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    usesafesets
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Dimmer issue

Ok so one of my IONs is in a space that has a 13K dimmer for the house lights. The dimmer feeds a sub-pannel with a 15A breaker for each of the house light pig tails. Oh yeah it is class all the way.

So the ION in this theatre replaced an Expression 3. Since the change this house light dimmer has begun to "hang". I have the house light dimmer at FL and recorded to a submaster. The sub is mapped to fader one on my wing. When the fader is taken to 0 the lights hang at about 50%. Gerrrr. This hang lasts for about 20 minutes or so. And then they go out.

I have tried moving the sub to a new fader. Same thing.

I have tried not using the fader to recall the sub. Same thing.

I have changed the DMX speed to Fast form Max. Same thing.

There is no curve or perportion assigned to the dimmer/channel in patch.  

I think that it is a dimmer issue since I am not seeing it on any other dimmer in the system. But I wanted to throw it out to people to see if there might be anything on the desk that I have not thought of.
 

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  • As the very smart David Fox taught us at End User Training, look for the simplest solution first.

    Try swapping dimmers to see if the problem migrates with the dimmer, or it stays in the slot.  If it hangs on a different dimmer in that slot, then OK, maybe the console.

    Also maybe re-hook up the old console to see if it works on the ExpIII.

    SB

     

  • in reply to Steve Bailey
    I have tried the lights in different dimmers and they do not do this same behavior. Like I said I am not seeing it anywhere else but in this dimmer. I do not have another dimmer of this size to test if it is the dimmer.
  • in reply to usesafesets

    Got it.

    I saw "pigtails",  but could not imagine house lights connected in a temp setup as you describe, but that's what 'ya got.....

    In any case, next step is to narrow it down to JUST the Ion, by connecting the Expression - or ANY console or DMX tester to determine if the problem re-creates itself on another console.  Or not.

    Just my $.02

    SB

     

     

     

  • in reply to Steve Bailey
    Yeah it does not do it when an Expression 3 is controlling the system. The ION was just added, replacing the Expression 3. We have put the Expression 3 back on the system and the house light dimmer does not have any issues.


    [edited by: usesafesets at 1:13 AM (GMT -6) on Sun, Jul 27 2008]
  • in reply to usesafesets

    Which kind of dimmer do you have for these houselights?

    Can you ask the dimmer what level it thinks it's getting on that channel? (On Sensor+ this would be About>Dimmer)

    What's the data path between ION and dimmer? I'm guessing DMX as you've moved from Expression.

    If DMX, if you stick a DMX-tester inline with the output of the ION, do you see the same fault on the tester?

    One thing that may be causing the issue is that the DMX signal from the ION is too fast for the dimmer you have. Expression 3 can't output DMX at the absolute blazing maximum that's theoretically possible, while ION can do so.

    In the ION shell, you can try slowing the relevant physical port down to Medium or Slow. This does reduce the DMX update rate, but you'll never see the difference when driving dimmers.

  • in reply to Richard

    They are Dimension 192 Dimmers. The one in question, like I said above, is a 12K dimmer that feeds a sub-panel that has 15A breakers in it for each of the House light pigtails in the theatre.

     

    I changed the DMX speed form Max to Fast. I have tried it on all of the speeds that the ION will out put, with no effect.

    I have not yet put a scope on the DMX. I will try that on Monday.  

  • in reply to usesafesets

    When you tried the other speeds, did you reboot the console after setting each speed? 

    At the moment, to adjust the driver settings a reboot is required for a speed change.  If you haven't, I'd set the speed down to low and give that a try. 



    [edited by: Tracy.Fitch at 12:18 (GMT -6) on Sun, Jul 27 2008]
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