DMX Dimmer packs complete disaster

[Fensom]

Unfortunately, I was under the impression that dimmer packs would actually turn lights plugged into them, completely off. Just tested the dimmer packs we bought with our rope lights and it is a total fail. Set at 0, they blink until about 8. between 8 and 255 there isn't a great deal of difference. I think we'll just have to wait until next Christmas and really do some research instead of trying for a quick start.

 

[Kaden]

What DMX dimmer pack are you referring to?

 

[Fensom]

They are MaxFX AIC 167 4 channel DMX dimmer packs.
My wife is just looking on the internet something about using a dummy load that might fix it, but others are saying it is a bad idea.

 

[Kaden]

You may find you are better off with a LOR controller, they used to have the stuck on issue for led loads (ie needing a dummy load) but I believe they resolved that.

Otherwise you could try a DMX switch pack which only has on/off (no dimming) something like this http://www.aliexpress.com/item/12-channels-dmx-switch-pack-switch-output-with-Triac/693047889.html

 

[Kaden]

Of course you could always just do a static display this year and look into swapping to low voltage/dc next year which is much easier and safer once you get the hang of it.

 

[Fensom]

Yeah, We'll just have to go static and window projection.

 

[cozbert]

Did you try the controller with a decent load on it?? 60w light globe or something.

 

[AlexB]

Sorry the reply is so late - not sure if this was said already as we lost the data in the crash, but in case it wasn't mentioned - conventional dmx switch pack \ dimmer packs are meant for incandescent lighting, not LED. There is always a latent voltage on the packs that keeps each channel live.


As Cozbert said - you need a decent load on the channel - if you plug a lamp into the channel output with the light string, (so the lamp lights up when the channel is 'on'), the LED elements will turn 'completely off' at zero.


Old school night lights (not LED) work well but you'll be hard pressed finding them these days.

 

[fasteddy]

Adding a snubber resistor may also do the trick, what is needed is more load for this to work. The LOR controllers suffered the same issue in the early days when LEDs came out