Troubleshoot P12

toodle_pipsky

toodle_pipsky

Minister of Silly Walks
Joined
May 9, 2010
Messages
334
Location
Toowoomba, Australia
Hi guys, I did post this in my setup thread, however I thought it best to make it's own troubleshoot thread.

I'm getting weird behaviour from 1 of the P12s (I have 2 running the megatree). I can't "talk" to the first P12 any more through the browser although I was able to do that after the firmware update and a brief test. The last 4 universes just blink random colours, the first 8 did run a sequence once but then stayed on with the last colour of the sequence and then never changed. Have I broken something by running power for first full 8 universes plus the first part (35 pixels by 4) of the last 4 universes on 1 power supply then run the other board plus power injection for other 4 universes (105 pixels by 4) on a separate supply? Could this be caused by something else? If my explaination is confusing let me know and I'll draw a pic. :)

Thanks for any insights offered.
 
Have you tried to pull the controller in beside your computer and connect using a different cable...would be my first thing to test...


Also...post up a drawing...if you are running pixels on one supply and controller on the other..remember to BRIDGE YOUR GROUNDS between your power supplies...I had odd behavior before I did that.
 
Are the negative sides of all the PSU's connected together? If not that could be one issue.
 
Can you try connecting the P12 to the USB connector and send the firmware update down to it again?
 
lithgowlights said:
Are the negative sides of all the PSU's connected together? If not that could be one issue.
Click to expand...

Yes very important that you have the ground wires connected togther

The next question is what chip are you using, if its the 2811 then it may be a timing issue generally anything below 3 to 4 metres will be in the range of 3000 to 3500 then as the distance gets longer then this speed will need to be changed/slowed, Some of my 2811 run at 1800 on a 10 metre extension
 
Thanks guys.

I am using 2811 @ 3000. Leads are 1.6m.

I do have the grounds connected together, I wasn't going to bother but I'm glad I did! I have kept everything "colour coded" in order to avoid messing up. I have used blue for - and brown for +. This is both for in and out.

I'll have a crack at reflashing the firmware when I get home @ lunch.
 
Make sure you dont plug and unplug the 2811 whilst data is being sent and powered up or else this can damage the first pixel
 
Ok, so had a crack at the following at lunch. So very hard to test lights in daylight!!

I did narrow down the behaviour a bit better. Turn on power and immediately the random twinkling of colours starts on last 4-5 universes of P12 number 1 (it's also not every pixel that turns on). Once a sequence is started all except twinkling strings run sequence fine. Once sequence stops the other outputs stay on the last colour it was sent. At this stage you can't connect to P12 number 1 via the browser. Second P12 is fine. Turn power off then turn it back on after a few seconds and you can connect to P12 number 1 via browser but the twinkling is back. As soon as you run a sequence it becomes unresponsive.

Reflash the firmware - no change
Change speed from 3000 to 3500 - no change
Attached is a pic of how the power is connected. 11 is for "10.10.10.11" and 12 is for "10.10.10.12", just so I know which supply is powering which board. The wire that connects the input is a just out of shot, but it just loops around.

Didn't get a chance to swap out the cat5 cable.

** added another pic just to make sure the wiring was clear.
 

Attachments

  • 20121203_123850.jpg
    20121203_123850.jpg
    228.4 KB · Views: 34
  • 20121203_1238502.jpg
    20121203_1238502.jpg
    87.2 KB · Views: 35
ALERT: Using AC power cables on the DC side of your power supplies is a VERY bad idea, all it takes is a lapse of concentration and there will be AC flowing down the DC lines and potentially through you (or a visitor)!


As soon as I saw those pics I cringed!
 
Funny, so did I. I often use the internal cables, stripped of their outer covering, for connection within a box, but never use the cables like that for anything but 240V AC
 
No AC in my display - so not a problem. :D But a good tip for anyone else.

Should say too that I don't have any power supplies out in the field I like to keep them all in the "control shed". Keeps the 240v out of the yard and I don't have to worry about the supplies overheating in boxes. Consequently I have the noisy shed at the side of the house.
 
You will need to run a wire between the negative - on the low voltage side of the PSU's.


And try running your lights at 4000 with leads that short. That is what speed I am running at with my matrices with leads around that length.
 
Thanks for this thread all.

So if I understand, you would run a cable from the negative terminal on the PSU on the right to the negative terminal on the PSU on the left? What's the benefit of that? And are you able to still hook up lights to the negative terminals on both PSUs?

Many thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top