LEDs not turning off completely

[Max-Paul]

I have seen other post like this. And so I made a 33K 1/2 watt resistor in a plug to install in the same circuit as the offending string of LEDs. Well it did not work at first so it seems. Being a trouble shooter I then moved it down to the end of the first of 3 strings and found that the first string went almost completely out. But the 2nd and 3rd string were still a bright dim. Moved to the junction of the 2nd and 3rd string and the first two strings are not almost 100% out. So, I moved the 33K snubber to the end of the 3rd string. Now all 3 strings are almost out. a few hangger ons are still just barely lit.

I also have a long string of about 5 70ct multi LEDs. power is fed between the 1st and 2nd string. By putting the 33K snumber on the end of the one string. That string goes dark. But the 4 strings on the other side of the feed point are still lit (green LEDs only). Moving the snubber to the end of the 4 strings, those four strings go dead. But the first string on the other side of the feed are still lit. So, it appears that I will need two snubbers to do the job for this one channel.

I also noted that my arches that are built using 8 strings of 70ct PW LEDs have one channel each that is still just barely lit. Not enough to worry about. No one on the street will see this.

In a nutshell, green LEDs seem to be more sensitive to the leakage from Triacs. Should have seen how bright my green strings were when commanded to be off, till I installed my 33K snubber. The snubber needs in my case to be installed at the end of the string in order for it to work. Installing at the begining of the string had no or very little effect.

BTW does anyone know what is the wattage of a single C7.5? Thanks. One C7.5 bulb at the beginning of my 3 70 ct green strings did the trick also. Though I loathe the idea of using a filiment type bulb. Filiment bulb could burn out and then back to LEDs that just will not turn off fully.

[Richard Hamilton]

Hmmm,

Something is not making sense to me about the results you achieved in moving the snubber to various parts in the strings. It should not make any difference. In fact, I always plug in the snubber right at the same point as where the first string plugs into the controller.

Just on a wild hunch, you do have the the snubber in parallel (across the AC line), and not in series with the light strings?

[rstately]

I had some GE LED's last year from lowes, they flickered on dimming. after trying the C7 and reversing the plug I gave up.

I remember reading this,

http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=19425&forum_id=79&jump_to=181474#p181474

hope someone can figure out why this happens?

Ron

[Max-Paul]

Richard Hamilton wrote:

Hmmm,

Something is not making sense to me about the results you achieved in moving the snubber to various parts in the strings. It should not make any difference. In fact, I always plug in the snubber right at the same point as where the first string plugs into the controller.

Just on a wild hunch, you do have the the snubber in parallel (across the AC line), and not in series with the light strings?

Hi Richard,

First just to be sure we are talking about the same thing. I took one of the plugs I cut off of one of my strings. Pryed it open and was able to fit into it a 33K 1/2W resistor. I soldered it to the two prongs, and sealed it back up. Now on my 3 strings of green 70ct Full Wave LEDs. These are what I received from Travis in the past month. So, they have stacking male/female plugs on the one end and just a female at the other end. These 3 strings are all in series to each other. So, I was able to move the snubber from the begining of each string and also to the end of the 3 string. Putting it on the junction of the lead wire from the controller to the first string, nothing different. Now moving to the junction of 1st string to 2nd string, the first string turned off but the 2nd an 3rd string did not turn off and were still dim. Moving to the junction of the 2nd string to the 3rd string the first two are now off, but the 3rd string remains dim. It was not till I moved the snubber to the end of the 3rd and last string that all 3 strings finially went off. Also another queer note. When I put one C7.5 (thats how it is labeled) bulb at the begining of the first string, they all would go out. My interpatation of this is that the C7.5 bulb puts on more of a load than the 33k resistor does.

Also to add to boggle your mind. I have 5 strings of 70ct multi color LEDs. Again the green mainly but a few red will remain dim. Even though the command to that output is off. I am feeding this 5 strings from the middle of the first and 2nd strings. So, one string goes left and 4 are going right from the feed point. I have only one snubber made at this time. Again nothing happens if I put the snubber at the feed point. But if I go to either end. That portion will go dark, while the other portion of the string(s) will remain dim. Swap ends and that portion will go dark, but not the other portion. Seems that the snubber is only working for me if I go to the end of the string. And only that point between snubber and the feed line back to the controller.

I agree, in all of my years trouble shooting. This is a new one on me. And frankly it does not make sense at this time. Weird and so I thought I would share in case anyone else sees the same thing happen and know what someone else had to do to get it to work..

Just to be clear. I am plugging the snubber into the stacked plugs at the juctions for the green LEDs. And I am plugging into the end female for the Multi color strings.

Your thought?

[Max-Paul]

Sorry for back to back postings. Something came up and I wanted to add to last.

It started to rain last night. I noticed that even with the snubber that took care of the green LED strings. Is not working any more. Also now my red LEDs are starting to glow some. I need to look into something. I am using a non-polarized plug. I wonder if I have the hot going to the neutral common buss and neutral going to the Triacs. Thus there is always hot going to the LEDs and through capacitive coupling. Enough current is flowing to light the LEDs. Will have to check this out. Will report what I find later. Need to wait till it is not raining. I dont like to grab a wet plug.

[Max-Paul]

Thanks guys for the help. Gee and I'm an electrician/electronics guy. I should have figured this out. But it was when it started to rain and the lights were getting brighter that things started to click in place for me. I just went out and turned the plug 180 and loe and behold. All of my LEDs are off now, no more dimmed LEDs. This has got to help with the poor fading I was getting.

Thanks for being my sounding board....

[Steven]

I wired the power lead on all my controllers with polarized plugs. Now I'm glad I did.

[Max-Paul]

Bet you can guess what I will be doing once the rain stops. At least I followed the rule with the ribbed side being the hot side through out the rest of the controllers.
Suppose I should explain that I am daisy chaining all four controllers. And all lights are LED. I might need to use a 60W for my 30" blow mold Santa. But that is the only reg light bulb.

[-klb-]

I'm glad you found it! That is one that I would not have remotely figured out, as I always use the LOR inlet cords with grounds, so I don't even think about the chance of getting hot and neutral reversed.

ETA: Let us know if your LEDs behave correctly without the 33K resistors now...

[Max-Paul]

Will do klb, as soon as the weather gives me a break. We are expected to get rain till Thurs. or Fri. What I have been doing is setting up the laptop on the porch and running the seq. But the rain can come up on the porch and I rather not fry the Laptop.

Well got a few little sprial trees (14) to put out. Four strobes in the yard, A large Santa, a small santa and a small angel to still put out in the yard. Then it is tweaking time. Hope to have display up and running for the night after Thanksgiving.

Good luck everyone and hope if you do have a problem, it will be even easier than this one.

Max