intermittent, sometimes my strand on that port would work, sometimes not light at all, other times part of the strand would light, it'd do random things,  so I unplugged that port connector, removed the wires and restripped all of them, re-inserted and screwed down, put connector back in place, thus far no issues. 

So you may also want to check the wires and redo them on that port.  Even if a spare string worked, I'd still redo that ports PCB port connector.

  Every time that port dangle moved on my Pixie16D, I'd sometimes get issues with that port, it liked to drive me crazy tracking down the issue because it worked, then it didn't. 

Once I redid the port connection, haven't had any further issues in over a month now.

Hopefully, it's not something too serious, like a bad pixel string.

Best of luck.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Orville

[scodavis]

@TheDucks Perhaps - but that wouldn't explain why the other four rings work normally and consistently.  It also doesn't explain why two of my five snowflakes, which have a total distance of 40 feet from the controller, are working perfectly.

@Orville The thing is, I've already tested the port issue by moving the string from port 3 to port 16 on the Pixie16 controller.  Unless I have an extremely unlikely case of two loose connectors, that does limit the issue to either the extension cable or the pixel string.

Hence, today I'm going to replace the pixel string on the wreath, and see what happens.

[TheDucks]

9 minutes ago, scodavis said:

@TheDucks Perhaps - but that wouldn't explain why the other four rings work normally and consistently.  It also doesn't explain why two of my five snowflakes, which have a total distance of 40 feet from the controller, are working perfectly.

@Orville The thing is, I've already tested the port issue by moving the string from port 3 to port 16 on the Pixie16 controller.  Unless I have an extremely unlikely case of two loose connectors, that does limit the issue to either the extension cable or the pixel string.

Hence, today I'm going to replace the pixel string on the wreath, and see what happens.

Sure it does. You are operating on the edge of the spec.

That is not a 'hard' limit, thus almost anything can trip it up.  The first node may be a tiny bit less sensitive. Lots of things add up. FWIW it is my policy to set my PSU voltage +1/2 of the tolerance simply to give me a bit more. Since the spec for 12V is 10%, I set the supply to 12.6V which should be safe for the devices under any load.

I spent lots of years working in r&D (as my boss would say 😛) on systems with a 10Y MTBF target.

[Orville]

1 hour ago, scodavis said:

@TheDucks Perhaps - but that wouldn't explain why the other four rings work normally and consistently.  It also doesn't explain why two of my five snowflakes, which have a total distance of 40 feet from the controller, are working perfectly.

@Orville The thing is, I've already tested the port issue by moving the string from port 3 to port 16 on the Pixie16 controller.  Unless I have an extremely unlikely case of two loose connectors, that does limit the issue to either the extension cable or the pixel string.

Hence, today I'm going to replace the pixel string on the wreath, and see what happens.

My thoughts are it is probably the extension cable, I've not had any pixel strings go bad with one exception, I lost several to a lightning strike last year.  I lost 3 controllers and a total of 5 pixel strings due to that.

Other than that, I've had extensions that had some problems, replaced them, everything worked fine.

I have 3 RGB H.C. Snowflakes pn 9ne port (150 RGB) Channels, my exension run to them is 105 feet, they work perfectly and haven't had any issues with them, I have at least one run of extensions thst runs about 215-220 feet to 2 strands if 50 pixels each(100 lights) and never any issues with that either.

Just about every port on my Pixie16D has extensions to lights/lighted props and all worked 100%, had no issues at all with all the extensions I have in use, not even with my "way over the limit" runs!  Maybe I'm just lucky, I don't know. 

There are a total of 14 strands of C9 RGB strings (50 pixels each string) on 7 ports (2 50ct strings per port), 8 H.C. 10W RGB floodlamps (4 each on 2 ports, and on different power supplies), 2 LOR V1 Singing Christmas Trees and 3 open ports for spares in case I have to move something in case of a port issue.

And I just added 2 Pixie4D controllers for this years display, which unfortunately I'm still working on.  Ugh.  We've been having a lot of rain this November, so I still haven't got a show up and running yet.  I'm way behind this year due to the weather issues.  Usually have my show up and running by the 2nd week of November with the full show starting Thanksgiving night.

And it's raining yet again today.☹️

No garage and no covered area I can work in to finish up quite a few unfinished props that were to be in the show this year, and can't even get the ones yhat are ready out becayse of tge weather conditions.

