Lightronics DB624 User manual

www.lightronics.com
Lightronics Inc 509 Central Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Tel [phone]
DB624
6 x 2400W DISTRIBUTED DIMMING BAR
OWNERS MANUAL
Version 1.1
1/06/2022

Page 2 of 6
DB624 DISTRIBUTED DIMMING BAR
Version: 1.1 OWNERS MANUAL 01/06/2022
www.lightronics.com
Lightronics Inc 509 Central Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Tel [phone]
DESCRIPTION OF UNIT
The DB624 is a 6 channel dimmer with a capacity of
2,400 watts per channel giving a total of 14,400
watts. The DB624 is controlled by the DMX512
lighting control protocol. Individual channels may be
set to operate in "relay" mode where channels are
switched only on or off depending on controller
fader position.
LOCATION AND ORIENTATION
THE UNIT SHOULD BE OPERATED
HORIZONTALLY WITH THE OPERATOR PANEL
FACING FORWARD OR BACKWARD (NOT UP OR
DOWN).
Make certain the ventilation holes on the face of the
unit are not obstructed. A six inch clearance should
be maintained between the unit and other surfaces
to ensure proper cooling. Do not place the DB624
where it will be exposed to moisture or excessive
heat. The DB624 is intended for indoor use only.
MOUNTING
The DB624 is designed to be mounted on truss
equipment using standard lighting pipe clamps. The
attaching bolt for these clamps will fit into an
inverted "T" slot located along the bottom of the
dimmer. The slot will also accommodate a 1/2" bolt
(3/4" across bolt head flats). Use a pipe clamp to
mount the DB624 above a truss bar.
MOUNTING ADAPTERS
The DB624 is supplied with three mounting adapters
and their associated hardware. The primary purpose
of the adapters is to provide a way to install the unit
below a truss bar without turning it upside down.
The adapters can also be used for other user
defined mounting arrangements.
TO INSTALL THE MOUNTING ADAPTERS
1. Install a pipe clamp on the end of the
adapter which overlaps itself. Make the
clamp snug but not tight against the adapter
so you can make final adjustments when
installing the unit on a bar.
2. Install 1/2" bolt and flat washer through the
other end of the adapter so the bolt head
and washer are inside the adapter.
3. Slide the adapter (with the 1/2" bolt and flat
washer installed) on either end of the DB624
so the bolt head slides into the DB624 "T"
slot. The flat washer must be between the
DB624 and the adapter.
4. Install a lock washer and nut on the 1/2"
bolt. Leave it loose enough to slide the
adapter along the "T" slot in the DB624.
5. Slide the adapter along the DB624 "T" slot
to the desired position and tighten the nut
until it is snug. You may not want to
completely tighten the nuts so you can make
final adjustments when you hang the unit.
6. Repeat the above process for the remaining
adapters.
7. Hang the entire assembly on a truss bar by
the pipe clamps. Tighten down any
connections left loose during the previous
assembly process.
NOTE: Use of safety chains or cables is
recommended for any overhead dimmer
installation
POWER REQUIREMENTS
Each DB624 requires both lines of a SINGLE
PHASE 120/240 VOLT AC service at 60 Amps per
line or THREE PHASE 120/208 VOLT AC service at
MOUNTING ADAPTER INSTALLATION
PIPE CLAMP
(NOT SUPPLIED)
MOUNTING
ADAPTER
T SLOT
FLAT
WASHER
LOCK
WASHER
NUT
1/2" DIA. BOLT
DB - 624

