Chauvet DMX-3F Fog Adapter ? I need help..

[yofo]

hi, I have a Cheavet DMX-3F Fog Adapter and I can't het the thing to work, can anyone help me out who have the same unit then me, I don't know that it means then the green LED is blinking or just plain on, If I move a slider, nothing happends?

[yofo]

just to add, the DMX adapter is plugged into my fog machine tho and the power is on, but dmx section don't work

[Shannon D]

I don't have the DMX-3F, but I just looked in the manual (which is one page). It says, "The green LED on the side of the unit will light to indicate the presence of a DMX signal". It doesn't say anything about blinking.

The red LED will light when the fogger is heated and ready to fog.

Are you sure you have it addressed correctly?

You can email Chauvet at tech1@chauvetlighting.com

[Shannon D]

Did you create a fixture file for the DMX-3F? It has 4 channels and will probably need its own fixture file instead of working from the fogger window. Attached is the one pager with the 4 channel descriptions.

[yofo]

yea, i have that same pdf file, so I can't understand, the dmx slidders in freestyler and some other dmx program, does nothing, its like the unit is not working, my address starting address is : 9, dup switch " 100100000 and the last dup is 1, and that 1 means DMX, and if I do that, the green LED flashes, so it seems to want to work, but is not working, I have some DMX experience, with my 8 channel laser, I made my own fixture, was fun making it tho, lol, but i can't make a fixture on a dmx device that is not responding, hehe

[yofo]

this is a tech question, i have a homemade dmx controller, say for instance the 3pin are not correctly wired, and that pin2 and pin3 are swapped by mistake, will this still works on other dmx devices, because my laser works perfectly with my dmx controller?

[dmxlighting]

It does not say on the pdf if the unit needs pin2+ or pin3+. Normaly Chauvet kit is p3+ but this needs to be checked. Whichever way it is make sure that you are sending dmx in the correct polarity.

[yofo]

u guys, thanx for the help, I'm still a learner, and I'm starting to get my way slowly, u see the thing is, I have a JB systems laser that works fine with my DMX controller, its a homemade Oksidizer USB2DMX unit, that a online buddy created for me, so I'm not sure how he did it, becuase, he programmed the PIC, and done the PCB, because I can't program a pic.

So I have bought myself a Cheavet DMX-3F Fog Adapter, and I know this stuff have 3 pins, so you guys say that my laser can work with the wrong pins setup? I want to make my controller standard so that it will work on all lights, i dont want any crossover cables and that stuff


EDIT : sending dmx in the wrong polarity? will a fixture still have the possibility to work? or does some work?

[dmxlighting]

Yofo

I will try to explain how it works.

On the XLR of your usb device and your fixture there will be either 5pins or a 3pins. 5pin xlr's are infact the true dmx standard but 3pin connectors are becomming far more popular as they are much cheaper. Regardsless of 3 or 5 pin connectors only 3 wires / pins are ever used to send dmx.
The 3 wires dmx needs are Hot(+) Cold(-) and Screen.
DMX standard is that the hot(+) is carried on pin3 of the xlr, cold(-) is carried on pin2 and screen on pin1. Screen is ALWAYS carried on pin1.
So on your comms cables you should find that each end is wired pin for pin.

You need to find out if the usb device (Oksidizer ) is wired 2+ or 3+. You cannot tell just by looking!!
As you said thre JB Lazer does work so please look are see if it is p2 or p3 hot. Then as Onge said make up a special cable to swap p2 and p3 over if needed.
This is easy. Just get a normal pin for pin cable and then undo one end (dont matter which) and with your soldering iron swap over the wires on 2 and 3.
Then mark this cable so you know its a special one and when needed add it to your setup. Pehaps use the lazer a the first fixture in the chain then use the polarity swapping cable to link to the rest of the fixtures you have.

Hope this helps...

[Shannon D]

Yeah, everything Lee said above

Do you have a regular DMX controller or something else that you can test the DMX-3F with the fogger to make sure the DMX-3F is not faulty?

