MAC 250+

[Nicktaylor]

I have a unit bought as part of a package that fails to do its calibration cycle on power up. I have set all the user settings to those I know work with my other ones. The lamp fires up after the normal time, but then multiple error messages flash up.

FBER,GOER,TIER,COER,PAER. I know what these mean from the book, but I feel this is not just a cable issue in the unit, more likely to be a common component somewhere or even some digital issue, . Anyone out there able to point me in the right direction?

 

Cheers

[WiLL]

I have a unit bought as part of a package that fails to do its calibration cycle on power up. I have set all the user settings to those I know work with my other ones. The lamp fires up after the normal time, but then multiple error messages flash up.

FBER,GOER,TIER,COER,PAER. I know what these mean from the book, but I feel this is not just a cable issue in the unit, more likely to be a common component somewhere or even some digital issue, . Anyone out there able to point me in the right direction?

 

Cheers

First thing to do would be to open up the hatches and check that all the looms are connected properly. That is an awful lot of faults, is it a second hand unit?

[Nicktaylor]

I have a unit bought as part of a package that fails to do its calibration cycle on power up. I have set all the user settings to those I know work with my other ones. The lamp fires up after the normal time, but then multiple error messages flash up.

FBER,GOER,TIER,COER,PAER. I know what these mean from the book, but I feel this is not just a cable issue in the unit, more likely to be a common component somewhere or even some digital issue, . Anyone out there able to point me in the right direction?

 

Cheers

First thing to do would be to open up the hatches and check that all the looms are connected properly. That is an awful lot of faults, is it a second hand unit?

It is secondhand. Up to now I have been alright buying them ! This one was bought as a known issue with a few error messages! Not all of them though!To be fair the other unit is almost all fine with just the focus control not working.

[gyro_gearloose]

Take the lamp out, take the top cover off the head, and then switch it on. Watch the colour and gobo wheels during start up to see what they do. If they turn smoothly but don't stop turning then its the magnetic sensors that are at fault. If they judder backwards and forwards then it will either be the wiring loom, driver chip, or the motor itself that needs attention. It may also be the case that the huge amounts of heat/UV light bouncing around inside the head have destroyed the plastic parts of the connectors on the motors.

 

The FbER, TiER, and PaER messages together sound like the current sensing resistors for the pan and tilt drives have died, resulting in a loss of torque which in turn results in the head 'missing' steps. This is a common fault. Check the wiring looms first, but if the pan or tilt are noisy/juddering during start up then it will almost certainly be the resistors that need replacing.

[DrV]

Take the lamp out, take the top cover off the head, and then switch it on.

 

Better to disconnect the lamp circuit at the connector block in the side arm. Otherwise the poor old igniter keeps producing those high voltage spikes with nowhere for them to go, except across any weak areas of insulation in the wiring or the lampholder or inside the igniter itself.

 

Dave

[Nicktaylor]

Take the lamp out, take the top cover off the head, and then switch it on. Watch the colour and gobo wheels during start up to see what they do. If they turn smoothly but don't stop turning then its the magnetic sensors that are at fault. If they judder backwards and forwards then it will either be the wiring loom, driver chip, or the motor itself that needs attention. It may also be the case that the huge amounts of heat/UV light bouncing around inside the head have destroyed the plastic parts of the connectors on the motors.

 

The FbER, TiER, and PaER messages together sound like the current sensing resistors for the pan and tilt drives have died, resulting in a loss of torque which in turn results in the head 'missing' steps. This is a common fault. Check the wiring looms first, but if the pan or tilt are noisy/juddering during start up then it will almost certainly be the resistors that need replacing.

Thanks for the tips. In fact on start up the unit fails to do any of the normal calibrating movements I am used to. I will follow all the tips given.

 

Cheers

 

Nick

[gyro_gearloose]

So the motors don't turn at all? In that case it might be the motor power supply that's at fault. Have a look at the main board in the yoke. There should be some LEDs somewhere near the bottom. These are the voltage indicator lights, and I think there should be three of them close together. If any or all of them aren't lit then that may indicate the source of your problems.

[Matt Cowles]

If the motors energise but don't move, then there could be a sensor that is being triggered, either because it is faulty or because there is a wheel that is not turning and the manet just happens to be under the sensor. The software will try to clear all of the sensors before starting the calibration, if it can't clear all of the sensors then it will just sit there before eventually giving up and throwing a load of errors at you.

[Nicktaylor]

So the motors don't turn at all? In that case it might be the motor power supply that's at fault. Have a look at the main board in the yoke. There should be some LEDs somewhere near the bottom. These are the voltage indicator lights, and I think there should be three of them close together. If any or all of them aren't lit then that may indicate the source of your problems.

This is a suggestion from someone else. Sadly normal work getting in the way right now!