Chauvet DMX-4 LED User manual

DMX-4 LED
User Manual

CHAUVET®, 2010, All Rights Reserved
Information and specifications in this User Manual are subject to change without notice.
CHAUVET® assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear
in this manual.
Author: Anthony Chiappone
Revision: 01
Release Date: 12-10-2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN................................................................................................................................................... 3
WHAT IS INCLUDED ................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................................................................................................... 3
MANUAL CONVENTIONS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
ICONS .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4
2. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
PRODUCT OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................................................................. 5
3. SETUP .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6
AC POWER........................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
NOTES ON “SWITCH”OPERATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
CHANGING BETWEEN “DIMMER”AND “SWITCH”........................................................................................................................................ 6
MOUNTING............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Orientation................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Rigging..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Rigging..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
4. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS...................................................................................................................................... 9
CONFIGURING THE STARTING ADDRESS .................................................................................................................................................. 9
DMX MODE.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
STANDALONE MODE .............................................................................................................................................................................. 9
MENU MAP ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
DMX CHANNEL VALUES ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10
4-Channel Personality............................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
2-Channel Personality............................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
1-Channel Personality............................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
5. APPENDIX.................................................................................................................................................................. 11
GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING .............................................................................................................................................................. 11
DMX PRIMER ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
FIXTURE LINKING (DAISY CHAIN) .......................................................................................................................................................... 12
DATA CABLING.................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
DMX Data Cable.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
CABLE CONNECTORS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
SETTING THE STARTING ADDRESS ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
3-Pin to 5-Pin Conversion Chart............................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Setting up a DMX Daisy Chain .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14
GENERAL MAINTENANCE...................................................................................................................................................................... 15
RETURNS PROCEDURE ........................................................................................................................................................................ 15
CLAIMS .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 16
CONTACT US................................................................................................................................................................. 16

1. Before You Begin 3 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN
What is included
1 x DMX-4 LED
1 x Power Cord
1 x Warranty Card
1 x User Manual
Unpacking Instructions
Immediately upon receiving a fixture, carefully unpack the carton, check the contents to ensure
that all parts are present, and have been received in good condition. Notify the shipper
immediately and retain packing material for inspection if any parts appear damaged from
shipping or the carton itself shows signs of mishandling. Save the carton and all packing
materials. In the event that a fixture must be returned to the factory, it is important that the fixture
be returned in the original factory box and packing.
Manual Conventions
CHAUVET® manuals use the following conventions to differentiate certain types of information
from the regular text.
CONVENTION
MEANING
[10]
A DIP switch to be configured
<Menu>
A key to be pressed on the fixture’s control panel
1~512
A range of values
50/60
A set of values of which only one can be chosen
Settings
A menu option not to be modified (for example, showing the operating
mode/current status)
MENU >
Settings
A sequence of menu options to be followed
ON
A value to be entered or selected
Icons
This manual uses the following icons to indicate information that requires special attention on the
part of the user.
ICONS
MEANING
This paragraph contains critical installation, configuration or operation
information. Failure to comply with this information may render the fixture
partially or completely inoperative, cause damage to the fixture or cause
harm to the user.
This paragraph contains important installation or configuration information.
Failure to comply with this information may prevent the fixture from
functioning correctly.
This paragraph reminds you of useful, although not critical, information.

1. Before You Begin 4 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
Safety Instructions
Please keep this User Manual for future consultation. If you sell the unit to another
user, be sure that they also receive this instruction booklet.
Always make sure that you are connecting to the proper voltage, and that the line
voltage you are connecting to is not higher than that stated on the decal or rear panel
of the fixture.
This product is intended for indoor use only! To prevent risk of fire or shock, do not
expose fixture to rain or moisture.
Make sure there are no flammable materials close to the unit while operating.
The unit must be installed in a location with adequate ventilation, at least 20 in (50 cm)
from adjacent surfaces. Be sure that no ventilation slots are blocked.
Always disconnect from power source before servicing or replacing fuse and be sure to
replace with same fuse source.
Secure fixture to fastening device using a safety chain.
Maximum ambient temperature (Ta) is 104° F (40° C). Do not operate fixture at
temperatures higher than this.
In the event of a serious operating problem, stop using the unit immediately. Never try
to repair the unit by yourself. Repairs carried out by unskilled people can lead to
damage or malfunction. Please contact the nearest authorized technical assistance
center.
Never connect the device to a dimmer pack.
Make sure the power cord is never crimped or damaged.
Never disconnect the power cord by pulling or tugging on the cord.
Never carry the fixture directly from the cord. Always use the hanging/mounting
bracket.
Avoid direct eye exposure to the light source while it is on.
Please read these instructions carefully. It includes important information
about the installation, usage and maintenance of this product.