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DB624 DISTRIBUTED DIMMING BAR
Version: 1.1 OWNERS MANUAL 01/06/2022
www.lightronics.com
Lightronics Inc 509 Central Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Tel [phone]
40 Amps per line. Neutral and ground conductors
are needed.
The unit requires a line frequency of 60HZ but can
be set up for 50HZ as a special order or update by
contacting Lightronics. Power enters the DB624
through the knockout sized holes in the left end of
the unit. A terminal block for connecting the
incoming power is located inside the left end of the
unit. There is also an earth ground lug.
The DB624 will not operate correctly using
only 2 phases of a 3 phase power service. This
holds true regardless of whether the unit is set
up for single or three phase power.
INSTALLATION
MAKE SURE THE INPUT POWER IS
DISCONNECTED BEFORE INSTALLING
THE DB624.
The DB624 is supplied to operate on THREE
PHASE 120/208 VAC power. It can be "field
converted' to operate on SINGLE PHASE 120/240
VAC. See the section "SINGLE PHASE POWER
CONNECTIONS" for information about converting to
Single phase power. The power input terminals are
rated for one AWG#8 wire or one AWG#6 wire.
Terminal torque is 16 lb.-in max.
KNOCKOUTS
Power access to the DB624 is through the left end
cover plate which has dual knockouts. The right end
cover plate also has dual knockouts which "punch
out" in the opposite direction. These end cover
plates may be exchanged to accommodate your
particular installation.
CONVERTING TO RIGHT HAND END POWER
ACCESS
The DB624 may be field converted to provide power
connection access at the right hand end of the unit
while retaining correct orientation of the center
control panel. This is done by removing the center
control panel and reinstalling it upside down. When
this is done, the power input will be at the right end,
the control panel will still read "right side up" and the
channel outputs will correctly correspond to the
labeling.
The procedure is as follows:
1. Remove the eight screws which attach the center
panel to the main chassis and carefully pull the
panel out. Note the orientation of the two 6-pin,
inline connectors which connect to the rear center of
the control circuit card.
2. Disconnect the two 6-pin inline connectors
(depress the latching tabs to release them). On the
circuit card these are labeled as J1 (upper) and J2
(lower). Also disconnect the 2-pin inline connector.
3. Rotate the center control panel so it reads upside
down and reinstall the 6-pin connectors. Do not
rotate or move the female connectors which have
wires in them. The connector which was attached to
J1 should now connect to J2 and vice versa.
4. Reconnect the 2-pin inline connector and reinstall
the control panel.
THREE PHASE POWER CONNECTIONS
True three phase power must be supplied to operate
the DB624 in the three phase configuration. This
means that each of the three input power hot legs
(L1, L2 and L3) must have a 120 degree electrical
phase offset from each other. The feed circuit must
be able to supply 40 Amps for each hot leg.
The DB624 is factory shipped to accommodate
THREE PHASE, 120/208 VAC, Wye power service.
Consult the applicable electrical codes for your
location for exact wire specifications. The unit must
be powered from a circuit providing a minimum of 40
Amps per line (3 pole 40 Amp circuit breaker). The
minimum wire size is AWG#8. Wire may be either
stranded or solid. The terminals are intended for
copper wire only.
CONNECT POWER WIRES AS FOLLOWS
1 Remove the access cover at the end of the unit.
2 Connect the three "HOT" power input wires to the
L1, L2, L3 terminals.
3 Connect the neutral wire to the terminal marked
N.
4 Connect a ground wire to the CHASSIS
GROUND terminal marked G.
MAKE CERTAIN THE INPUT
POWER SOURCE IS DE-ENERGIZED
BEFORE MAKING CONNECTIONS.

Page 4 of 6
DB624 DISTRIBUTED DIMMING BAR
Version: 1.1 OWNERS MANUAL 01/06/2022
www.lightronics.com
Lightronics Inc 509 Central Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Tel [phone]
When operating on three phase power, the DB624
expects a particular phase sequence for these three
input power connections. It does not matter which
phase is connected to the L1 terminal but L2 and L3
must be in the correct order. The unit will not be
damaged if these two connections are reversed but
dimming will not occur correctly and some channels
will appear to be in an on/off mode. If this occurs –
see the “Phase Sensing Jumper” section in this
manual and set the jumper block for three phase
reverse operation.
SINGLE PHASE POWER CONNECTIONS
The DB624 may be field converted to accommodate
a SINGLE PHASE 120/240 VAC power service.
Consult the applicable electrical codes for your
location for exact wire specifications. The unit must
be powered from a circuit providing a minimum of 60
Amps per line (2 pole 60 Amp circuit breaker). The
minimum wire size is AWG#6. Wire may be either
stranded or solid. The terminals are intended for
copper wire only.
1. Remove the access cover at the end of the unit.
2. Connect the two "HOT" power input wires to the
L1 and L3 terminals.
Note the terminal marked L2 is not used for
single phase operation.
3. Connect the neutral wire to the terminal marked
N.
4. Connect a ground wire to the CHASSIS
GROUND terminal marked G.
There are two blue wires in the L2 terminal on the
opposite side of the power input terminal strip.
These wires have color coded shrink tubing markers
on them. One of them is marked with BLACK. The
other is marked with RED.
5. Move the BLUE wire with the BLACK marker
from the L2 terminal to the L1 terminal.
6. Move the BLUE wire with the RED marker from
the L2 terminal to the L3 terminal.
A diagram of single phase power connections is
shown below:
PHASE SENSING JUMPER
There is a small black jumper block located on the
back of the control circuit board which must be set to
correspond to either single phase or three phase AC
input power. Install the jumper according to the
power at your facility using the diagram below. The
positions are shown below and are marked on the
circuit board. The control circuit board is mounted in
the inside of the main control panel which is the front
center panel on the unit. The Three Phase Reverse
setting is provided only to correct “out of sequence”
power input connections. Also see the section
“Three Phase Power Connections” for more
information concerning the Three Phase Reverse
setting.
The DB624 is usually shipped from the factory set
for 3 Phase Normal operation.
Disconnect or turn off power to the unit
before changing jumper settings
Factory Supplied Configuration
MAKE CERTAIN THE INPUT
POWER SOURCE IS DE-ENERGIZED
BEFORE MAKING CONNECTIONS.
SINGLE PHASE POWER
INPUT CONNECTIONS
THREE PHASE POWER
INPUT CONNECTIONS

