Help! 3 Channels Not Working! Lor Won't Help

[Christmasjunkie 6]

I am running a simple 4-controller network in LOR.  I have been using Controller box #1 in the same configuration for at least 4 years.  Channels 1-3 drive the 3 sections of my Holdman Bethlehem Star. .   It has been working fine for years but tonight it stopped working.  I did the usual trouble shooting things: the other 5 channels on the same side of the controller box are working,  the pilot light is lit so power is up, the fuses on both sides of the controller are fine.  I plugged the lights on the star directly into a receptacle to make sure the problem isn't the lights or the fuses in the lights....they lit up fine.  The star is the center piece of my display.  I couldn't get any help from LOR.  Help!  Suggestions?

[keitha 0]

You could have bad triacs. First I would use the hardware utility to test the outputs to make sure it isn't a problem with the sequence.

[Takoda 23]

It would be very unusual to have all three die at the same time, but stranger things have happened!  As Keitha mentioned, make sure you don't have another sequence, such as a background sequence, turning the channels off and make sure those channels didn't get reassigned.

[Christmasjunkie 6]

With the help of LOR I was able to re-set the controller (something I've never done before)  However, now I have one channel staying on all the time.  If this is a problem with the triac, what do I do?  Can these be replaced?

[urthegman 1]

It's not the easiest thing to change, but it can definitely be done. There are three pins coming out of the bottom of the triac, try to cut it off so that you can grip each pin with a needle nose pliers once you cut it the bad one off. You will need a de-soldering wick or braid and a soldering iron or pencil.(a good one is worth the investment). After you remove as much solder as you can grip one of the pins with your pliers and pay attention to its location from the bottom of the board as you heat the pin that you are gripping with the pliers, gently pull until the pin is removed. Repeat for the other two pins. You will most likely need to remove more solder with the de-soldering braid now. Chances are very good that the three holes you have will either be blocked or partially blocked. I like to use a straightened out safety pin to restore the hole to its original size, I do this by pressing the safety pin into the hole while heating the pin. Once I get it through I immediately spin it in a circle, to get the hole large enough for the pin on the new triac to fit through. Repeat for the other two holes until you can fit the new triac in and then solder the new triac in place. Good luck and I hope you don't have to do this too often. George