Sirius 24/48 - IPL Failed

[tc8039]

We have a Sirius 24 and the display is giving readout "IPL FAILED". Are there any known remedies to this? We have a show in a week, and would like some vague life back in the desk! (Can't afford a frog atm).

 

Cheers

[KWR88]

Ok IPL stands for inter processor link an a 24way desk this normally means that there is a DMX card fitted and the main PCB is not talking to the card correctly.

There are a couple of causes for this so we need to track which one it is.

 

First if you put the desk into super user and go through the menu structure

and find other things. If you then go into this menu you will find an option called test IPL. If you run this you would normally get an IPL running message. With an IPL fault you will get a Fault *.* when the * is a number.

If you get a 1.* or 2.* then this normally points to a simple connection fault to the card, either a ribbon cable or possibly the grey loom that connects the main PCB to the dmx card.

If you get a 3.* then this is normally a fault with one or more of the components on the DMX or possibly the main PCB this will require it to be looked at by a service agent. The same would be required if you do not have a DMX card fitted.

[GORMZ]

When i start the sirius 48, sometimes, (3/4) the display show "HUNG" and the orange LEDs are on for a long time.

I ever have another problem before, the circuits 1 to 12 and 37 to 48 did not work. (i re-start the sirius and it runs as well as before)

 

Do you know what is going down with my sirius?

 

Thank you! (I'm French so apologies for my bad english)

 

Rémy.

[KWR88]

This sounds like a problem with the communication between the main, slave and DMX (if fitted) PCB.

As this seems intermittent it would be worth checking the batteries on both the main and slave PCB as if they are starting to fail it would cause the PCB to not start up correctly.

There are also a couple of cable connections between the PCB’s that you could check.

 

There are also several components on the PCB’s that can cause this but these are more difficult to track with out the correct equipment.

[GORMZ]

Thank you, my home seller is going to repair the sirius48, perhaps he'll check you to have the "electric diagram".

 

Rémy.

[techs]

Anyone got any ideas ?

I just purchased a second hand Sirrius 48 desk, supposidly working.

However on startup it says IPL Failed then switched to Presets Only

The first & last 12 channels do not work at all and only on analogue with no DMX siganl at all !

Can anyone give me any suggestions ?

I am tech trained so have no problem taking this desk apart in needed !!

 

Thank You !

 

 

Aaron

[KWR88]

Not sure but may have already spoken or had a direct e-mail on this.

 

My first guess is start by checking the batteries on the main and Slave PCB if the desk has not been used for a while.

 

Also check the ribbon cable connections, especially the grey loom with the red and black wire that connects both the main and slave to the DMX PCB as this is part of the IPL link. It could be that the wire has broken leaving on the plastic in the crimp.

[J. S. Coolen]

I get this error and then the table won't do anything

 

The lights from 13 til 37 turn green. And then nothing. There is no way to get into the Super user mode

 

What can I do?

[Robin D]

If its like my Sirius 500, it most likely to be the batter(ies)? on the main board and/or slave. They are a few pounds each and easily replaced if you can use a soldering iron.

 

Robin

[J. S. Coolen]

I replaced the batteries but there is no change

[Dries Mees]

Good morning,

 

A week ago I bought a second hand sirius48 which always gave the error "IPL failed".

When booting up, at first the desk works fine and everything is possible (I have not checked whether the outputs work) but after a couple of minutes, the desk start to display the error message IPL failed, and the desk hangs, it isn't possible to do anything anymore, no super user, nothing at all... Once this message appears, you can't boot properly again until you let the desk "rest" for a couple of hours.

 

After reading this page, I renewed the batteries to 3,6V NiMH 800mAh. But the problem keeps occurring. I did manage to get into the super user once, and ran the iPL test. The error message was 8.1

 

What part of the Sirius does 8.1 refer to? I am technically skilled so it's no problem for me to check every component if necessary, I have al the equipment at hand.

 

UPDATE:

I have managed to get into the super user a few times, when testing IPL, it gave the following messages:

A.5

3.2

5.1

 

I have no ideo what these error messages mean, can you help me out? It's strange the error message keeps changing, as if it are multiple problems...

 

 

I hope you can help me,

Greetings,

Dries Mees

Belgium

[KWR88]

That sounds like a problem with communication between the main, slave and DMX card.

It could be a problem with the grey loom with the red and black wire, that connects the PCB's together having a poor connection.

