Memory Hold Lights and LOR AC Controllers

Callaidyn

New elf
Joined
Aug 8, 2013
Messages
38
Location
Hunter Valley
Hi,
This is my first year sequencing lights and I have bought some LOR AC Controllers (I know - I've read all the posts about DC vs. AC but for my first year I just want to learn the basics e.g. set-up, sequencing, etc. without having to learn about how to set up a DC system - or RGB's, pixels, etc.)............. I am easing my way in slowly :)
My question is, has anyone used/tested the memory hold lights yet (that seem to be hitting the shops now) with an LOR AC controller? If you memory hold on Steady-On will they work as a normal steady-on light string?
Thanks!!
 

kane

Dedicated elf
Joined
Dec 23, 2010
Messages
1,033
Location
Trigg (Northern suburbs of Perth)
Callaidyn said:
Hi,
This is my first year sequencing lights and I have bought some LOR AC Controllers (I know - I've read all the posts about DC vs. AC but for my first year I just want to learn the basics e.g. set-up, sequencing, etc. without having to learn about how to set up a DC system - or RGB's, pixels, etc.)............. I am easing my way in slowly :)
My question is, has anyone used/tested the memory hold lights yet (that seem to be hitting the shops now) with an LOR AC controller? If you memory hold on Steady-On will they work as a normal steady-on light string?

Might need to post a bit more information on the lights in question, but if they are the sorts of lights that have a controller that cycles between different modes by turning on and off (eg connect power, lights are solid on, disconnect power and re-connect, and now the lights start flashing, etc), then I would say that these won't be a good choice, unless you bypass the controller.
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
Generous elf
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
4,681
Location
Victoria Point (Brisbane)
Even bypassing the controller is fraught with danger these days. A lot of the light sets are now being supplied with switch-mode (not iron transformer) power supplies.

Switch-mode power supplies can go BANG! big time at the slightest whiff of being dimmed. If you made sure you never dimmed those channels, you might get away with it, but I don't think it's worth the risk.
 

aussiexmas

Sinnamon Lights
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
218
Location
Brisbane - Australia
A couple of years ago, I did use a couple of memory hold lights on a LOR AC system. Set to steady on, they remained at steady on, however, there was a delay between switching on and the lights coming on. Consequently, while they worked OK for slowly changing on-off effects, they were no good for rapid switching. I also think that they did not fade correctly, but I am uncertain on this aspect.


I suggest you just try a set and see how they work. The sets I used did have iron core transformers. The current sets may be a different design.
 
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