Oversensitive mac 2000s

[goochr96]

Hi Ike, just a quick thought, have you tried just getting something to filter the mains to the MAcs? Could just be a slight voltage spike getting back on to the mains causing them to do a partial reset. I am only on about the cheap filters you could get from PC World or some where like that, nohing too flash. May be just get a few to attach to your problematic macs, and see if this sorts it.

[SparkySteve]

Is it me, or is this just a tiny bit crazy? Two Martin products which annoy each other? Sounds like they should have produced some kind of psu mod kit and shipped them around the dealers. It isn't a budget piece of kit that has a power problem, it's a major piece of kit. Strobes and movers together isn't exactly rare.

 

 

It's not just Martin either... in a non theatrical example, have you ever used Belkin products?? :P

[Andrew C]

Hi Ike, just a quick thought, have you tried just getting something to filter the mains to the MAcs? Could just be a slight voltage spike getting back on to the mains causing them to do a partial reset.

Seems from what has been written before that it is a voltage sag, and not a spike causing the problem. I doubt any cheap filter is going to help. A UPS would, but that is hardly sensible!

[goochr96]

Well, could be worth a try, as if the strobes are firing, then u run the next que, and the capacitors have just charged with no way of discharging then you have a load of stored energy, what should happen is that there should be a blead resistor accross the capacitors to discharge them slowly, now I suppose if one of theses was breaking down and not fuctioning correctly it could be leaking back on to the mains. Only a thought, thats why I say just try some cheap filters, might work might not. Only other suggestion I can come up with at the mo, if your running 3 phase distro to power your rig, then try and seperate the strobes off the phase with the macs on?

[niclights]

With Atomics performing very high flash rate/0 duration or long duration/low flash rate even at 50% (running full mode) I was always able to hear an audible change in tone from my DF-50 compressor suggesting a definite voltage drop (at least until it self-destructed last week! ;) ), but I have never known any electronics to fail/reset because of it. Somehow it comes as no surprise it was Martin eqpt that would be so vunerable. How ironic. :P

 

I wonder whether the supply voltage was already a little on the low side giving less margin for error?

[johnhuson]

Not a cure to your problem, but we've had problems in the past with Atomics causing all maner of wierdness on the mains, they produce some strange harmonics and all sorts.

[fraggle]

Not a cure to your problem, but we've had problems in the past with Atomics causing all maner of wierdness on the mains, they produce some strange harmonics and all sorts.

 

 

Actually its more likely that the MAC's will produce much weirder harmonics than the Atomics, but getting back to the problem, as I understand the original post, the mains supply is browning out which implies that the supply can't handle (adequately ) the load being applied to it.

 

In which case the only solution would be to find alternative sources of mains power or distribute the fixture to different supplies or phases.

 

The MAC 2000 power supply has had a number of problems since its introduction and has a number of modifications. Actually Ike doesn't mention whether he's using Electronic or magnetic ballast MACs but I guess ultimately the solution remains the same, get more power. sorry Ike ! :P

 

F.