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Author Topic: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"  (Read 4062 times)

Patrick Campbell

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LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« on: July 02, 2018, 08:36:11 AM »

Hey Everyone,

Anyone have trouble with movers/LED slim pars when using GFI outlets ??

This last Saturday I swear we had "Ghosts/Goblins ?" there when we inserted our Chaveut Movers in the line of XLR cables ???

Any experience and solutions would be great !

Thanks again,

Patrick

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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2018, 09:03:39 AM »

Hey Everyone,

Anyone have trouble with movers/LED slim pars when using GFI outlets ??

This last Saturday I swear we had "Ghosts/Goblins ?" there when we inserted our Chaveut Movers in the line of XLR cables ???

Any experience and solutions would be great !

Thanks again,

Patrick
GFCIs are pretty binary - either they trip due to leakage current, or they work completely fine.  Standard lighting troubleshooting is prescribed - are you using DMX cables?  Terminators?  A DMX splitter to lessen the number of fixtures on one run?
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Patrick Campbell

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2018, 10:19:24 AM »

GFCIs are pretty binary - either they trip due to leakage current, or they work completely fine.  Standard lighting troubleshooting is prescribed - are you using DMX cables?  Terminators?  A DMX splitter to lessen the number of fixtures on one run?


Thanks Tom

We use 16 PAR LED Slim Pars and 4 Chavet Movers that work perfect all the time but this last weekend, on GFI's outdoors it was rough and we just removed movers from path

It was VERY moist out and Very humid -  maybe that was the issue  ?

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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2018, 10:37:15 AM »


Thanks Tom

We use 16 PAR LED Slim Pars and 4 Chavet Movers that work perfect all the time but this last weekend, on GFI's outdoors it was rough and we just removed movers from path

It was VERY moist out and Very humid -  maybe that was the issue  ?
I would not assume that the GFCI was the factor.  20 fixtures on one run is starting to be a pretty good number - especially if you used standard mic cables rather than DMX cables and no terminator (you haven't said either way).  You would add a lot of safety margin if you got a DMX splitter and broke up your single chain of fixtures. Using real DMX cables with a 110/120Ω characteristic impedance would help as well.
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Patrick Campbell

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2018, 10:47:03 AM »

I would not assume that the GFCI was the factor.  20 fixtures on one run is starting to be a pretty good number - especially if you used standard mic cables rather than DMX cables and no terminator (you haven't said either way).  You would add a lot of safety margin if you got a DMX splitter and broke up your single chain of fixtures. Using real DMX cables with a 110/120Ω characteristic impedance would help as well.

Thanks Tom - we are doing a private party tomorrow with FOUR 20 amp breakers in a building we are pluggin into with NO GFI's so we are gonna set up and hope all geos well
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2018, 12:04:27 PM »


Thanks Tom

We use 16 PAR LED Slim Pars and 4 Chavet Movers that work perfect all the time but this last weekend, on GFI's outdoors it was rough and we just removed movers from path

It was VERY moist out and Very humid -  maybe that was the issue  ?

Your problem had nothing to do with GFCI in the AC power source.

Thanks Tom - we are doing a private party tomorrow with FOUR 20 amp breakers in a building we are pluggin into with NO GFI's so we are gonna set up and hope all geos well

Again, the AC mains power will make zero, zip, nada difference.  What WILL make a difference is the order of fixtures and which random mic cables you use instead of genuine DMX cables or CAT5e.

To paraphrase Doug Fleenor:  "people pay me many thousands of dollars and fly me all over the world to tell them to use real DMX cables and not put more than 24 fixtures in a DMX string."

TJ is right, 24 fixtures is about the limit and if you're using mic cables you've been one lucky guy so far.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2018, 12:07:44 PM by Tim McCulloch »
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Patrick Campbell

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2018, 12:13:09 PM »

Your problem had nothing to do with GFCI in the AC power source.

Again, the AC mains power will make zero, zip, nada difference.  What WILL make a difference is the order of fixtures and which random mic cables you use instead of genuine DMX cables or CAT5e.

To paraphrase Doug Fleenor:  "people pay me many thousands of dollars and fly me all over the world to tell them to use real DMX cables and not put more than 24 fixtures in a DMX string."

TJ is right, 24 fixtures is about the limit and if you're using mic cables you've been one lucky guy so far.

hmmm cool and thanks again Tim
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Dave Garoutte

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2018, 12:51:00 PM »

XLR cables work great, until they don't.  Same with terminators.
DMX cable aren't expensive.
A terminator can be had for less than 10 bux.
When it doubt, do it right.
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Patrick Campbell

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2018, 01:34:53 PM »

XLR cables work great, until they don't.  Same with terminators.
DMX cable aren't expensive.
A terminator can be had for less than 10 bux.
When it doubt, do it right.

I have terminators just had no probs meant I have never pulled em out

Thank you for the reminder
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Patrick Campbell

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2018, 08:14:29 AM »

I have terminators just had no probs meant I have never pulled em out

Thank you for the reminder


I also bought a DMX Splitter for back of light board to separate the stage left and stage right -  I plan on using a terminator at the end of each run on each side of the stage.

Anybody else split the signal like this ? 

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Re: LED's and Mover on GFI ??? "Ghosts/Goblins ?"
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2018, 08:14:29 AM »


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