Page 5 of 6
DB624 DISTRIBUTED DIMMING BAR
Version: 1.1 OWNERS MANUAL 01/06/2022
www.lightronics.com
Lightronics Inc 509 Central Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Tel [phone]
CHANNEL OUTPUT CONNECTIONS (LAMP LOAD
CONNECTIONS)
Dimmer channel output connectors are on the face
of the unit. Two connections are available for each
channel (the optional twist-lock panels have one
connection per channel). The numbering for the
channels is shown on the unit center faceplate. The
maximum load for each channel is 2400 Watts or 20
Amps.
CONTROL SIGNAL
Connect a Lightronics or other DMX512 compatible
controller to the DB624 using the MALE 5-pin XLR
connector located on the center faceplate of the unit.
This connector is marked DMX IN. The FEMALE 5-
pin XLR connector is provided so you can connect
multiple dimmers as a system. This connector is
marked DMX OUT and will pass the DMX signal
through to additional dimmers on a DMX chain.
Connector wiring information is given below.
DMX TERMINATION
A DMX device chain should be electrically
terminated at the last device (and only the last
device) on the control chain. A DMX terminator
consists of a 120 Ohm resistor connected across the
DMX DATA + and DMX DATA - lines. The DB624
contains a built in terminator which may be switched
in or out. The left end DIP switch on the unit center
panel will apply the terminator if moved to the UP
position.
OPERATION
CIRCUIT BREAKERS
A small plate near one end of the unit contains a 20
Amp magnetic circuit breaker for each dimmer
channel. To operate a channel the associated
circuit breaker must be closed. Channel numbers
for the circuit breakers are located on the circuit
breaker panel. If the circuit breaker will not remain
closed then there is an overload at the lamps for that
channel which MUST be corrected before operation
can continue.
INDICATORS
There is a neon lamp for each channel on the center
faceplate. This lamp indicates when INPUT power is
available for the channel (Input power on and
channel circuit breaker closed). There is also a row
of six red LEDs on the center faceplate which give
an approximate indication of the channel output
intensity.
SETTING THE UNIT STARTING ADDRESS
The DB624 may be addressed to any block of six
DMX addresses between 1 and 507. Set the rotary
decade switches on the unit center panel to the
number corresponding to the DMX address which
will be used for the first channel of the DB624. The
remaining five channels will be assigned to
consecutive higher DMX addresses. Multiple
DB624s may be set to the same address block.
CHANNEL TESTING
DB624 channel operation may be tested at the unit.
The six small pushbuttons at the lower right of the
center faceplate will activate the associated dimmer
channel to full ON and OFF when pushed. In
addition to channel testing, this function is useful
when adjusting or focusing lamps. A channel which
has been turned on by the test buttons can be
turned back off at the DMX console by setting the
associated channel fader to full ON and then back
OFF. The red LED indicators located directly above
the buttons indicate when the channel is on.
RELAY MODE OPERATION
Individual channels of the DB624 may be switched
into the relay mode. In this mode the dimmer
channel will either be fully on or fully off depending
on the channel intensity setting at the control
console. The channel will remain off until a console
fader position threshold point is crossed. When this
occurs - the corresponding dimmer channel will
switch to a full on condition. This mode is useful to
control lamps and other lighting devices which
cannot be dimmed.
There is a block of seven DIP switches on the center
panel of the unit. The right hand six of these
switches are used to switch the corresponding
channel into the relay mode. To switch a channel to
the relay mode - push its DIP switch UP.
PIN NUMBER
SIGNAL NAME
1
DMX Common
2
DMX Data -
3
DMX Data +
4
Not Used
5
Not Used

Page 6 of 6
DB624 DISTRIBUTED DIMMING BAR
Version: 1.1 OWNERS MANUAL 01/06/2022
www.lightronics.com
Lightronics Inc 509 Central Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Tel [phone]
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
TROUBLESHOOTING
VERIFY ALL POWER IS REMOVED BEFORE
HANDLING THE UNIT.
1. Verify the unit channel addresses are
correctly set.
2. Check that the DMX controller is powered and
that DMX channels are correctly patched or
set.
3. Check the control cable between the dimmer
and its DMX controller.
4. Verify the loads and their connections.
OWNER MAINTENANCE
There is one fuse in the unit which provides
protection for the unit's printed circuit board. It may
be replaced only with a 1/2 Amp, 250VAC, Fast
acting replacement fuse.
There are no other user serviceable parts inside the
unit.
The best way to prolong the life of your unit is to
keep it cool, clean, and dry. It is important that the
cooling intake and exit vent holes are clean and
unobstructed.
Service by other than Lightronics authorized agents
may void your warranty.
OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE
If service is required, contact the dealer from whom
you purchased the equipment or return it to the
Lightronics Service Department, 509 Central Drive,
Virginia Beach, VA 23454. TEL [phone].
Please contact Lightronics for a Repair Information
Sheet to be filled out and included with items being
returned for service.
Lightronics recommends that you record the serial
number of your DB624 for future reference
WARRANTY INFORMATION AND
REGISTRATION – CLICK LINK BELOW
www.lightronics.com/warranty.html
RELAY MODE
DIMMER MODE
SERIAL NUMBER __________________________