[yofo]

here is the diagram, I want u to have a look?

[yofo]

Yeah, everything Lee said above

Do you have a regular DMX controller or something else that you can test the DMX-3F with the fogger to make sure the DMX-3F is not faulty?

I only have this one unit, and it's build exactly like in this pdf file, my online buddy, but I dont know if it's standard, I have had the impression, it's all standard, and that this stuff just works by plugging in it and make a fixture, no worries... hmmm

[yofo]

most important, if I swap pin3 and pin2 om my dmx cable will that destroy my hardware?

[Shannon D]

According to the documentation, it sounds like it should work with FS right out the box. I can't reply on the diagrams or damage to your equipment. I have never own any other dongle other than the Enttec Pro which works flawlessly with FS. Maybe one of the other guys will chime in.

Is the laser working perfect? Do you have any other fixtures working besides the laser?

I made my own fixture, was fun making it tho, lol, but i can't make a fixture on a dmx device that is not responding, hehe

Are you trying to control it from the fogger window without an actual fogger fixture file?

Does the red light ever come on to show that the fogger is ready?

[yofo]

According to the documentation, it sounds like it should work with FS right out the box. I can't reply on the diagrams or damage to your equipment. I have never own any other dongle other than the Enttec Pro which works flawlessly with FS. Maybe one of the other guys will chime in.

Is the laser working perfect? Do you have any other fixtures working besides the laser?

I made my own fixture, was fun making it tho, lol, but i can't make a fixture on a dmx device that is not responding, hehe

Are you trying to control it from the fogger window without an actual fogger fixture file?

Does the red light ever come on to show that the fogger is ready?

I made my own fixture is "Fixture creator" I meant, not a actual light...
EDIT: I made a 4 channel fogger fixture in the creator the same as I did with my laser

Yes the red light goes on, then the machine is heated up, and the green led flashed crazy the, I've seen a dmx-3f unit in action on a youtube video, it was also flashing like my one does, so I think something is messedup

I onlyt have a laser and a dmx fog controller now, I'm waiting on a dmx strobe controller, bit its discontinued,

[Shannon D]

I'll make a fixture file for the DMX-3F for you to try. I'm at work now, so please be patient. It shouldn't take me too long. You may want to post the fixture file you created so we can take a look at it as well.

[yofo]

I'll make a fixture file for the DMX-3F for you to try. I'm at work now, so please be patient. It shouldn't take me too long. You may want to post the fixture file you created so we can take a look at it as well.

It's cool, I can't export my fixture, so I'll place the stuff in a zip file, it's not complete because I can't test it, so I dont have fancy stuff yet in, u know the way, just copy the content in the fixture folder on freestyler


EDIT : oops rar file

[dmxlighting]

most important, if I swap pin3 and pin2 om my dmx cable will that destroy my hardware?

No it will not hurt the hardware. The worst that can happen is if the polarity is wrong then your fixtures will not respond or in some case the fixtures just go nuts!

There are some fixtures on the market that will auto dectect the polarity of the incoming dmx signal. Abstarct VRX range is one of those that will do this.

[yofo]

most important, if I swap pin3 and pin2 om my dmx cable will that destroy my hardware?

No it will not hurt the hardware. The worst that can happen is if the polarity is wrong then your fixtures will not respond or in some case the fixtures just go nuts!

There are some fixtures on the market that will auto dectect the polarity of the incoming dmx signal. Abstarct VRX range is one of those that will do this.

u say the stuff goes nuts, well then I plugged the crossover in my laser, the laser have gone nuts but that was only for a millisecond, the laser just go on for a spit second and then go of, extremely fast.

[Shannon D]

yofo,

Your fixture file should work when using the sliders. I am strapped at work and don't have the time I thought to make your file. The only thing I would of done different is pick "other" for the fixture type so that macros could be added for the different settings. Not knowing what fogger you have would make it difficult for me to make the "perfect" macros that would work good for you. I think once you get it going, that would be the time to work on the macros for your personal preference.

