Net 3 Gateway - Voltage over DMX Concerns

Hi there, 

If the Gsteway is powered by PoE, is there an extra grounding cable connected to the grounding point on the Gateway and going to a grounding connection point in the buildimg? 

Are the trusses where the CS Relays hanging correctly grounded with a separate grounding cable? 

How are the CS Relays powered? Via direct power/constant current/relay, or via a Dimmer module in Switched Mode? 

If via a dimmer module, what make/model? 

What happens to the CS Relays after they stop working? Do they start working later again? Have they been sent in for repair? 

What Firmware are they running? 

Is RDM deactivated on all those ports to test? 

Does the DMX run out of the Net3 Gateway pass thru other devices like splitters?

Hey Corey,

We do not have the trusses grounded to a separate grounding cable nor for the gateway powering over POE. It goes from the gateway to the color source relay, to the first light in the chain (which is a SIXPAR 100). Power for the relay is going from direct power source (wall outlet) to the relay, from the relay to the sixpar100 and up the chain.

We’ve now powered the gateway off of the external power supply, and ran direct lines to the 2 color source relays we had left still operating (which as I wrote this, one of them died) and the flicker remains.

there are no dimmers in line with the relays (there are 2 in the DMX chain of 2 of the 4 trusses though.

As the CS relays stop working they start to click on and off. If you unplug the DMX IN it shuts off completely. Plug it back in and it starts the on and off clicking again. Once you pull power from it completely it will not turn back on or even click anymore. The blue light flickers for a second then shuts off again. I just sent 5 of the 9 dead ones in as they are the only ones in warranty. They will be to you guys in a few days.

RDM is on for every port and no Splitters.

I think I hit everything. I work directly with the author of the post :).

Hi Brad,

Okay - there could be multiple issues here. Its best to always realize during trouble shooting that if you have remove one factor and problem continues, that does not mean that that factor is also not causing an (intermittent) issue.

If connecting DMX, causes the relay to click on and off, this could point to currently two issues:
1.) the Relay has a hardware issue, and can't stay powered on and is turning off / on.
2.) DMX Signal is faulty -> if Relay is configured to turn on when DMX is active, then
if the DMX Signal is faulty. then for a split second the DMX Signal could be seen as not being there, and the Relay turns off, and then a second later, its there and the relay turns on, and this repeats, over and over again.
Or if the signal is faulty, its sending values for a split second to turn on/off.
3.) Have you taken an osciloscope and measured and monitored the DMX Signal, if its 100%
correct over a minute continuously? A normal DMX Tester cannot judge the quality of the DMX Signal. You just need a second of a poor DMX signal to trigger the relay off/on.
Poor DMX Quality could be a result of the cable (are you using 120 Ohm cable or is this a microphone cable?); are the solder connections in XLR clean?

Hey Corey,

I haven’t tried that yet. However, as I kept working last night, I turned RDM off and that stopped the flickering of all the lights. Could that be the case with the relays too? When I meant they turn on and off and are clicking I meant the relays power in general is cycling, not just the relay turning on and off but the relays power in general on and off.

RDM can cause such an effect with non-correct-DMX devices, but the CS Relays are RDM-able. Are you sure that between the Gateway and the CS Relay there isn't another device where the DMX passes through like a moving light, dimmer pack, dmx-splitter, etc - if this has issues with RDM - it could pass thru the problems to the CS Relay.

If a light flickers when RDM is active on its DMX, then the device isn't properly reacting to DMX and isn't DMX512 conform. But since you won't be able to get the manufacturer to change its software, the solution is to disable RDM on that DMX Line in the Gateway or ConsoleOutput.

If the power of the CS Relay is completely cycling, then I assume the CS Relay is having an issue.
But I assume you tested the CS Relay also with RDM disabled, and it continued cycling its power when dmx was connected?

There for sure is nothing between the relay and the first fixture. Could it be passing back thru and causing the issue? The SIXPAR100 is one of those lights and is the first light after the relay.

at this point I haven’t tried a new relay yet. I did try the one that died and it didn’t come back.

Its theoritically possible that the bad light can cause reflexions in the dmx line and confuse other devices, but I doubt it.
But I mean between the DMX Gateway (that was PoE before) to the CS Relay. How does DMX go out of the DMX Gateway and get to the CS Relay? Is it a direct cable that you can follow? Or does it go through something else like Dimmer Rack, Moving Light, smoke machine, DMX Splitter?

It goes through a 5pin DMX from gateway to Relay. There are no fixtures or other pieces in line between gateway & Relay.

Ok - then its best to leave the RDM for this dmx line off anyway, if its causing flickering on the Non-DMX-Conform lights. Then you will have to wait until your CS Relays come back out of the Repair and see what the description there is.

I would still recommend that if using PoE, that you ground the Gateway, and the Trusses should also be grounded in general.