Oh how i love fault finding...

scamper

Dedicated elf
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Jan 5, 2014
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collie
NOT.....
new element not working. grr
seems to be too much voltage drop even though I have injected right up to the end of each string.
[attachimg=1]
 

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the grinch

I guess I could use a little social interaction
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Ohno scamp I feel you're pain and disappointment am sure all of us here can relate too your situation . Im also not a fan of fault finding lets hope its a simple fix sux when you have too pull something like that to pieces again . I normally find I get too that stage where im going to throw or smash it lol and have to walk away and luckily so far the answer comes too my brain the next day . Good luck mate
 

marmalade

cats & pixels
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Dec 1, 2015
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newcastle
invest in a pin probe for your multimeter or cro, then you can test through the wires insulation whilst live.



Although it's mostly obvious with leds which ones aren't getting enough power :D


let us know if you find out what it was, :)
 

i13

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marmalade said:
invest in a pin probe for your multimeter or cro, then you can test through the wires insulation whilst live.
Sewing pins also work but yes a pin probe might be less fiddly. They have come in handy for me with dud sections on store-bought lights.
 

damo1271

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Oct 12, 2011
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Adelaide
Hi Scamper
You may have the same problem I had. Its not about injecting at the end of the lights, its about the current carrying capacity of the main power wire to your central hub. Try doubling up and see if that fixes your problem...
 

scamper

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collie
damo1271 said:
Hi Scamper
You may have the same problem I had. Its not about injecting at the end of the lights, its about the current carrying capacity of the main power wire to your central hub. Try doubling up and see if that fixes your problem...


Although I haven't played with it today, i have ruled out the cable. I used some VERY heavy twin core for it, I think it may be a stupid earth problem.
I have the controller and the injection working from different supplies and I didn't hook up a common earth.
At least I hope that is is.
Either that, or my supply is cactus, as when I disconnected all bar 1 string, i got it working, but the voltage drop was still that bad, that on full white it dropped to about 4.8v with only 25 pixels.
 

scamper

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collie
Well I guess what they say is true. Once you get over 50 your mind starts to leave you...
I found my problem and even though I double checked everything I hooked up the 5v reverse polarity.
I have no idea how I didn't cause more damage, it could have been smoke city...
Anyway, the problem was right at the last joint, as in the heavy duty waterproof connector that I soldered in, I checked and double checked and then proceeded to wire it up wrong... Oh well crisis averted and luckily everything works fine now.
The first photo shows what is all the rage now... a deconstructed star :p [attachimg=1]
But then I assembled it and all is good.[attachimg=2]
Onward and upward 8)
 

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marmalade

cats & pixels
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great news..going to be a nice looking starburst!


Are they poker machine toppers I see in the background?
 

scamper

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collie
marmalade said:
Are they poker machine toppers I see in the background?
Not those ones, they are coin pusher type machines.
Its circle dome, that is what is under the blanket.
 
Joined
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sheidow park
i really had to untrain my mind tonight... been using green for earth at work and almost wired up everything with green as earth on ray wu pigtails for the falcon... luckily i looked at last years pixlite before i did....


im just into my 40s and i do stuff like that all the time scamper...
 

marmalade

cats & pixels
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Dec 1, 2015
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newcastle
+1 Heath, you really have to have your wits about you.


I have pixels/pigtails from the same supplier, wire colours are wildly different.Have 2 pin pigtails with Brown/Blue, 3 Pins with Red/Black Yellow, 4 pins with Red/Black/Yellow/White. Nodes with Red/Blue/White and others with Red/Green/Blue wire.


Makes it stressful powering a string up for the first time!
 

logandc99

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Jul 13, 2012
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1,153
I take exception to that comment that after 50 your mind starts....um to...ahhh....do..... something? :eek:
 
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