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    Xander
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CEM+ showing error when there's no error

I have an interesting issue that is confusing me.  I am in a newly built space with an ETC lighting package.  The issue is that there are LED aisle lights installed on the seats at the end of each row.  These LEDs do not dim.  But they are wired to the space's Sensor rack with D20AF modules.  The dimmers are set to "dimmable" control mode.

In my first programming in the space I put the aisle lights at 50%, not knowing that they didn't dim at all.  After one rehearsal period I noticed that the dimmer was showing an error, "AF Breaker Tripped" or something.  Curious, I looked at the lights, and they were on, so I went to the dimmer room and the beacon was blinking.  The CEM+ showed the same error.  I looked that the dimmer module and the breaker was clearly not tripped.

After taking the lights out or to full, the error goes away.  Clearly it has something to do with the LEDs and them not being dimmable, but me setting them at something other than full.  But what?  And why?  And why a breaker tripped error when the breaker is not tripped?

I've set the channel to full through the show and changed their firing mode to Switched, just for the sake of it, but I' confused.  Further adding to it, there is another dimmer patched to the same channel and controls what I am pretty sure are the same type of LEDs, but that dimmer never shows any errors.

 

Thoughts?

-Tim

 

CEM+ software version 3.1.2.9.0.38

  • Tim,

    My guess is that the dimmer showing the error doesn't have enough of a load to meet the CEM's load detection threshold.  If the CEM sees the dimmer is at a level but the AF module isn't reporting a load, it assumes that the breaker tripped.  Maybe setting the LED's to 50% took it just below that detection threshold.

    I would also check the scale voltage settings for that dimmer - sometimes D20 modules are used for non-dimming loads if the rack voltage is too high and needs to be regulated to a lower level.  Setting the dimmer to Switched mode (with no regulation) may be defeating the reason for using a D20 module for that circuit.

    -Todd

     

  • in reply to tdrga

    We have a similar problem with certain dimmers always showing tripped. Bizarly if you look at the AF feedback you can see the current drawn!

    I would assume that the CEM would look at current drawn as well to decect if the breaker has tripped.

    We've also had missing resistors on relay boards that have caused false trip reports, (Resistors R7 and R8 - 4.8kΩ. These are current limiting inputs to the trigger module on the relay)

    To isolate where the problem is in our setup, our next step is to swap round AF cards.....



    [edited by: marcusbirkin at 12:02 PM (GMT -6) on Sat, Aug 4 2012]
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