Answered Issues with port on Falcon controller

[Verb75]

Hi,

So I've been testing my lights and I've come across something new for me.
Last week I tested all my lights and started putting them up. After putting them all up I loaded up xLights and ran the all the lights from the "test" page. Everything lit up and I had hoped. I went in to have some dinner, left the lights on. After 2 hours, everything is looking good and normal. I reboot the controller and load a sequence. Sequence starts and everything is good for about a min or so, then all the lights on Port 2 freeze. In Xlights, everything is playing normally, so I figure its a simple glitch in the matrix. Reboot the controller and xlights. Issue happens again.
I've tried different sequences, same result. After a min or two...lights on port 2 just freeze.

I'm thinking I may have to reset my F4V3, but if anyone has another other ideas before I do that?

Thanks
Vic

 

[BAZMick]

I've heard of this before, I think Superman was talking about it at the Qld mini. This other problem was that all the lights on that port were going to full brightness at a particular point in the sequence and overloaded something in the circuit, try first to lower the brightness or add more power to that string. Also check you've got a good -ve to match to +ve

 

[Verb75]

I've heard of this before, I think Superman was talking about it at the Qld mini. This other problem was that all the lights on that port were going to full brightness at a particular point in the sequence and overloaded something in the circuit, try first to lower the brightness or add more power to that string. Also check you've got a good -ve to match to +ve

Thanks Baz.

I've got everything down to 30% in the controller for brightness, but I'll check the my voltages.

 

[Verb75]

So after checking voltages (everything was good) I decided to update the firmware to 2.59
Everything went smoothly on installation. I log into the Falcon IP to check my settings. and all of sudden it reboots itself and is now stuck in a boot loop.
Gets to the main screen, turns off and starts again.

Did I kill my Falcon?

 

[BAZMick]

Not at all, if you can go to the chat and ask this question, there should be someone on there who 'll be able to suggest a couple of things to get it going again. @darylc is the guru of all things Falcon if you can manage to snag him.
My suggestion is to disconnect the string on port 2 and try to reboot again. If it works then that means there's something up with that string.

 

[Verb75]

I managed to speak with Daryl and he told me to reset it. I've done that and the Falcon is back up again. I've inputed my network setting and got everything going again.
Still having the original issue...start a sequence..this time it completed, but then afterwards the lights on string 2 froze again. Had to reboot the controller.

 

[lithgowlights]

freezing lights is usually indicative of low voltage on the strings, especially if they freeze when the lights come on. Check if it happens if you drop the brightness to 20%, if not then it's definitely voltage. As a side note, 12V pixels do this 5V don't.

 

[BAZMick]

I managed to speak with Daryl and he told me to reset it. I've done that and the Falcon is back up again. I've inputed my network setting and got everything going again.
Still having the original issue...start a sequence..this time it completed, but then afterwards the lights on string 2 froze again. Had to reboot the controller.

Daryl is the man! Did you try disconnecting the string on port 2 and run that sequence again and then again?

 

[BAZMick]

As a side note, 12V pixels do this 5V don't.

I've seen what you do with 12v LEDs! No wonder they freeze cause you make them melt first!

 

[lithgowlights]

I've seen what you do with 12v LEDs! No wonder they freeze cause you make them melt first!

No 12V in my display, all eco-friendly 5V and one huge 36V monster. 5V just go pink

 

[Verb75]

So after a few hours of trying new things over the past couple of days, I've come to the conclusion that port 2 on my controller is faulty. I've rejigged lights and props to my other ports and things are behaving normally again.

Thanks for all the help and imput.