LOR CTB16PC Problem with some AC lights flickering

[everettdale]

I have 2 CTB16PC controllers running strings of A/C lights (120v USA). In some sequences when the strings fade from 100% to 0% they flicker while fading. They always do this in the same part of the sequence, but will work fine in other parts. I can't figure out why. Could my laptop be to slow? Or is there a configuration in the CTB16PC?

I'm running xlights and the xlights scheduler. what other info can I share?

 

[AAH]

Are the lights led or incandescent? Led lights are a known problem for AC dimmers. The solution is often to put a resistive load across the output.

 

[merryoncherry]

@AAH is quite possibly right, however check for silly things like "sparkles" being turned on in the places where the effects are flickering. Is there a difference in the speed of the fade in cases where it works well vs. not? Is it all lights that do this or just certain kinds of LED, etc.? (Maybe plug a different kind of light in and see if you get a different result.)

Fancy LEDs that have power control circuits in them are the worst when it comes to dimming... learned that the hard way with the kitchen floodlights.

 

[everettdale]

All the lights are incandescent. No LEDs. Sparkles and shimmer are off. The fade is 100 to 0 in 1.25ish seconds when I see the flickering.

here's an image of part of the time line that is having the problem.

 

[AAH]

To confirm that there's nothing else in the sequence causing issues create a fresh sequence and put the same effect onto 1 channel at a time to see if it can be replicated.

 

[merryoncherry]

How are you playing the sequence?

 

[everettdale]

How are you playing the sequence?

I'm moving the FSEQ files to a laptop that has xlights installed and I have created a schedule in Xschedule64.