DMX Dimmer Issue

[airy242]

Hey There,

I just purchased a Chauvet DMX-4 Dimmer to run LED Christmas lights in addition to my normal light set-up. When I plug in the Christmas lights to the DMX-4 they remain on, though dim, even in the off setting on the DMX-4. Even if the lights are plugged in while the DMX-4 unit itself is completely off and plugged in, they are on and dim. They only completely turn off if I plug something else into the same channel circuit on the DMX-4 that draws power (i.e. a lamp at the end of the Christmas light chain).

It appears that a tiny bit of power is coming through the unit regardless of being on or off, and since the Christmas lights require such a small amount of power it is enough to run them. Almost as if the DMX-4 isn't "true bypass."

 

Is this a common problem? Is it worth looking into another DMX unit? Or should I just plug in something that draws more power at the end of the Christmas light chain so that they turn off when the DMX-4 is in the off position?

 

Any help with this is very much appreciated. Let me know if you need anymore information from me.

 

Thanks so much,

Zach

[BillESC]

I'd check with Chauvet's Tech Support. I suspect there is a trim pot within the dimmer circuit to adjust the low threshold.

[airy242]

Thanks, I'll contact them and see what they say.

[SoundBob]

I actually have had the same thing happen on an NSI dimmer and the same on a relay pack when I plugged in 8 Par 38 cans with LED bulbs in them. Once I plug in a lamp that loads the dimmer harder, all the lights go out, but unplug that extra load and all of the lights are still lit, but very dim.

 

I still use them for some scene change lighting, but just don't dim them at all.

[Rimmer]

Hey There, I just purchased a Chauvet DMX-4 Dimmer to run LED Christmas lights in addition to my normal light set-up. When I plug in the Christmas lights to the DMX-4 they remain on, though dim, even in the off setting on the DMX-4. Even if the lights are plugged in while the DMX-4 unit itself is completely off and plugged in, they are on and dim. They only completely turn off if I plug something else into the same channel circuit on the DMX-4 that draws power (i.e. a lamp at the end of the Christmas light chain). It appears that a tiny bit of power is coming through the unit regardless of being on or off, and since the Christmas lights require such a small amount of power it is enough to run them. Almost as if the DMX-4 isn't "true bypass." Is this a common problem? Is it worth looking into another DMX unit? Or should I just plug in something that draws more power at the end of the Christmas light chain so that they turn off when the DMX-4 is in the off position? Any help with this is very much appreciated. Let me know if you need anymore information from me. Thanks so much, Zach

 

The problem is a common one when using fixtures with a very low current requirement. To overcome the problem use 'load lamps' on the same channels to make the dimmers operated properly. Basically, put another load on those channels at the same time which sounds like what you've done without realising it..

 

I remember doing a gig where the stage had up/downstage LED strips running through the flooring but the current demand was so low, we had to us a load of domestic fittings on each channel which were mounted in a custom made box and then stored in the dimmer area.

 

Regards. Rimmer