I was checking for a light leak the other night in my tent and noticed very trace amount of light and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Finally I looked up at my two Blackstar 240's and they were still lit (VERY dim) when they were off. Is this a common issue or is this how they are supposed to function? I have them both plugged into the same digital timer that's plugged into a good surge protector. I switched the surge protector off and they are still dimly lit. They only turn off completely when I unplug the surge protector. So I'm not sure if it's maybe an electrical issue. I have a call in to Gotham Hydro where I bought them. I read on another forum where they were saying it won't affect the plants or equipment. I am 2 weeks and 2 days into 12/12 and barely see pistils.
Blackstar LED's staying dimly lit when off
- Thread starter Kushfan
- Start date
Slixxor
Well-Known Member
Interesting! I will have to agree. if you cut mains power then their should be no power! Did you check to make sure it doesn't just stay dimly lit for a short period of time? If it does lets say 10 minutes it may simply be filtering capacitors in the controllers discharging. But they would be enormous electrolytics!
If the light constantly stays on then replace your timer with a better one
If the light constantly stays on then replace your timer with a better one
FranJan
Well-Known Member
Kushfan, it seems you can't use digital timers with most LED panels. I've seen threads about this and I just switched my veg cab from CFLs to LEDs and was using a GE digital timer. Sure enough the first night I went to see that the timers were working and looked up at my diodes and they were still glowing faintly. Switched to an analog timer and the problem disappeared. Seems to happen to Chinese made panels like BS's. Good Luck and I hope this helps.
Rasser
Active Member
My digital timer has a click sound when activated by either manual touch or internal timer,
so I'm guessing it has a relay as an on/off switch and I've just checked, there is no power on the unit when its off.
Sounds like some digital timer may be using a Triac as an on/off switch, like the ones used in cheap dimmers,
witch can't be turned totally off, if you replace your 60W incandescent light bulb with a small 5 watt LED.
Well the first thing to find out is if it's the lamp or the timer that has a fault.
so I'm guessing it has a relay as an on/off switch and I've just checked, there is no power on the unit when its off.
Sounds like some digital timer may be using a Triac as an on/off switch, like the ones used in cheap dimmers,
witch can't be turned totally off, if you replace your 60W incandescent light bulb with a small 5 watt LED.
Well the first thing to find out is if it's the lamp or the timer that has a fault.
Yes they stay on hours after the timer shuts them off.Interesting! I will have to agree. if you cut mains power then their should be no power! Did you check to make sure it doesn't just stay dimly lit for a short period of time? If it does lets say 10 minutes it may simply be filtering capacitors in the controllers discharging. But they would be enormous electrolytics!
If the light constantly stays on then replace your timer with a better one
I talked to the supplier and he said it's a somewhat common issue and most of the time it is the timer. Thank you for confirming the issue from your experience.
Well I just took the timer out and plugged the led's directly into the surge protector (power strip), and switched the power off, and everything else on the surge protector turns off but i still get the low dim from my led's 
This leads me to believe I have an electrical issue because I have been shocked by the metal light casing before when they were off. I don't believe it's the lights themselves (I have two panels), because one they both do the same thing and two I've been shocked by other items in the closet on the same circuit before.
This leads me to believe I have an electrical issue because I have been shocked by the metal light casing before when they were off. I don't believe it's the lights themselves (I have two panels), because one they both do the same thing and two I've been shocked by other items in the closet on the same circuit before.
Can't do that here in the US, they have two prongs and one ground on the plug.
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
Reverse the wires on the sides of the outlet. It could of been wired backwards and out of code...Or put electrical tape over the display to mask it.
Rasser
Active Member
Ding !
A surge protector has some capacitor coupling to earth, depending on if your earth is linked to the neutral or a real earth,
or the wires are switch, it can create the effects you are seeing. Try the lamp it in a normal wall socket.
It can also make a electric tinkling sensation when touching the chassis of anything or a direct electric shock if not earth properly.
I have modded the one I use at work to supply AC main power to our FOH mixer outboard rack, I got enough of electric shock
when touching the mixer at the same time as touching the rack chassis, when running without earth.
One of those cheap live phase tester are great to see if something has a live mains phase coupling to the chassis.
A surge protector has some capacitor coupling to earth, depending on if your earth is linked to the neutral or a real earth,
or the wires are switch, it can create the effects you are seeing. Try the lamp it in a normal wall socket.
It can also make a electric tinkling sensation when touching the chassis of anything or a direct electric shock if not earth properly.
I have modded the one I use at work to supply AC main power to our FOH mixer outboard rack, I got enough of electric shock
when touching the mixer at the same time as touching the rack chassis, when running without earth.
One of those cheap live phase tester are great to see if something has a live mains phase coupling to the chassis.
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
Use a volt meter, not an idiot light voltage pen. I have seen them show no voltage on the wire, but then near true metal, they show voltage. On the screw it is hot, on the wire it shows not.
It is definitely out of code as the particular circuit is in a garage converted into a studio apt. But I had the same results plugging the strip into every outlet in the room. Is it possible that every outlet is wired wrong, or the circuit in general is bad?
The lamp works fine directly into the socket, however there's no on/off switch on the Blackstars so they are on anytime they are plugged in. I went around and plugged the power strip into every outlet of the room with the lamp, and switched the power off to get the same low dim everywhere else I plugged in. I then went in the house (I have my tent in a back house), and plugged the strip in along with the lamp in different sockets, and the lamp/strip shuts completely off as it should. So maybe I have a bad circuit in the back house?Ding !
A surge protector has some capacitor coupling to earth, depending on if your earth is linked to the neutral or a real earth,
it can create the effects you are seeing. Try the lamp it in a normal wall socket.
It can also make a electric tinkling sensation when touching the chassis of anything or a direct electric shock if not earth properly.
I have modded the one I use at work to supply AC main power to our FOH mixer outboard rack, I got enough of electric shock
when touching the mixer at the same time as touching the rack chassis.
One of those cheat live phase tester are great to see if something has a live mains phase coupling to the chassis.
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
The device may have a limited battery power supply to power the display. Gas station pumps have that, I work on them. If total power is lost, they must display the final sale for 5 min in my state, electronic pumps of course. I can kill all power and still read the pumps. That item is probably not designed for that feature, but with all electronics and large storage capacitors, the current needed to light a display is not much. It could be what I call ghosting, pulling stored power.
Rasser
Active Member
Yes untrue metal(like plastic) won't work on this idiot pen that's for sure, and a dry thumb is not good either.
A remember your can't use a normal multimeter on AC to see witch plug has neutral and witch has the live phase, left or right.
Kushfan> "They only turn off completely when I unplug the surge protector."
So no capacitors are discharging.
Rasser
Active Member
Sure sounds like there is a leaking current in some of your rooms, until you get that fixed I would just use a simple main distributor with an on/off switch
and no surge protection. And maybe not earth connection too. My lamp in not running with any earth connected, I'm still breathing.
I'm sure there is a standard witch say what plug has to be the phase or the neutral left or right.
Dirty Harry
Well-Known Member
So I assume you too have danced the light fantago...
I have been there many a times. Three phase is a bitch when bitten.