how do i remove the "strobe effect"

[connect2ccc.org]

OK .... I'm not sure how to ask this exactly since when it comes to lighting and its terminology, I'm as new as they come.. but I am having a problem I cannot "fix" and I'm hoping you can come through for me. Here goes: We have an original FROG board/desk which works just fine for our current needs. The problem I am having is that on the top row of faders (Preset A I believe) we have 3 faders assigned to control 6 lights (two lights per fader) which we use to shine on the white ceiling and illuminate the room (this is how we control our "house lights"). these lights run through two different control boxes mounted near the par cans, which each power 3 lights each. Up until this past Tuesday, when we would increase the fader (slide them up) they would increase the intensity of the lights making the room brighter and dimmer as we wished. However, somehow, now what happens is when we raise the faders up, the light intensity doesn't increase, instead it begins to strobe or flash and the higher we raise up the fader, the faster the pulse of the strobe/flash pattern goes. How can I remove this lighting effect so that we can get back to using it to raise and lower the lighting in the room smoothly?

 

-matt

 

PS.. Does zero88 offer any online video training courses or series of courses on its products that I could use to train myself and other volunteers / workers on the FROG lighting desks?

[kgallen]

Hi Matt,

 

This sounds to me like the electronics in the "control box" have failed - it would seem the control circuit is not switching the mains supply properly any more. Maybe Keith can suggest some falure modes since this "control box" appears to be a dimmer circuit.

 

You can rule out a problem with the Frog, by repatching the channels used to control your house lights to a different set of faders. If with a different set of faders you still see the problem then I would suspect the "control box". If the problem goes away then maybe there is an issue with the faders you were originally using.

 

If you need help repatching the channels, either see the manual (downloadable from this website) or ask again.

 

Good luck,

Kevin

[connect2ccc.org]

Hi Kevin,

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I think you may be right. I'll go check out the control boxes (haven't done) and see if they are showing any odd messages or something. I had been thinking of moving over the lights to 3 different fader channels but wasn't sure how to do that (how to assign the control box channels to a different set of faders) but I downloaded the manual and will give it a shot today. wish me luck ;-)

 

If anything at least that will show if the problem is with the Frog or the control boxes. thanks again .. I'll keep my results posted..

-matt

[connect2ccc.org]

Kevin ... YOU'RE DA MAN! Thanks for the simple yet effective solution . All I needed to do was go up on the lift and power cycle the control boxes. problem solved.

Thanks again.

 

-Matt