Unknown System Category

Discussion in 'C-Bus Wired Hardware' started by TDB, Nov 3, 2011.

  1. TDB

    TDB

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    I have a reasonably new CBus Dimmer installed that keeps intermittently switching off channels. The Unit has been replaced, but the problem persists. The application log does not show any activity when the lights go off.

    Today I fired up CBus Diagnostic Utility and turned Error Reporting on for this unit.

    There are errors appearing and I was hoping someone could give me some additional information.

    The Unit address is 204 and I use channels 1,2, and 3 only.

    Thanks.


    Code:
    3/11/2011 13:30:56  Rx : 05CCCE0015DFE9FF010084<CR>
3/11/2011 13:30:56  Rx :  = Local Network, Source Unit 204, Error Reporting, Error Report: Unknown System Category, Device 255, OK, Flags: MostRecent, MostSevere, Data = 0100
3/11/2011 13:31:01  Rx : 05CCCE0015DFE9FF020083<CR>
3/11/2011 13:31:01  Rx :  = Local Network, Source Unit 204, Error Reporting, Error Report: Unknown System Category, Device 255, OK, Flags: MostRecent, MostSevere, Data = 0200
3/11/2011 13:31:06  Rx : 05CCCE0015DFE9FF030082<CR>
3/11/2011 13:31:06  Rx :  = Local Network, Source Unit 204, Error Reporting, Error Report: Unknown System Category, Device 255, OK, Flags: MostRecent, MostSevere, Data = 0300
     
    TDB, Nov 3, 2011
    #1
  2. TDB

    NickD Moderator

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    Those error reports are actually saying that everything is OK.

    What is the model number of the dimmer?

    When you say the dimmer is intermittently switching off channels... do they go off and stay off or do they go off and come back on again by themselves? What do the channel indicators show when this happens?

    Nick
     
    NickD, Nov 3, 2011
    #2
  3. TDB

    TDB

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    Thanks for the reply.

    The unit is a 4 channel 2A Dimmer - DIMDU4 (v2.7.00)

    Channels 2 & 3 are connected to 4 downlights each in our boardroom. At intermittent times throughout the day, the lights attached to one channel or both channels will go off for about 1 second then come back on.

    I cannot see the module to confirm if the channel lights go off. These lights are on a pretty basic configuration - each channel has an individual address and a DLT is used to turn on the channels via a scene.

    There is nothing appearing in the Application log to show a CBus event has trigged the lights, which is why I am playing in the Diagnostics tool.
     
    TDB, Nov 4, 2011
    #3
  4. TDB

    NickD Moderator

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    This dimmer has inbuilt short circuit protection, which will shut the lamp down within the mains half cycle (<10ms) if it detects a significant overload. This can often happen when an incandescent filament fails as it often draws an arc which then ends out shorting out the lamp, and would otherwise destroy the MOSFET that's carrying the load current. When this is tripped, the channel restarts itself 5 seconds later.

    We have found that this can be false triggered if there are significant transients on the mains supply, as when the channel is on, the lowest impedance path to ground is through the load and the MOSFET. It sounds like this is what is happening in your case.

    It's nothing to worry about, but if you find it annoying, you can possibly get your sparky to fit a suitably rated capacitor (X2 type) between the line and neutral terminals on the dimmer and then hopefully the transients will go that way rather than through the channels.

    Nick
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 5, 2011
    NickD, Nov 5, 2011
    #4
  5. TDB

    ashleigh Moderator

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    From memory, I think this dimmer also has automatic overload protection which will cause either a backoff in brightness or a channel shutdown (I don't remember which).

    It *may* also be that there is too much load on one of the channels, or the dimmer is mounted in a place where its getting stinking hot. The getting hot part is probably easy enough to check if you can locate where it's installed. Checking the load is a bit more of a pain.
     
    ashleigh, Nov 6, 2011
    #5
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