I saw the youtube vid with the 650 fogger and the DMX-3F. It looked like he had it addressed, along with the #10 dip switch on. The light was blinking pretty fast as you described yours to be. Just a thought, but do you have a multi-meter that you can test the output of the DMX-3F? If using a fogger like the 650 in the video, the remote connections only have 3 pins and it is a simple switch (on/off). Maybe you can test the output with a meter to see if you see any change when you make changes with the sliders. Have you checked the output window (edit >output) of FS to see if the channel values are changing?

[yofo]

yofo,

Your fixture file should work when using the sliders. I am strapped at work and don't have the time I thought to make your file. The only thing I would of done different is pick "other" for the fixture type so that macros could be added for the different settings. Not knowing what fogger you have would make it difficult for me to make the "perfect" macros that would work good for you. I think once you get it going, that would be the time to work on the macros for your personal preference.

I saw the youtube vid with the 650 fogger and the DMX-3F. It looked like he had it addressed, along with the #10 dip switch on. The light was blinking pretty fast as you described yours to be. Just a thought, but do you have a multi-meter that you can test the output of the DMX-3F? If using a fogger like the 650 in the video, the remote connections only have 3 pins and it is a simple switch (on/off). Maybe you can test the output with a meter to see if you see any change when you make changes with the sliders. Have you checked the output window (edit >output) of FS to see if the channel values are changing?

I have already tested the output yesterday, by carefully opening the device, and put my meter on the + and - input that feeds the opto ic, and no voltage, it's if the unit is faulty...
I thought it might be a triac that is blown, but after testing and searching for a trigger voltage, there isn't even a trigger voltage no where, so by my bad luck, it's another faulty system, just like my couriered laser, that looked like 2nd hand then I got it with scratches on the casing and the patterns was freezing up and the package was dent in looked like someone used it to kill someone before, dents in my box, so I returned it, now its working....I orderd my DMX-3F from a other shop, but it looks like a another faulty product, u see, I have learned alot by making my own fixture for my laser. So I kinda know the stuff...but then a dmx device is faulty that's another story

[Shannon D]

Hopefully whom ever you bought it from will honor the return and either give your money back or replace the unit. Good luck.

[yofo]

Hopefully whom ever you bought it from will honor the return and either give your money back or replace the unit. Good luck.

I'm gonna get a new one, and return the old, via the courier, hopefully the new one works.....did you also have this bad luck then ordering someone online?

[Shannon D]

.....did you also have this bad luck then ordering someone online?

I can honestly say that I have never had a faulty piece of gear come from an online purchase. I have bought new and used gear off of ebay and other online stores. I did have 2 ebay sellers that I had to file a claim for through Paypal because they never sent the items. I got my money back both times.

Oops, I just remembered, I did get one light from Chauvet that was faulty. Instead of sending them back the faulty light, they told me to keep it for spare parts and they sent me another one right away. I found this to be excellent customer service and that's why I have mostly Chauvet lights. For what I do with my lights and the price that they come by, it's hard for me to justify paying top dollar for the high end stuff. My only problem is their cheap foggers and HZ-1000. Those don't last. And I take good care of all my gear. I'm in the market now for a high end hazer that will last.

[yofo]

my first gear I've bought was all Cheavet, 2x scanners,1x duo moon, 1x strobe, and 1x smoke machine, and they all worked 100% well, it's only my Cheavet FX-800 that had a faulty pipe in side the machine then it goes into the pump. and it started to leak very much after a couple of years, so I opened it up , and fix the pipe myself and I modified the nozzle by drilling a to big hole by mistake, and now it bursting out a massive cloud of smoke then I press the button, well not to bad, but its leaks fluid abit out of the nozzle now, lol, but its worth it, I just press something in the nozzles input then I'm not using it. all none- dmx so I sold my scanners, and bought myself a nice cheap cool dmx laser, I'm a very happy with it so far

EDIT: I wish I can get a faulty product to keep, because I'll most likely to fix it myself