2. Introduction 5 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
2. INTRODUCTION
Product Overview
LED Display
Power In
Power Switch
Control Buttons
DMX In
DMX Out
Channel Outputs
(1~4)
LED Channel
Indicators
Fuseholders

3. Setup 6 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
3. SETUP
AC Power
This fixture accepts an input of 100~240 VAC, 50/60 Hz. Before powering on the unit, make sure
the line voltage to which you are connecting it is within the range of accepted voltages. Also
make sure that the fixtures you are plugging into the DMX-4 LED match the input voltage.
Input voltage equals output voltage.
To determine the power requirements for a particular fixture, see the label affixed to the back
plate of the fixture or refer to the fixture’s specifications chart. A fixture’s listed current rating
indicates its average current draw under normal conditions.
Always connect the fixture to a switched circuit. Never connect the fixture to a rheostat
(variable resistor) or dimmer circuit, even if the rheostat or dimmer channel is used only
as a 0 to 100% switch.
Always connect the fixture to a circuit with a suitable electrical ground.
Notes on “Switch”Operation
Dimmer/switch packs are primarily intended for lamp-based PAR cans. Connecting a fixture
equipped with an electronic (switching) power supply to a dimmer/pack switch may damage the
fixture or make it work erratically.
The improved DMX-4 LED’s design now allows you to switch on and off loads equipped with
electronic power supplies, such as LED-based luminaries or laser fixtures. However, the DMX-4
LED must be in “switch” mode before connecting this type of loads to it. Please see the
instructions on how to set the DMX-4 LED in switch mode below.
Always make sure that the DMX-4 LED is in switch mode before connecting a load
equipped with an electronic power supply to it. Doing otherwise could damage the load.
Changing between “Dimmer” and “Switch”
The DMX-4 LED has two different methods for controlling the output of the four (4) channels. This
must be set by the user via the control panel.
Please see the steps below for this procedure.
1. Unplug any units from the four output channels.
2. Plug the DMX-4 LED into power.
3. Press <MODE> until ~ appears on the LED display.
4. Press <MENU> until **/**/**/** appears on the LED display. This setting can
be set differently for each of the four channels. Navigate to the desired channel.
5. Using <UP> & <DOWN>, select either  or .  switches the channel to “switch”
method.  sets it into dimmer method.
6. Continue to set this for each of the 4 channels, using the process detailed in the steps
above, until complete.

3. Setup 7 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
Mounting
Orientation
The DMX-4 LEDmay be mounted in any position, provided there is adequate room for ventilation.
Rigging
Be sure that the structure can support the weight of the fixture. Please see the “Technical
Specifications” section of this manual for a detailed weight listing. Mount the fixture securely. This
may be done with a screw, nut and bolt, or a hanging clamp. The hole in each bracket is 13 mm
in size. When rigging consider routine maintenance and control panel access. Please see the
following notes on installation.
The back plate may be reversed for an alternate rigging configuration. See the section
on the following page for details on how to do this.
Safety cables must always be used.
Mounting bracket

3. Setup 8 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
Rigging
The DMX-4 LED ships ready to mount a standard clamp directly to the mounting bracket.
However, if you are using this product with truss or a lighting stand, then there is an alternate
rigging configuration available. This option is ideal for hanging the product without using a
hanging clamp.
Please see the steps below for further details.
1. Unplug power from the product.
2. On the back of the product, locate the six (6) Edison #2 screws.
3. Using a screwdriver, remove these.
4. The mounting bracket will now come off. Be careful not to damage the internal
components of the dimmer, as they are exposed during this step!
5. Flip the mounting bracket (back panel) around.
6. Reattach the panel by securely installing the six (6) screws.
Remove these six
(6) screws
Back Panel
Alternate Rigging
Configuration

4. Operating Instructions 9 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
4. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Configuring the Starting Address
The DMX-4 LEDfixture uses up to four DMX channels. The highest channel that the fixture may
be set to in order to function properly is 509. Any address higher than this will prevent access to
all of the channels.
If this is your first time using DMX, we recommend reading the “DMX Primer” section in the
“Appendix”.
DMX Mode
This is the operating mode which will allow for control with an external DMX controller. You must
set the starting address and personality for this mode.
Please see the instructions below.
1. Press <MODE> to switch between “DMX Mode” and “Standalone Mode”. Switch it to
“DMX Mode”.
2. Press <MENU> until the LED display reads ~.
3. Using <UP> and <DOWN>, select one of the three personalities.
4. Press <MENU> until the LED display reads ~.
5. Using <UP> and <DOWN>, select the DMX starting address.
Standalone Mode
This fixture has built-in auto programs with adjustable settings.
Please see the instructions below.
1. Press <MODE> to switch between “DMX Mode” and “Standalone Mode”. Switch it to
“Standalone Mode”.
2. Press <MENU> until the LED display reads ~.
3. Using <UP> and <DOWN>, select one of the programs.
4. Press <MENU> until the LED display reads ~.
5. Using <UP> and <DOWN>, select the desired run speed.
6. Press <MENU> until the LED display reads ~.
7. Using <UP> and <DOWN>, select the desired dimmer level for the program currently
running.
Menu Map
MODE
MENU
DISPLAY
DESCRIPTION
DMX Mode
Starting address
~
Personality

1-channel mode

2-channel mode

4-channel mode
Switch/Dimmer
Switch: 
Dimmer: 

Channel 1 function

Channel 2 function

Channel 3 function

Channel 4 function
Standalone Mode
Program
~
Run speed
~
Dimmer
~
Slow~fast

4. Operating Instructions 10 12/10/2010 5:16 PM
DMX Channel Values
4-Channel Personality
In this DMX personality, the four channels will be controlled by separate DMX channels.
CHANNEL
VALUE
FUNCTION
1
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%
2
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%
3
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%
4
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%
2-Channel Personality
In this DMX personality, the four channels will be grouped into pairs. Channels 1+2 will be
controlled by DMX channel 1, while channels 3 + 4 will be controlled by DMX channel 2.
CHANNEL
VALUE
FUNCTION
1
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%
2
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%
1-Channel Personality
In this DMX personality, the four channels will be grouped together. Channels 1+2+3+4 will all be
controlled by DMX channel 1.
CHANNEL
VALUE
FUNCTION
1
000 255
Dimmer
0%~100%