I have 4 of these units. But they only seem to want to control 2 fixtures per unit instead of 4.

The address is set for 1, then 4, then 8, then 12

What the heck is going on???

Hi newbee1024 and welcome to the forums.

Chances are you have the packs set to 2 channel mode and not 4. Change it so that they are on 4 channel mode and you should be good to go.

How do you set the channel mode???

The user instructions I have is only a single page, and doesn't say anything about it.

Thanks

Hit the mode button until it shows CH4?

There isn't a mode button that I can find.

Older dimmer pack, so no channel mode on it. Sorry about that. Seems to be something else wrong.

First, what types of fixtures are you using and how are they lamped wattage wise? Second, with 4 channels per pack, the first should be addressed 1, second 5, third is 9, and last is 13. Third, which console are you using? Hopefully one of these questions points us in the right direction.

Sorry, I didn't read the manual. Now I did. Whee!!!!!

Dip switches. Oh joy!

1: 5 amps per channel, so don't go nuts on this unit.

2: The way I see it, there is no mode function, so it's a 4-channel dimmer, just like the manual says in it's one page.

The channels should be set 1, 5, 9, 13..... Ideally no overlap.

3: What Serra Ava is asking: What are you using to control this?

4: Any other lights show up: Channels 1-4, which ones light up?

5: Where are you plugging in things?

Ok,

The controller is an elation DMX Operator.

The lights are 120v 500w cans nothing special.

If you have overlap shouldn't more than one light come one at a time with the same fader???

The way the system is working now I tried to put 4 cans on the first dimmer but only 2 cans worked.

The LEDs' for all 4 channels are lit though, which is what's got me confused.

Wow, tons of useful information there. Now we can make some good headway.

Using your DMX Operator(I have one of these), you move up 4 faders and see 4 channel lights come on. BUT: you only see 2 lights come up.

Your lights are at the maximum for the fixture's per channel rating.

Which 2 are coming up? I take it things are consistent.

Have you tried moving the lights around on the different channels to see if it's bad bulbs or bad fixtures or bad cables? I'm ruling out the "bad fixture" and "Bad cables" at first glance because those tend to be rather simplistic fixtures and those sort of problems don't happen too often and when do, are easily fixed. I think you're also past the bad bulb stage.

Not that the manual or images help, but have you checked the fuses on the channels not responding?

Is there a problem with your controller? Instead of using channels 1-4, perhaps try 5-8? Maybe 2-5? 3-6? 4-7? Someone recently reported a mux chip needing replacing and had similar symptoms. This is to try to isolate things to any particular fader or faders.

Ruling this out because you get channel light indicators.

For now, overlap is impossible at least within a fixture. The dimmer will work on 4 consecutive channels. Using more than one dimmer, you can overlap partially or completely, with DMX such things don't matter. Whatever is looking at Channel-X SHOULD respond to Channel X.

If the LEDs on the pack are lighting up, that means it is seeing DMX just fine, so no issue there. I would do what Chris said and check your cables and lamps. Try switching stuff around and see what happens. If the problem follows the fixtures, its in the fixtures. If it doesn't, its in the pack. I would then check the fuses.

Keep in mind also that when lamps blow, its a common thing that they take the fuses/trip breakers on the circuit they are on. I had it happen to me just yesterday with a Sensor Rack. Lamp blew, replaced lamp, didn't come on, went back to the dimmer room, sure enough breaker was tripped.

Wow, that's some interesting information to be made aware of. I've seen plenty of lamps burn out or blow, but never seen them blow a fuse or pop a breaker at the same time.

Blow out situation: Low-hung lights around a wrestling ring and action had a guy bump a fixture pretty hard and the lamp blew(didn't break, must have jostled the element too hard), and that Par56 went POP. Dimmer still working(I know, it was mine, used it a short time later at a wedding. Light and lamp were not mine though). Typically when I see a bulb just burn out from usage, it's also less dramatic.

I guess I got lucky with no fuses blowing.

I have tried changing cans, and opened the packs to check the fuses. I can say that's not it.

I have 4 of these packs and they all run in 2 channel but should be 4.

I will try re-addressing and see if that's the problem, shouldn't be but anythings possible.

You didn't state HOW you moved the cans.

At any rate, is the channels going on consistent between all 4 packs? Now it's sounding like something at the console end of things.

Why not start simple: set all dimmers to channel 1. Now that they all match, you should see them all come up with the Scanner 1 button pressed, SHIFT off and the first 4 faders coming up. I'd say for convenience, use a small fixtures or a night light to test all channels one by one.

Its fairly common for lights to take out fuses or trip breakers when they blow. If you have ever seen one blow, it gets really bright before it goes out. That added surge is what causes the trip or blown fuse. It also makes it easy for me to tell when something blows out, because my eyes are drawn to changes in light, especially sudden ones like that.

It is looking more and more like a console/patching thing. When you run up channel one on the console, what two channels on the pack come on? Then with channel two, what 2, etc etc. That might help determine what exactly it is. If there is a pattern, it might be something obvious.

I know what you're talking about, the sudden surge. Of course, in my case, the Par56 was pointed at me, but I do recall it getting brighter right before it popped. I suppose since the fixture was rated far below the fuse, that's probably why it didn't blow the fuse. In your case, you're using better stuff, but probably closer to the fuse's rating. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that practice because that's what the gear is designed for.

The poster is using a DMX Operator, so it can't get too much simpler than that. But they aren't super forth-coming with all the information. I can't agree YET that it's a console/patching thing. Who knows if the dimmers were owner modified, or perhaps there is something wrong with the console. What is interesting is that the poster says they are all consistent. That would typically point back to the console.