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Author Topic: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem  (Read 4843 times)

Alex Thompson

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Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« on: November 22, 2013, 04:07:25 PM »

I've installed 13 Elation EPAR QW lights in a church and they have an unusual problem.  WHen the sound system is on and turned up there are random flashes from the lights.  It's not always the same light and the flashes don't always go with the music.  Lights are all on 4 channel DMX mode.

Each group of lights is isolated by a DMX splitter.
I've tried with and without terminators.
I moved the speaker wire farther from the DMX line.

The only 2 things that made the flicker stop is to turn off the music or disconnect the DMX supply.

Controller is a new ETC Smartfade 96

I'm stumped, please help!



« Last Edit: November 22, 2013, 04:16:10 PM by Alex Thompson »
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Alex Thompson
Joy Audio Visual, LLC
d.b.a. Central Ohio Sound
www.centralohiosound.com

Cailen Waddell

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Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2013, 07:43:03 AM »

Have you removed the dmx splitter and plugged one group of lights in direct?  If I had to guess there is either a wiring problem to the dmx splitter, or the dmx splitter itself. 

Have you used cable that meets dmx compliance?

Is the problem only when sound is on, or only when music is playing? 

Is the splitter able to handle all x transmission speeds? (Not a common problem anymore)
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Alex Thompson

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Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2013, 10:32:15 AM »

Genuine DMX cable for all the long runs.  About 3' mic cable to link individual lights. I've bypassed the splitter and run a group direct.  I did not try hooking up a different controller.

The best answer I've seen so far actually appears in the manual for the Smartfade but doesn't explain why the problem seems to be sound activated

Quote from the manual:
DMX Out Speed
In rare cases some DMX devices may have trouble reading DMX at the full standard speed
supplied by SmartFade. This is often seen as flicker in your lighting devices. You can slow
down the DMX out speed to try to alleviate such communications errors with other
manufacturer’s equipment. The default is set to “Max”.
Menu>Setup>DMX Out>[Max]..[Slow]..[Medium]..[Fast]


Have you removed the dmx splitter and plugged one group of lights in direct?  If I had to guess there is either a wiring problem to the dmx splitter, or the dmx splitter itself. 

Have you used cable that meets dmx compliance?

Is the problem only when sound is on, or only when music is playing? 

Is the splitter able to handle all x transmission speeds? (Not a common problem anymore)
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Alex Thompson
Joy Audio Visual, LLC
d.b.a. Central Ohio Sound
www.centralohiosound.com

Cailen Waddell

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Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2013, 11:01:45 AM »

Yeah, That is what I was referring to with transmission speed. Dmx can be transmitted at 3 speeds and some splitters and lights can't handle the fastest. Glad you figured it out!
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Alex Thompson

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Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2013, 01:49:09 PM »

I was able to recreate the problem at home by placing one of the lights in front of TH-115 and run it wide open.  I tried a worst case scenario using 150' of standard mic cable coiled up into a big antenna laying on 50' of extension cord with 100 speaker cable laying on top.  Light flashed just as it did when installed in the church.
I then used only one single short genuine DMX cable directly to the light very far separated form AC and speaker lines and got exactly the same result.  This is clearly going to have to be an Elation fix.
The controller I was using at home, and older Elation Stagesetter has no DMX rate adjustment.


Yeah, That is what I was referring to with transmission speed. Dmx can be transmitted at 3 speeds and some splitters and lights can't handle the fastest. Glad you figured it out!
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Alex Thompson
Joy Audio Visual, LLC
d.b.a. Central Ohio Sound
www.centralohiosound.com

Cailen Waddell

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Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2013, 01:51:43 PM »

Is it possible that there is a loose internal connection on the elation that the vibration from the th-115 is causing? 

That is a crazy problem for sure, please post back what you learn about the cause and effect.
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Alex Thompson

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Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2013, 02:54:59 PM »

Well, the biggest lesson to learn in all of this was that I should have had more confidence in my workmanship and went to the manufacturer first.  I assumed the problem was cable or interference related when it actually was exactly what it at first appeared to be.

I spoke with Elation tech support and was informed that there is a known issue with a batch of lights that had their internal mics set far too sensitive to the extreme that they were causing interference with the DMX signal.

The solution is to grip the internal mic with pliers and pull it off. (Elation's exact instructions)  This is a perfectly fine solution for me since the lights will never be used in sound active mode.



Is it possible that there is a loose internal connection on the elation that the vibration from the th-115 is causing? 

That is a crazy problem for sure, please post back what you learn about the cause and effect.
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Alex Thompson
Joy Audio Visual, LLC
d.b.a. Central Ohio Sound
www.centralohiosound.com

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Elation EPAR QW unusual flicker problem
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2013, 02:54:59 PM »


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