SlashDude 0 Posted November 29, 2010 Report Share Posted November 29, 2010 What's up with our MN weather this year? To keep it positive, is anyone else feeling the love from their GFCI's tonight? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tfischer 17 Posted November 29, 2010 Report Share Posted November 29, 2010 What's up with our MN weather this year? To keep it positive, is anyone else feeling the love from their GFCI's tonight? Fortunately, I'm not scheduled to go on until Wednesday night, but I would like to do a dry-run tomorrow night, at least part of the time... Bleah. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SlashDude 0 Posted November 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2010 I tried a test run when I got home, and the outlets sounded like pop-corn I can "cheat" if 3 or 4 pop, but 7 are too many to run cords from inside... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tfischer 17 Posted November 29, 2010 Report Share Posted November 29, 2010 I tried a test run when I got home, and the outlets sounded like pop-corn I can "cheat" if 3 or 4 pop, but 7 are too many to run cords from inside... My controller network is plugged in and with this kind of weather I wouldn't be surprised if some GFCI's have tripped even though nothing is running... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crazytrain83 10 Posted November 30, 2010 Report Share Posted November 30, 2010 You'll get no sympathy from me.... I was the one putting lights on the roof in the freeing rain whistling "Good King Wenceslas" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wildcj 0 Posted November 30, 2010 Report Share Posted November 30, 2010 Slash I am in the same boat that you are in tonight. I have 3 sections out due to the rain, so I shut it down. I knew it was going to happen as when I put in my outlets the first thing the electrician told me was if it rained, the GFCI's will do their job and trip. And they did exactly that. Lets hope we get some of that nice snow they are predicting and it gives us back the ground insulator that we need. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chartrand 0 Posted November 30, 2010 Report Share Posted November 30, 2010 My house is older and does not have GFCI's, so rain doesn't give me much trouble. Ever considered trading out the GCFI's for regular outlets just during the month of December? I know safety first, right..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
urthegman 1 Posted November 30, 2010 Report Share Posted November 30, 2010 Sorry to hear it guys, makes me wonder if plastic bagging my connections is just an exercise in futility!!! Here's hoping some clear days are coming your way!!! George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rjnitto 0 Posted November 30, 2010 Report Share Posted November 30, 2010 Ray Charles song "Rainy Night in Georgia" fit perfectly tonight. Started raining just before 5:00 pm. Depressing. Show started at 6:00 pm. One GFCI tripped at 6:15. Shut down display at 6:20. Played my "Rainy Weather" show on Zara Radio till 10:00. Anyone know if you can have a message repeated every "x" minutes on Zara without creating a timed event? Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
belias21 0 Posted December 1, 2010 Report Share Posted December 1, 2010 My controller network is plugged in and with this kind of weather I wouldn't be surprised if some GFCI's have tripped even though nothing is running... Interesting that you mention this... We got rain all day today and, even though no show was running, I had some strange behavior. I had one channel just randomly decide to turn itself on. It stayed on for hours, up until I ulitmately decided to go unplug the controllers for the night. Curious to see if it comes on tomorrow by itself after things have dried up. Any idea what would cause that strangeness?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tfischer 17 Posted December 1, 2010 Report Share Posted December 1, 2010 Interesting that you mention this... We got rain all day today and, even though no show was running, I had some strange behavior. I had one channel just randomly decide to turn itself on. It stayed on for hours, up until I ulitmately decided to go unplug the controllers for the night. Curious to see if it comes on tomorrow by itself after things have dried up. Any idea what would cause that strangeness?? Most likely moisture made it into the controller. But don't panic - most folks have found that once things dry out, all is well. If you get a lot of rain, consider adding a plastic bag over your controllers. Incidentally, no GFI's popped on my controller circuits yesterday, and there were no apparent moisture-related problems tonight when I tested the show. I was anxious since I think that's the most rain I've ever had my controller boxes out in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SAchristmasLIGHTS 0 Posted December 1, 2010 Report Share Posted December 1, 2010 I run a large commercial display here in San Antonio and since Snow is a once in a 25 year event we mainly get rain. That being said what I am about to say is probly common knowledge but sometimes when we are faced with poping circuts we aint thinkin right!!!! We use rolls upon rolls of electrical tape and even silicon in the female tops of male plugs. We also use a small dab in c7 fixtures as it not only hold the bulb in but keeps water out. The at the main plug we invested in those covers that stick out, but they seem to not quite work so a good ole zip lock bag seems to do the trick. Hopefully y'all get snow AND US TOO that way we dont have to worry about water.... on a random note we had a string of mini Ice LEDs that fell off some bushes and in the pond... NOTHING POPPED!!! and since it looked cool I left them there over the weekend.. NOT that I am saying lets all go out and throw our LEDs in water... I was just amazed at the fact that when they say sealed they mean it! Ryan Gardner Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim Bateson 24 Posted December 1, 2010 Report Share Posted December 1, 2010 The last couple years, I no longer seal or wrap my connections or controllers. The only GFI pops have been caused by a couple bad channels in the controllers rather than by water in connections. However starting this year when it rains, I am runing a minimal show - just static lights up high or on the house. I have too many electrical cords in the yard and want to minimize the risk and my liability. I do loop through a couple songs and repeat a bad weather voice-over between each. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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