I'm almost to the point of going partially dark for this year, just run some simple animations for the small amount of lights I do have up on my 66' wrap-around handicap ramp.  No lights on roofline, no more ladders for me duwle to my disabilities, and being so visualky impaired, takes me twice to three times longer to get things done and up.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Orville

[scodavis]

@Orville @TheDucks @k6ccc Just came in from outside, where I had a bit of a Eureka moment.  I had the test pattern running again, and of course Ring 3 was working.  I went behind the wreath and wiggled the wires going into Pixel 1 of the string, and nothing.  Then I wiggled the connection between the pixels and the extension, and it went wacky.  I pulled the connectors apart and re-connected them, this time giving the nut a good tightening.  More wiggling, and the test pattern continued working perfectly.  My guess is that the connection was just barely loose enough that the colder temperatures caused enough compression to make the connection bad.

I'll update after a few more days of the show running, but I did want to personally thank you for the information, debate, and assistance.

[k6ccc]

Cool.  Hope that works.

 

[Orville]

Glad to hear it was a connector issue, I had a strong feeling it was the connector connection on that string somewhere or the extender cable had an issue.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you that it continues to work smoothly from now on.

[RichardHolden]

@scodavis I’m having the exact same issue currently, show has been running fine for a few weeks and now this on two separate props. Can you tell me if the connectors were your issue? Appreciate it.

-Richard

[scodavis]

2 hours ago, RichardHolden said:

@scodavis I’m having the exact same issue currently, show has been running fine for a few weeks and now this on two separate props. Can you tell me if the connectors were your issue? Appreciate it.

-Richard

Hi Richard!

Initially, the only problem I had was with the third ring on my pixel wreath.  The fix was to re-seat the pixel extension cord going to the pixel string, and really tighten it down.  That ring has not caused any further issues.
Ring 2 is now acting wacky - same symptoms.  I plan to go out there tonight and tighten it down as well.

My guess is that the cold weather causes just enough changes in the plastic and metal connectors that it causes the connection to go wonky.

Hope this helps.

[RichardHolden]

@scodavis Thanks so much for the quick response! I have an identical problem, I have a prop and 46 out of 50 pixels stopped working, I changed the pixels out and all good, but now another section of that prop (different string of lights) is out. Again, it’s 44 of 50 pixels. I reseated the connection last night and it seems to be working again but I now have a second prop where 38 of 50 pixels are out.  I’ll try the connections on that one this evening. Hoping that’s the issue and it’s not pixels. As you mentioned above, LOR pixels are not cheap and it’s a pain to change them!  Also hoping it’s not a controller issue but seems too random for that.
Good luck with yours! Very much appreciate you getting back to me.

-Richard

Edited December 19, 2023 by RichardHolden
Missed tag

[ebrown1972]

4 hours ago, RichardHolden said:

@scodavis Thanks so much for the quick response! I have an identical problem, I have a prop and 46 out of 50 pixels stopped working, I changed the pixels out and all good, but now another section of that prop (different string of lights) is out. Again, it’s 44 of 50 pixels. I reseated the connection last night and it seems to be working again but I now have a second prop where 38 of 50 pixels are out.  I’ll try the connections on that one this evening. Hoping that’s the issue and it’s not pixels. As you mentioned above, LOR pixels are not cheap and it’s a pain to change them!  Also hoping it’s not a controller issue but seems too random for that.
Good luck with yours! Very much appreciate you getting back to me.

-Richard

Use dielectric grease at all your connections. I used to just tighten down my connections and always seem to run into problems during the show. I started using dielectric grease and I rarely ever have any issues anymore. With that said, I would check all your connections at the controller. Usually when I have pixels that want to stay on, I will find a connection at the controller that has come loose. Good luck with everything.

[Orville]

12 minutes ago, ebrown1972 said:

Use dielectric grease at all your connections. I used to just tighten down my connections and always seem to run into problems during the show. I started using dielectric grease and I rarely ever have any issues anymore. With that said, I would check all your connections at the controller. Usually when I have pixels that want to stay on, I will find a connection at the controller that has come loose. Good luck with everything.

I'll second the dielectric grease to keep many issues that can come up with connection points in extender cables, or controller output dangles.  Stuff works fantastic!

[RichardHolden]

That’s an awesome suggestion guys, very much appreciate it. I’ll give it a try. Cheers!

Richard