It could also be a fault with one of the components; would be more inclined to look at the DMX card as the cause.

What you could try and do is run the desk as an analogue only version.

 

e-mail me on keith.rogers@cooperindustries.com to continue with this.

[ROBOTRON]

Hello together,

 

This is an old thread, but i have similar problems. We had fitted a DMX Card to a Sirius 24 and made the changes to the main PCB. Under Super-User we can't find the option "DMX-Patch" so the main pcb seems not to recognize the DMX Card. When we make the IPL Test the answer is not failed or error code, the answer is "unavailable". First we thought we have the wrong Software Version, but in the manual is written, all Versions above 4319 are DMX-Ready.We have 4322.We checked all connections, we measured directly to the pins at the CPU of the main pcb, the link connection is correct, power on DMX-pcb is correct and so on. If someone could help it would be very kind. My Questions:

When did the IPL test says " unavailable "?

There is a signal from right hand board to DMX-Board called " Enable IPL". Must this sigal be active high? (It's always low).

Which connections must be established, that the Software "knows" that there is a DMX-Board fitted.

In the moment i have no solution, maybe an "old crack" can give us an answer. Thanks, and sorry for my bad english.

[ROBOTRON]

As a feedback to my last post i will say that we solved the problem. The 68B03 CPU on the DMX Card had a malfunktion.

We discovered this in the background with Keith from Zero 88 in several mails. Finally Keith supplied us with the replacement part,

a difficult available item. It's not a matter of course to get support for a 17 years old product, so we like to say " many thanks" to Keith and

Zero 88 for their great support!

We started in the early 80's with a used Lightmaster 601 from France, changed soon to a lightweight LM 1200, followed by the Sirius 24 in the

year 1992. Current we use a Mambo Frog and the old Sirius for standalone background lighting at small events. Until now we did not have

any problems with Zero 88 Products, so we trust in the future in their products, and their support again.

Finally let me say: Zero 88 and their support ROCKS!!

 

Walter

from Germany

 

and please excuse my bad english.

[Ben H]

Hi There,

 

I have a Sirius24 that is not too happy about life at the moment.

 

It did a job in a slightly damp envionment (in some tunnels) and when I came to clear the memory after the show (good timing) the problems began.

 

The desk displayed IPL failed and the output lights where on (at varying levels), so I opened it up to check conections to the DMX PCB (as I had read on here) and the connections seemed good but there looked like there was some condensation residue on the main PCB, and the battery didn't look too good, I changed the battery and cleaned the board (only the one with the battery on it had any evidence of damp, odd) with isopropel alcohol.

 

The desk still sometimes comes up with IPL failed (not as much though) and the output LEDs are still on. I have tried unplugging all the ribbon cables that go to the faders - no change.

I have unplugged all cables to the DMX board - the output lights stay on.

I have tried unpluging the 2 lower PCBs (one at a time) to see if they where causing the faults and the output LEDs on which ever one is plugged in, still light up.

 

The LEDs are not all at the same level, and flicker slightly, when the faders are connected the level of the LEDs can be increased (all of the above happens when the desk has all faders down, or unplugged.

 

If anyone has any ideas they would be very welcome, I obviously have no problems in taking any readings needed.

 

Many thanks

 

Ben

[KWR88]

hi Ben,

 

Coudl you PM me on the address below will send you some info that you can follow up on.

[merryw_t]

I have an IPL failed message on my Sirius 48 and have run the IPL test in super user mode and get a 3.1 error message.

 

I have just changed both of the batteries as neither of them was giving out more than 1V and the desk wouldn't boot at all. I've checked the large ribbon cables and the ribbons from the faders these appear to be ok.

 

Where is the best place to start looking?

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[merryw_t]

An update to my previous post now that the new batteries have charged up a bit I'm getting a different eror message. I now get an IPL Failed 5.1 message also the first and last 12 faders are not working at all.

 

Any ideas on where to start looking for the problem would be greatly appreciated and I'm currently trying to buy some newer dimmers from the local Pro Theatre and I need a bigger and better desk than the Light Processor Q12 that the society is currently using.

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[KWR88]

That sounds like a connection issue between the DMX card, and the main and slave PCB.

You are looking for a pair of grey cables with a red and black wire. One connects to the main PCB the other to the slave.

It is easy for this cable to look's OK but is actually only crimped on the plastic.

 

PM me on the address below for more information.