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    Rsey87
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Dimmers @ Full on 1% - 48X2.4k Sensor Touring Rack

Hey all,

 

I'm having trouble with with dimmers 25>40 on my 48x2.4k Sensor Touring Rack with classic CEM.    The dimmers are giving 100% output at 1%.

I have done the following troubleshooting:

-Confirmed that all dimmers in the rack are D20 dimmer cards.

-The CEM is set for SP24.

-Confirmed linear dimming curve and that all other attributes are normal at rack, no change.

-Confirmed linear dimming curve at console (Hog 4 Full Boar, patched as standard desk channels), no change.

-Swapped CEMs, no change.

-Swapped Dimmer Modules, no change

-Called up channels manually from rack, same result - 100% output while asking for 1%.

I have re-patched the channels that were on dimmers 25>40 to the remaining dimmers on the same rack using the same socapex circuits and everything functions properly.  With the exception of 25>40.

All of this leads me to believe that its an issue with the internals of the rack, maybe some control board.  I've read in other forums that there could be an issue with phasing being mismatched.  Dimmers 25>40 are on the L1 and L2.  However, I am hesitant to believe this is my issue.  If it was a phasing issue, shouldn't I see the same  issue with the rest of the dimmers on those legs?

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks.

Parents

  • Have you check if that dimmer range is set to 'non-dim' or 'switched'? Those would both give you full at 1%

  • in reply to mmeskill

    I had checked that as well.  Upon re-inspection, all dimmers are currently set to normal.

  • in reply to Rsey87

    When you set rack type, what options do you get? Do you get SP24, SP36, SP48 and SP96? If you have and option that is SP96 then you need to set the rack to be SP48. 

    This changed in the CEM software at some point but I do not remember which version did what. 2.14 or 3.1

  • in reply to mmeskill

    The Model NO of the rack is SP4820 so the setting I would need is SP24.  In one rack, I have 24 total D20 Dimmer Modules each with 2 individual dimmers.  I've cross-referenced this with the two other 48ch racks that I have on the show and they both read out as SP24.  Both of the other racks are also functioning perfect.

    I'm not sure what software version the CEM is.  When I have a chance I will check.

    Thanks.

  • in reply to Rsey87

     

    It would be nice to know the software version but it seems you have the rack set correctly.

    • 1. Did the rack work correctly when you first started using it or is it just today that this problem started?
    • 2. Are dimmers 1-24 and 41 to 48 working correctly?
    • 3. Are you in Europe and/or are you running this rack at 240V? (Americans do not usually talk about L1 and L2)
    • 4. Does the rack have a 120/240 switch on the back?
    • 5. Did you rent this rack?

    Sorry to jump around on you but having an issue with dimmers 25 to 40 is very odd as none of the internals match to that range. There is one very old issue (Mr. North remembers these things) with an old touring rack sold to Production Arts and sent to Europe that had an issue kind of like this and we do not know if it ever got fixed. I'd find it hard to believe that that rack would have been around this long with that problem but stranger things have happened.

  • in reply to mmeskill

    I've encountered a similar issue with my SP24, when I had a different CEM in there set to SR24 not SP24, it would kick different dimmers to full at 1%...  A quick generate defaults fixed that for me.

Reply Children
  • in reply to Glenn.Gould

    That's what I thought it could have been.  I swapped the CEM three different times just to triple confirm.  So I'm pretty sure the issue is not in the CEM.

  • in reply to Rsey87

    Ok, this is all good information.  Sorry I haven't responded sooner....been on an airplane.

    Power down and disconnect the rack and pull out the dimmer modules.  Verify on the feed wiring on the left side of module slots that L1 goes to the phase bar for 1-8 and 25-32, L2 goes to 9-16 and 33-40, and L3 goes to 17-24 and 41-48.  If the feed wires are swapped for 25-32 and 33-40, then this would be the problem.

    Let me know,

    David

  • in reply to dnorth

    Thanks David.  I spoke with someone at my shop a few minutes before you responded.  Apparently another tech was unsatisfied with how the socapex out was oriented on the rack and decided to tear the rack apart and rotate them.  So, it sounds like that's the root of the issue.  I'll confirm later on tonight once we can power down. 

    Thanks again everyone.  I appreciate the quick responses.

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