Par can DMX problem

[erik10_4]

Have you tested the fixtures in 'Auto' mode to confirm they work standalone (I.e when not connected to the console) ? There is normally an auto mode which can be activated by pressing the mode switch until the word auto appears on the digital display. As you have already tried reversing polarity, I don't think pin 2/3 reversal is the issue.

[kgallen]

@kgallen

 

My friend with your suggestion the par lights eventually red one time and no more. I move the faders but no other response

 

That might be a very slow strobe - you could be on to something, have a bit more of a play with Ch5/6 and maybe 7 until you get something out of the thing, then work it backwards one change at a time until you get a feel for what Ch5/6/7 do across their range.

 

 

 

[p.k.roberts]

how can I solve this my friend? I mean the reversed pins

 

Have a look at the manual first, both for the PARs and the controller and check that the specs for the DMX XLR pins are the same. Hopefully they're both pin 1 - ground/screen, pin 2 - data -ve and pin 3 data +ve. If not, then either swap the connections over in a DMX cable (pins 2 and 3 at one end only - and don't forget to label the cable!) or if you're soldering skills are not up to it, you could buy something like this;

https://cpc.farnell.com/pulse/pls00405/DMX-adaptor-lead-3p-phase-reverse/dp/AV21911

I'm assuming, of course, that the DMX connections on your gear are 3 pin rather than 5.

[dmarin]

@kgallen

 

Do you mean to re-solder my DMX cable so pins will be 1-1, 2-3, 3-2 or to resolder the xlr socket inside the par can?

 

Ok I understand I will try it right now!!

[kgallen]

Per p.k.roberts suggestion, yes you would resolder one and only one connector in your lead or the PAR. However we need to backtrack a bit as that is a bit drastic if (a) the desk has phase swap as discussed above (b) your post above suggests you might be getting somewhere with the red trial.

 

Personally I'd not look at the pin 2/3 thing until you've exhausted the DMX trials and then it looks like you could do the swap with a desk function.

 

You need to make one change at a time, and ideally write down each change you made and what the fixture did (if anything).

[niclights]

It sounds like you are getting some sort of response when changing values on the console so it will not be a polarity issue.

 

Unfortunately in my experience it's not uncommon for the documentation to be wrong, so the charts may be misleading. As things stand I would expect the fixture to light in white with channel 1, 2, 3 and 4 at full and 5, 6, 7 at zero or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 at full and 6, 7 at zero (typically if a shutter control has a 'closed' function it will be open at full whereas if it only has open it will be open at 0. This is not an absolute rule but it's by far the majority).

 

If this doesn't work I would try putting all channels at full initially. This might result in some sort of colour changing effect (possibly sound-to-light) and maybe a fast strobe (if the strobe channel at full = fast strobe). In this case try reducing just one of the channels to zero at a time. This should help eliminate whichever is a macro control and get you closer to understanding the mapping.

[dmarin]

So until now:

1) Polarity reverse from console - not woriking

2) polarity reverse with soldering DMX cable - not working

3) all 4 par cans work flawlessly standalone without DMX

4) playing with channels 1-7 from console -not working except some occasional red light

 

I dont know what else to do

[kgallen]

4) playing with channels 1-7 from console -not working except some occasional red light

 

Can you reproduce this?

 

If you set Ch2=0 and Ch3=128 can you get the same thing with green?

Ditto for Ch2=Ch3=0 and Ch4=128 for blue.

 

If so then assume the DMX addressing is working. So try 10 or so discrete settings on Ch5 to see if you can get a change - more flicker or a steady colour.

 

If not then go back to the settings of 4) and then try changing the DMX DIP switches.

 

Unless you have some documentation other than the list you gave you will need to do a systematic exploration of the DMX channel space. If you're bored of that for a bit have a search on the internet for a similar LED PAR and look in the user manual for the DMX channel descriptions to give some clues/ideas/inspiration.

 

If your desk has DMX in then you could put your PARs in the auto mode and connect to the desk DMX in and see if you can capture any meaningful information.

[erik10_4]

Just an idea....Do you have a 'Setup' button on the PAR ? If so, this normally sets the DMX mode (some of these lanterns can be operated in 3 Channel, 4 Channel, 7 Channel modes etc). If this option is available, set to 'DP.-1' (probably 3 channel mode). Then try pushing slider 1 on your console up.

 

If you do not have a 'setup' button (or dip switches), I assume it can maybe only operate in 7-Channel mode. If this is the case, have you tried pushing faders 1 & 7 only to full on (with all the other faders down)?

[dmarin]

The pars have 4 buttons with a LCD screen (Menu, up, down, enter)

I am sending you a photo of the manual, photo of a par and the photo of the console.

with your previous suggestions @erik10_4 and @kgallen I have only occasional lighting the problem still exists.

 

Maybe if you see the photos and the manual you can help me better.

The pars are these

The console is this

The manual is this

 

I forgot to mention that also remote controls work fine!

[kgallen]

The pars are these

The console is this

The manual is this

 

Well the manual has all the info required, assuming it relates correctly to the software in the unit! - set CH5,6,7 all to 0 then Ch1-4 will be brightness with RGB. D001 should give you DMX channels 1 thru 7.

 

So Ch1=255 Ch2=255, Ch3=255, Ch4=0, Ch5=0, Ch6=0, Ch7=0 should give you a bright yellow (ish!).

 

Ch1=255, Ch2=0, Ch3=0, Ch4=255, Ch5=255, Ch6=0, Ch7=0 should give you a fast strobing blue.

 

Any of this do anything with the LED?

 

Kevin

 

 

 

[dmarin]

No Kevin unfortunately no light at all.

 

This happens to all 4 pars!!

[kgallen]

This happens to all 4 pars!!

 

That's good really - once we crack one, all should work the same.

 

So if you connect one of your good lights then chain the DMX out and into one of the unworking new ones, can you use the good one to confirm the DMX address being output by the desk - i.e. make sure the good and a bad light are both DMX address 1 and the desk is outputting DMX address 1 for "Scanner #1".

 

After that I'm stuck other than trying other Scanner numbers on the desk and setting the DMX address of your LEDs to match...

 

I assume Scanner #2 is DMX 009-016 if your desk allocates 8 consecutive DMX addresses per Scanner button - or is that 17-32 if it's 16 channels per Scanner (is that what the two pages are for?)

 

Just by using Ch6 and Ch7 can you get any of the preset colours per the manual? (Ch1-5=0)

[dmarin]

Kevin I connect my good par (ADJ MEGA TRI PAR) with adress d001, and I daisy chain my Chinese par with adress also d001. On my console fixture 1 is channel 1 fixture 2 is channel 17 etc. when I move the faders the ADJ works flawlessly and the chinese par has no output at all.

 

 

Also from ch6-7 no output at all (chinese par)

[kgallen]

Pants. So other than playing around with the PAR settings, DMX address and faders I'm stuck for ideas. As suggested earlier, worth going about this systematically. Although maybe we're at the point where you try a few random things just to see if you can get any life out of the little buggers!