Green Ginger MicroPack 610

[springgrove]

I have just repaired one of these 6-way dimmer packs that had come adrift a bit inside. I don't know about its history or have a circuit diagram for it. I've powered it up and tested it with a control desk and it all seems to work ok, apart from the neons.

 

The green neon (seems to be connected between live and earth) is not lit. Probably the neon, as the pack powers lanterns ok.

 

The red neon is lit. It seems to be connected between earth and a spade connector on the 'power' circuit board. Is this the right place? I plugged it here as being the only place available! What fault is it meant to indicate?

 

Any diagram or comment about what the red neon indicates would be helpful.

 

On a related point, I have also repaired a Green Ginger MicroSet 6 controller. I was able to work out a circuit diagram for this and replace a dud transistor. If anyone would be interested, I could put up the circuit somewhere.

 

Nigel

[niclights]

I can't answer your question but "The green neon (seems to be connected between live and earth)" worries me. Surely not?

[Don Allen]

If the green neon has a current limiting resistor in series with it, usually indicated by the neon body having a voltage rating, then connecting the neon between active and ground would be a means of indicating that your dimmer rack has a protective earth fitted. This is an American practise.

 

If the green neon is between active and neutral then it is indicating power present and is helpful to have one on each phase if a three phase dimmer.

 

Red neon's tend to be used as blown fuse indicators and would be wired across triac, fuse and lamp socket, so a serviceable lamp shorts out the neon so it will not illuminate. When the fuse is blown or no load is connected to that dimmer channel the neon illuminates to indicate a fault.

[boswell]

.

 

On a related point, I have also repaired a Green Ginger MicroSet 6 controller. I was able to work out a circuit diagram for this and replace a dud transistor. If anyone would be interested, I could put up the circuit somewhere.

 

I would be very interested in the cct for the MicroSet 6, Would it be possible to upload it to wilki (if this is allowed) or alternativaley PM me

Thanks

[springgrove]

I can't answer your question but "The green neon (seems to be connected between live and earth)" worries me. Surely not?

It is indeed, and this is something I haven't changed. Perhaps the other reply - that this is 'American practice' answers the question. Clearly it should light with this connection, but I wouldn't have designed it that way! Perhaps I'll change it to live and neutral.

 

Nigel

 

 

If the green neon has a current limiting resistor in series with it, usually indicated by the neon body having a voltage rating, then connecting the neon between active and ground would be a means of indicating that your dimmer rack has a protective earth fitted. This is an American practise.

 

If the green neon is between active and neutral then it is indicating power present and is helpful to have one on each phase if a three phase dimmer.

I should have said that the 'neons' seem to be the ones with series resistors included. It is a single phase dimmer, so there's only one.

 

Red neon's tend to be used as blown fuse indicators and would be wired across triac, fuse and lamp socket, so a serviceable lamp shorts out the neon so it will not illuminate. When the fuse is blown or no load is connected to that dimmer channel the neon illuminates to indicate a fault.

This is a useful suggestion, which I can investigate, but there is only one red neon for the six channels. I've only tested one channel at a time, but, since it seems to work, I'm not too fussed about the fault warning!

 

Nigel

[PoppaDom]

Now if these are the dimmers I am thinking of they have 3 Neon's on the front of them.

 

A green one and two red ones; depending upon the connection to the mains different combinations illuminate.

 

Green indicating a healthy supply with neutral and earth, one of the reds indicates a lack of earth and the other indicates a lack of neutral? Something like that...??

 

Haven't been inside recently so couldn't tell you what is connected where... ours are coming out on Sunday so I could pop the hood if its helpful

 

Poppadom

[Neil Hampson]

I can't answer your question but "The green neon (seems to be connected between live and earth)" worries me. Surely not?

 

 

The Green Neon, connected between Live and earth would indicate that the unit is conected to Earth. The old Strand Tempus packs had them fitted and labeled as 'Earth link' AFAIR. I assume that a mains Neon indicator must use a fraction of a mA to operate so would not be noticed by an RCD. Generally I would be more worried if it didn't light up.

 

Off topic but I remember going into a fairly new school with the Tempus's were there was no earth indication from any of the 13A sockets in the hall and I ended up bringing power from the 32A sockets in the Kictchens. All of teh electrics were replaced shortly afterwards...

[Don Allen]

Here is a UK site that shows the wiring of a 230 volt mains tester using three neons http://www.marcspages.co.uk/pq/4511.htm

 

This is more a lead wiring tester and powerpoint wiring indicator so I would not expect to see this in a dimmer as mains wiring terminals for dimmers are usually well marked and only competent licensed people should be delving inside dimmer racks.

[springgrove]

I would be very interested in the cct for the MicroSet 6, Would it be possible to upload it to wilki (if this is allowed) or alternativaley PM me

Thanks

 

I've now uploaded the circuit for the MicroSet6 to wiki, under Lighting - look for 'Green Ginger'.

 

Nigel