Olsen 595 Problem

**davdue** · 11-23-2016, 04:09 PM

Help got my show all setup and am testing all the channels. I have a 2 Olsen 595 setup. On the second board the first output on port I is always on. I have a spare Olsen board and swapped that out but as soon as I run any sequence with Vixen 2.5.0.8 the output comes on and stays on. Even disconnected the Ethernet cable and that doesn't affect it. Any ideas? Nothing has changed since last year. Same boards, computer, power supplies, everything is the same.

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**dirknerkle** · 11-23-2016, 04:58 PM

Try swapping the ULN2803 chip from a different set of channels. If the problem goes with the swapped chip, the problem is likely the 2803 chip itself. If that doesn't work, try swapping the 595 chip with a different one to see if the problem moves with the 595 chip.

If you're referring to the SSR channel itself (instead of the LED on the 595 board) and the above has no effect, then the issue is likely the SSR -- the Triac may be bad for that channel, or the MOC chip, or both.

In any event, I think these actions will help you identify where the problem is and you can replace that part.

**davdue** · 11-23-2016, 06:43 PM

I am talking about the LED is on as well as the SSR. I thought bad chip but I have put 3 different controllers in that spot and they all do the same thing but not when they are in the board #1 position. I noticed something else. It does it in test dialog as well. As soon as you turn on any output and the board is written to that output comes on.

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**JP90** · 11-23-2016, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by davdue

I am talking about the LED is on as well as the SSR. I thought bad chip but I have put 3 different controllers in that spot and they all do the same thing but not when they are in the board #1 position. I noticed something else. It does it in test dialog as well. As soon as you turn on any output and the board is written to that output comes on.

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Dave, I ran 3 Grinch boards for over 6 years and they are the same as the 595 but without the led's. There is nothing much that can go wrong with this board that replacing an IC won't fix but you said that you replaced the 595 with 3 other 595's and got the same problem I would disconnect the cat 5 from the ssr and see if the led stills comes on that would at least remove the ssr from the equation. If the led does not come on then plug in a different ssr to that port and see if the led sticks back on. I am leaning towards a bad ssr from what you have done so far.

Gary

**davdue** · 11-23-2016, 09:06 PM

Gary

I already did that as well as disconnecting the cat 5 from the board. Tried a different SSR that works from another spot and did the same thing.

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**JP90** · 11-23-2016, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by davdue

Gary

I already did that as well as disconnecting the cat 5 from the board. Tried a different SSR that works from another spot and did the same thing.

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Dave if you are using the ren-C did you check the baud rate setting for the serial port in Vixen?

Gary

**davdue** · 11-23-2016, 10:06 PM

No ren-c. I have one but haven't utilized it yet. Need to upgrade to led or pixels but can't talk myself into the cost or the time to start over with my show. That's why I haven't used the ren-c yet.

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**JP90** · 11-24-2016, 12:25 AM

I don't know if this will help but I have attached a pdf diag. of the Grinch, like I said the only difference I think are the led's.

**dirknerkle** · 11-24-2016, 01:09 AM

Have you swapped the ULN2803's to check that chip yet? And possibly, a pin may be bent in the RJ45 jack for channel 1... sometimes those can get crossed.

**davdue** · 11-24-2016, 02:30 AM

No I haven't because I have swapped 2 other 595 boards out into the second position and the problem was still there. It can't be a problem with 595 board. I have swapped out the SSR as well and disconnected the cat 5 cable from both ends one at a time. I have tested the cat 5 cable and it is ok with no shorts or swapped wires. This setup worked fine last year. Nothing is different including the computer. The sequences are even the same just copied to a new name with 2016 in the file name. Regardless of all that the output stays off until any output is turned on in the system regardless of which board. I checked that the ground from the 5 VDC power supply still is grounded to the computer ground in the parallel port. I checked all the normal stuff before I ever posted this. The only thing I just thought I haven't checked is the bios setting for the printer port. I'll check that tomorrow sometime.

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