indyld

Some better info about the symptoms (not guesses about the problem), the diagnostic steps taken and the outcomes different parts of the system disconnected, plus good quality images of both sides of the boards (LED and controller), and perhaps we can be of more help. At the moment, there is nothing do work with. Also forget the non-original boards at the moment, it is a distraction. In one of the images with the MCU on it, there is an SOIC-8 that looks unhappy but it is hard to tell due to the quality.

@sunray picked a random SMPS out of the bin, plenty of blue smarties that are caps.

When doing IR tests on a device by hand I.e when not using a 'machine that goes beep' but with a MFT, I always connect L+N together. It's also a good test to apply to moving lights when they return and one suspects they may be wet inside. It saves the massive bang and the expensive power supply replacement when it turns out there is water somewhere. Dunno what a 'pat machine' does, but would make sense to do the same. I've not seen a MOV to Earth either.

Beam 230 in the ChamSys fixture finder online can help find a load of options, not all 16 channel modes but looking at a random 20 channel mode the extra channels seem unimportant as long as you are testing the unit(s) without the possibility of channel overlap. Plus this is only what ChamSys believe to be the channel map, not definitely what match your fixtures and mode. https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/fixturefinder/ Check for any Control channels doing something odd, along with the most obvious Dimmer and Strobe channels.

Assume that you have hit Locate in MQ. I would check the channels in the patch and their default and locate values to see if they match up with the DMX map in the manual. If they do, this could still be wrong so instead patch up as many dimmer channels as you think you need in MQ and run using the faders in the intensity window until you have worked out which channel/level does what. Also set the fixture to factory defaults in case there is some weird setting. Then re check you are in the mode that you expect.

Although the tester seems to be focussed on the IR test ( not earth leakage as being discussed in various posts here) surely if a different plug was needed to squeak through the latter then just do so and make a jumper? Hire companies have plenty of 13A > 63A 1ph for similar purposes. Then the items are tested individually.

This may be overestimating the number of these Act 6s still in existence that also find themselves under scrutiny from an ISITEE... Isn't the test minimum 1Meg whichever test voltage is used? (for ISITEE, not 7671 installation).

Look up default cue stacks in the manual.

Factory reset to defaults is a common diagnostic first step on any fixture that isn't behaving as expected. The user manual is your friend.

Indeed, I was just trying to prove the pump. In my case, the issue turned out to be a control thing but I can't remember the details other than something was making the MCU block the firing of the pump. I wonder if, in your case, something similar is the case and your 'polarity fix' and the circuit arrangement is allowing a drive voltage across the pump regardless of the actual control system.

Not a Chauvet product, but I was scolded by another manufacturer for testing a pump the old skool way. "Applying 230 volts directly to the pump does nothing for the diagnosis. Please assemble the device completely and then check whether the pump is controlled by PWM voltage via the circuit board ." The pump worked when tested in a similar manner.

Cheers. I've gone for the 'buy something that seems similar and see what it does' option (although I think I count 28 detents and can only find 24s). To gain more information, I figured I can either put the encoder back in circuit if possible for testing, or connect it to a small test rig with a few components, and use 2 channels of the 'scope to see what's what in terms of leading pulse etc. Am pretty sure they are the mechanical type though as they don't seem complex enough to have hidden magic inside and a continuity test between A / B and GND/Com/Whatever reads as on/off/on/off.... At least the mechanical are the less complex to match up.

I've looked at different types and their applications and it seems likely that this may just be a mechanical one with what are effectively a bunch of rotating contacts, so when am next testing I will first check this. Would make sense as this is a consumer product and the encoder just needs to tell a controller to turn the volume up or down with relatively few rotations over its lifetime.

I'm looking to work out the spec of a volume/switch encoder of type the Bourne/ALPS make with 3+2 pins (2 pins being on/off). It's actually for a car radio but I figure those that work with digitial mixers may have experience of the spec of encoders in these kinds of applications. Or at least some ideas on how I might try to reverse engineer the situation. There aren't any markings on the faulty one and the exact look of the shaft etc. isn't something I can find searching online plus obviously what it looks like isn't the key thing. The exact form factor is not the issue, the problem is working out what might replace it. Is there a common range of specs used for this kind of thing to start seeking an alternative? I have a o'scope etc. and imagine that the number of clicks plus however the pulses are arranged are the main differentiators. I may be able to power the circuit for testing, maybe not. Cheers.

Lots already mentioned but my main tips for these being lock to an opposing connector, remove the gland completely, remember that the thread is reverse. And when nothing else works, get the gas grips out.