Betapack 2

[RW]

I have just purchased a leapfrog desk and 6 betapack 2 dimmers. I installed the DMX run and the desk (I did the easy part) and a cowboy company installed the dimmers. The problem is with the dimmer curves (laws). Nothing happens with the lamps untill the fader is set to above about 45 - 50%. (even when faders are at full, I believe the lamps are not at 100% brightness) :?

 

The first show with our new dimmers was the day after the install so had not had a chance to test the kit. Set the show up on submasters and had a bad time of controlling slow crossfades as nothing would happen until the subs were almost at full! 8O

 

I have looked through the manual for the betapacks and the only thing I can see to mend the problem is to add a wire. Is there another way and will this even help?

 

The setup is leapfrog - 50meter dmx - dimmers 1-6 via 1meter dmx - term plug on last dimmer.

 

Is the fault with the dimmers or desk? I thought that installing Zero 88 all the way that things would be nice and compatible. In my mind, adding wires on a PCB is not an acceptable way of setting up a dmx system.

 

Please help!! :cry:

[Paul]

The law that is set with the link wire inside the Beta2 is not your problem. Most likely someone has been meddling with the preheat adjustment pots on the Beta2. Set a control input of 10% on every channel from the Leapfrog (confirm this on the outputs screen), then tweak the pots so the connected lamp just begins to glow. Each pot adjusts a pair of channels.

[RW]

Cowboys (or maybe me :oops: ) set the pre heat to 0. I did not realise it would have effected the overall output like it did (just the lowest output I thought would be effected). Hay Hoo, not a problem any more!

 

Now I know why I purchased Zero 88, because of this forum!!!

 

Problem solved, many thanks!

[Teflon]

i have a betapack 2 which seems to be not working properly. i can rule out control system problems and the problem occurs using both analogue and dmx inputs.

 

channel 5 + 6 seem to not respond properly to control inputs, the fader does nothing from 0% to 70% then above that just suddenly comes on to full brightness.

 

can anybody tell me what is wrong with it please? i bet it's just a 20 pence component gone wrong or something. i need a quick fix, got a show starting soon.

[KWR88]

Would point to the preheat having been adjusted to far.

 

Using the desk put a between 10-20% input to all channels adjust the preheat for each pair until the lamps just about coming on.

Take the channels to zero lamps should then be off.

Then fade all channels up and see what happens.

[Teflon]

thank you for the quick response. i'll give it a try.

[Teflon]

brilliant! i tried what you said and it worked a treat! thankyou very much.

[KWR88]

No problem, glad I could be of help.

[Truro College]

Hi, One of our Betapaks is playing up, it's the DMX & 0-10V control version.

Symptoms:

 

All 6 channels are on at about 40-50% as soon as the pack is switched on, the control is disconnected, the PreHeat pots are All the way back, the override pot is full up, I can press an override to run a channel to 100% and it will fall back to the 40-50%.

 

Any Ideas

 

Chris

[Paul]

The Preheat pots on the Beta2 do slightly more than adjust the preheat, so "all the way back" is likely to cause the problems you have noticed.

 

To set the pots correctly:

- Connect a lamp to each channel of the betapack.

- Turn off the channel test on the betapack.

- Set a control input of 10% on each channel from a desk (DMX or analogue).

- Adjust the preheat pots so that the connected lamp just begins to glow. Note that each pot adjusts a pair of channels.

[Truro College]

Thanks for the prompt reply - Will try that tomorrow and let you know... Last night I tried turning the Preheat pots all back - as in anticlockwise thinking that it would turn off the channels but no go... Will try tomorrow...

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[Truro College]

Paul,

 

Tried what you said. Desk channels set at 20%, trimmed ch1-2 pot so lamp's were dim glow, trimmed ch3-4 pot, this brought up levels on ch1-2 and 3-4, so trimmed 1-2 back so 1-4 same intensity, trimmed ch5-6 pot, this brought up levels on all channels, again trimmed 1&2 + 3&4 back so all channels dim glow. Went to desk, faders 100% = all lights to 100%, as I brought faders down, at 10% all lamps were off, at 0% all lamps shot back upto 100%.

 

As a double check I moved all the pots to the same position as one of our working packs to find similiar results to above...

 

HELP ?

Chris

[Kirkup_xp]

Pauls post says to trim at 10%. Any reason you chose to use 20%?

[Truro College]

blast... Yep 24hrs later, bad memory and testing during technical rehearsals didn't help.. Will try again....

 

Chris

[Truro College]

OK - Desk set to 10%, results - ch1 lantern off, ch2 lantern about 30%, ch3,4,5 about 10% ch6 off. any adjustment to any of the pots has no effect on the lanterns at all.

 

??????

 

:?

[KWR88]

From what you have described I think that there is a fault with the dimmer low voltage supply, possibly with the ref rails that set up the dimmers responce to channel inputs.

Please contact me direct on krogers@zero88.com or call me on 01633 833101 for more information.