GPIO Output Problems

[Eric Steele]

I am trying to use the Raspberry PI 3 B+, Vixen 3, and Falcon Player to control 12 strings of Christmas lights. The lights are standard 110v strings of lights. (this is my first year so I am starting with a simple display) I connected the GPIO outputs of the Raspberry Pi to solid state relays to power on/off the 110 volt light strings. Specifically I am using GPIO outputs 5,6,12,13,16,17, 22, 23,24,25, 26 and 27.

All my GPIO pins work. I ran a test program in Python and then tried them one at a time in Falcon using Channel Outputs/Other/Output Type:GPIO. I successfully tested the outputs individually using Vixen 3 and Falcon. That is, I tested each GPIO output individually by creating one “Single Item” item in the Display Setup and then only checking one GPIO as active in Falcon.

However, when I use two or more “Single Item”s in a sequence, all the relays are activated. I have tried both the Renard and Generic Serial controllers in Setup. I have a one to one patch relationship between the Elements and the Controller Outputs.

I am so close but yet so far to getting my light display to work. What the heck am I doing wrong?

 

[AAH]

Welcome to ACL Eric.
Can you post the setup screenshots on Xlights and FPP. I have no idea when it comes to Vixen so I'll be no help with it but someone here probably could.
Assuming that you are trying to control from Xlights rather than running a sequence off FPP then Xlights should have the network setup as E1.31 and the IP either set as multicast or pointing to the Pi IP address.

 

[Cee DeLights]

Hi Eric,
Can you post the Vixen3 "Single Items" sequence.
I have mine setup almost exactly as yours and mine is working perfectly fine.

 

[antoniopatino1992]

Hey eric (or anyone)

I am trying do the same thing but using xlights and i am getting the same outcome as you did. Was there a fix ? or any suggestions

 

[TommyOrlando]

Same situation for me. Last year, I built a waterproof box with a Pi 3 and a 16 channel relay board. Trying to simply blink stands of lights on and off to the music. With a standard SD card to write Python Scripts, I can turn 16 channels on and off individually and in groups. The Pi to Relay board wiring seem to be working as expected.
Using Xlights, I created 16 single-bulb strands of lights and then tried 16 Single Item unique. Each one 'dummied down' to one color and one channel. The show blinks on the Xlights House preview. (The Model preview doesn't show anything - is this my issue??)
I boot the FPP (with the FPP image on a second SD card...) and my network and computer connects to the pi without a problem. I can upload a sequence/ single song test to the FPP and it's seen in the media list. I have the output set to GPIO and think I properly mapped 16 pin numbers to the 16 channels. But sequence plays and the lights don't do anything. The FPP test mode also doesn't flash the lights.
My issue is either the Xlights output (Mapping the sequence to the GPIO pins) or the FPP isn't configured for the correct Input/Output on the GPIO pins.

If anyone is running a simple 8, 12, or 16 channel AC lights "Blinky- blinky" show, can you please share your XLIGHT models and FPP GPIO settings??

**** Note - I'm using a few fancy technical terms, but I'm very new at this and probably missing something very easy....

Thanks for any help!

 

[Notenoughlights]

Same situation for me. Last year, I built a waterproof box with a Pi 3 and a 16 channel relay board. Trying to simply blink stands of lights on and off to the music. With a standard SD card to write Python Scripts, I can turn 16 channels on and off individually and in groups. The Pi to Relay board wiring seem to be working as expected.
Using Xlights, I created 16 single-bulb strands of lights and then tried 16 Single Item unique. Each one 'dummied down' to one color and one channel. The show blinks on the Xlights House preview. (The Model preview doesn't show anything - is this my issue??)
I boot the FPP (with the FPP image on a second SD card...) and my network and computer connects to the pi without a problem. I can upload a sequence/ single song test to the FPP and it's seen in the media list. I have the output set to GPIO and think I properly mapped 16 pin numbers to the 16 channels. But sequence plays and the lights don't do anything. The FPP test mode also doesn't flash the lights.
My issue is either the Xlights output (Mapping the sequence to the GPIO pins) or the FPP isn't configured for the correct Input/Output on the GPIO pins.

If anyone is running a simple 8, 12, or 16 channel AC lights "Blinky- blinky" show, can you please share your XLIGHT models and FPP GPIO settings??

**** Note - I'm using a few fancy technical terms, but I'm very new at this and probably missing something very easy....
View attachment 19058
Thanks for any help!

Wondering if the relay card you have is designed for a 5v signal to trigger the relays, I am fairly certain the Raspberry Pi's GPIO outputs are only low level 3.3v approx and may not be enough for the relay card.
If you have the model/part number of the relay card or an an info page for it, that would help

 

[TommyOrlando]

The card is a Sainsmart 16 channel relay SKU: 101-70-103. The pins on the relay have 5V printed on them. I have tried both the 3.3V and 5V outputs from the Pi. The 3.3V on the Pi to the 5V pin on the relay got them to work when I have the Regular Pi SD card in and run simple scripts to snap the relays on and off. I can do that with Python coding. Everything on the relay looks like 5V should be fine.
I'm getting convinced the FPP settings are wrong. I have one too many or one missing check box somewhere. I'm understand all of this new stuff I am reading, but I'm not electrically minded.... Something simple somewhere is missing.
(Photo w. magnifying glass...)

 

[Notenoughlights]

I guess that this is the page you are looking at:
View: https://i.imgur.com/BCTPMO0.png


Have you ticked the enable box on the left? Do you have a screenshot of your config page?

 

[TommyOrlando]

SUCCESS!!!!! I turned OFF the enable button on the left and they work! Relays are snapping. I found other threads that mentioned this as a possibility. I've been on and off of this for the last year! Probably no fancy show this year, but I'll work on it for next year. Then ---pixels!


Thanks for the help!!!
GPIO Input Triggers page.

 

[Notenoughlights]

SUCCESS!!!!! I turned OFF the enable button on the left and they work! Relays are snapping. I found other threads that mentioned this as a possibility. I've been on and off of this for the last year! Probably no fancy show this year, but I'll work on it for next year. Then ---pixels!


Thanks for the help!!!
GPIO Input Triggers page.
View attachment 19065

Interesting that turning it off fixed it. Usually turning it on is what tells FPP that its being used. Looks like you're using V5 however, it still has a few bugs here and there.

 

[TommyOrlando]

When i had the relay hooked to PI 5v pins, the relays snapped on, and locked on. A friend who knows electrical mentioned 5V may be influencing a resistor or something else in the relay had locking it on. The 3.3V from the pi fixed it.