LOR box keeps blowing a fuse Ideas??

Natmc

New elf
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Dec 26, 2012
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Brisbane
Hi I am trying trouble shoot a CTB16PC LOR box that keeps blowing a fuse on the 9-16channel side.
It is the first time I have used this second hand box but was told it was 2-3 years old. I am only using 14 of the available channels and am running MTB led lights.
It blows within seconds of the show starting. Another strange thing is that when I plug in the net lights whilst the box is powered, one of the sets on one plug lights up and another is sort of half on before I even start a test or show. None of the other connected lights do this.
I also did the experiment of plugging in the same lights into a different LOR box and running the show and the circuit breaker for the house cut in.
Do you think it is more likely a problem with a set of lights or the power source (outdoor power point) or the LOR box?
Any ideas or direction would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 

starzen

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Oct 13, 2012
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Stuart, Florida
if the problem goes with the lights there may be an issue with the lights.

did you try to plug in the lights into a standard outlet?
did you measure the current used by the box when the fuse blows?
did you try different lights on that box to see if the channels work?

I do have one LOR box with a bad triac but all it does is stay on all the time. have not had time to fix it yet so I just don't use the channel
 

Natmc

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Dec 26, 2012
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Brisbane
Thanks!!
You have given me some ideas for tomorrow.
I will try different lights.
I will also try a different power point. We have had a lot of rain and my outdoor power point might be at fault
I have no idea how to measure current and won't even pretend to know what the number means when the current is measured. Very much a novice.
 

starzen

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Oct 13, 2012
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Stuart, Florida
you can buy a plug in power meter if you don't have a good meter. you simply plug it in and then plug the load into the meter. it will then show the amps and watts used and a getter one will also record it over time.

I doubt that the fuse in the LOR box blows because of where the box is plugged it. Generally the fuse blows because the load on the other side is too high. too many amps drawn -> fuse blows
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
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Eaglehawk
Being in Aussie it's a very good chance that all your lights are really low voltage lights and run off plugpacks. These are not designed to be dimmed and will blow LOR outputs and potentially destroy the transformers if you try dimming them. It is possible to use simple on (100%) and off (0%) controls to run them and that has been known to work.
If the set of lights is taking out a circuit breaker it's 1 of a few things. Either the lights are fubar, the transformer is now dead (see paragraph above) or it's really the earth leakage and not the circuit overload protection that is being tripped. The short story is is it's taking out either the earth leakage or circuit breaker the set of lights is dead enough that only someone with decent electronics knowledge should be checking it over to see what's up with it.
 

Jamie

Lighting up the night.
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Dec 16, 2010
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399
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Warwick
The channel that stays on sounds like a triac is blown.


With the my t brites try a different power up cord after everything dries out. Also check that the o rings are not cracked.


See how you go.
 

Natmc

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Dec 26, 2012
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9
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Brisbane
This is why I love this forum. Plenty of helpful people that make Christmas light fun!

I am wondering whether I have combination of problems. A couple of bad light strings a bad channel.

A couple of people have mentioned a "blown triac".

What does a triac look like/ where is it located on the board?
Thanks.
 

scamper

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Jan 5, 2014
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collie
A fuse will protect anything AFTER it, in other words if the fuse is blowing on the output side, then the controller itself is ok, it is what is plugged in that has the problem.
I would plug in 1 set of lights at a time (running the show obviously) and when the fuse blows, unplug that particular set and put to one side then keep going.
If you already know which set trips your breaker, then you most likely know which set is faulty already.
 

Tom

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Apr 28, 2011
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10
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Cardiff, Lowry street lights
Hi
How are you and merry xmas
I had a similar problem with one off my boards this year, turns out that one of the main plug wires inside the box had come lose and was resting on the inside of the box. I would make sure it is unplug, and open up box and check all connnections first.

Tom
 
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